RE: 6 Publishers Will Give Poor Countries Free or Discounted Electronic Access to Journals

["De Beer, Jennifer" <jad@maties.sun.ac.za>]

This is a real boon to medical research (not to mention scholarly
practice) in these poorer nations spanning three continents. I 'take my
hat off' to the six publishers. As a South African though, it is
disheartening to learn that we will not benefit from this deal. Well,
maybe our case can still be made and negotiated. But it does seem a tad
ridiculous that two nations (SA, and Botswana) most affected by the AIDS
pandemic should be excluded. Given the ravages of the latter pandemic, and
the social and economic fallout therefrom, I guess someday South Africa &c
will qualify as being impoverished enough so as to benefit from this deal
(or any future deal much like this one).

Best,

Jennifer

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Jennifer De Beer
IT - Universiteit Stellenbosch University
(T) +27 (0)21 - 808 4367
(W3) sun.ac.za
 
"Never fall in love with your own airship" - Umberto Eco