[IRTalk] Opinion article: The Big Read: Stand up and stop the rot/Prof Jonathan Jansen

[Ina Smith]

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/03/03/The-Big-Read-Stand-up-and-stop-the-rot

"They were able to attract leading scholars to make their academic careers on the southern tip of the continent. Through external investments and increasing government support these universities were able to build an expansive infrastructure for residences, laboratories, computer labs, library holdings and large lecture halls to keep pace with growing student enrolments. Pupils from top schools and outstanding achievers from disadvantaged schools make these universities their first choice."

"Then the dramatic fall in the value of the rand devastates the capacity of libraries to retain their top journals, especially in the sciences, let alone to purchase new journals entering the academic marketplace. What this means is that librarians become jittery - this is their bread and butter, the ability to bring knowledge sources to the keypads of their scholars."


Ina Smith
SciELO Planning Manager
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

LIASA Exco Convener ICT Development (2014-2016)
LIASA HELIG Chair (2014-2016)

Switchboard: +27 12 349 6600
Tel: +27 12 349 6641
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Email: ina at assaf.org.za<mailto:ina at assaf.org.za>

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