The Latindex System: Enhancing Scholarly Journals in Latin America

1. International Conference on Electronic Publishing in Developing Countries Valparaíso, Chile 30 de septiembre - 4 de octubre de 2002 The Latindex System: regional networking to electronic resources José Octavio ALONSO GAMBOA DGB-UNAM, Mexico

2. Latindex: objectives and scope • Latindex databases and the cooperative work • Latindex and electronic resources

3. Latindex : Information System for the Scholarly Journals of Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. Began its construction in 1995 Available online since 1997: www.latindex.unam.mx

4. The mission of the system has been to collect information on, give access to and promote the quality of the serials scientific publications produced in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal.

5. Its objective is to establish policies and actions that aim to: • Integrating the efforts made in the various countries of the region concerning production, dissemination, automation and use of scientific information. • Reinforcing and upgrading the quality of the regional scientific journals. • Increasing their exposure and world-wide coverage. • Using processed information as a basis for producing by-products.

6. The goals of the system are, among others: • To achieve an upgraded compilation of the scientific journal titles published in the region. • To establish quality criteria and editorial standards for the scientific journals published in the region. • To create and develop an information system that registers and provides access to data on scientific works published in the region. • To develop the technical and human resources required to support such a system.

7. Latindex work is based on the coordinated participation of a network of national resource centres for the gathering and dissemination of bibliographical information. Initially it was meant to cover the Latin American and Caribbean countries. In 1997, Spain and Portugal were incorporated into the system.

8. Regional resource centres associated with Latindex: • Centro Argentino de Información Científica y Técnica (Argentina) • Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia (Brazil) • Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (Chile) • Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología “Francisco José de Caldas” (Colombia) • Universidad de Costa Rica (Costa Rica) • Instituto de Información Científica y Tecnológica (Cuba)

9. Regional resource centres associated with Latindex: • Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (Ecuador) • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico) • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal) • Universidad de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico) • Centro de Información y Documentación del CSIC (Spain) • Dirección General de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (Uruguay) • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (Venezuela)

10. About to be incorporated: • Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (Bolivia) • Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Peru)

11. Two online databases: Directory. A comprehensive coverage of all active scholarly journals produced in the region, with a basic description of every title. Available since 1997. Catalogue. A selection of titles, grouped according to previously defined quality criteria. Available since 2002.

12. Building the Latindex Directory: • Great variety of international information sources. • UNAM collection of Latin American scientific and technical journals covered since 1975 by CLASE, PERIODICA and HELA databases. • The Latindex Directory of journals started in 1997 with 2,460 titles.

13. The Latindex Directory: • 11,562 titles registered from 29 countries (Oct. 2002) • Brazil 2,885 • Spain 2,338 • Argentina 1,885 • Mexico 1,177 • Chile 1,073 • Portugal 900 • Cuba 363 • Colombia 282 • Venezuela 200

14. The Latindex Directory: • Fairly good representation of the stronger countries of the region. • Most of the smaller countries are still underrrepresented. • Seeking support for the entry of new countries into the system. • Standardisation of data has been one of the major tasks. • Important role of editors in the completion of data.

15. The Latindex Catalogue: • Database that provides additional information to the one provided by the Directory. • Covers a carefully made selection of titles: those that fullfill editorial quality criteria. • Follows a common methodology defined by a group of Iberoamerican specialists working with Latindex. • Developed initially by 10 of the participating partners. • Up to now, over 1,000 titles have been selected for their inclusion.

17. Editorial quality criteria for the selection of titles included in the Latindex Catalogue: Basic features Mention of editorial body Nature of contents Minimum existence of one year Identification of authors Mention of place of publication Mention of director or responsible Address

18. Editorial quality criteria for the selection of titles included in the Latindex Catalogue: Presentation of the journal Basic journal data Frequency of publication Table of context (Index) Bibliographic strip at the beginning of an article Bibliographic strip at the beginning of each page Members of the editorial board Editorial board’s institutional affiliation Author’s affiliation Dates of reception and approval of manuscripts

19. Editorial quality criteria for the selection of titles included in the Latindex Catalogue: Editorial policy and management: ISSN Journal definition or description Refereeing system External referees External authors Editorial independence Coverage by A&I services Frequency fulfillment

20. Editorial quality criteria for the selection of titles included in the Latindex Catalogue: Contents Percentage of original material Guidelines to authors Bibliographic reference guide Requirement of originality Abstract Abstract in two languages Keywords Keywords in two languages

21. Positive outcomes of the cooperative work: • A substantial increase of the titles identified. • A strengthening of links among different specialized institutions. • An exchange of national experiences in the field. • An increased presence and possibilities of cooperation with international bodies. • The cooperative nature = an asset when searching international financement. • Working together in solidarity as a mechanism against possible troubles experienced individually.

22. Main challenges faced up to now: • The local character of most of the titles, their scarce distribution and the difficulties to find them in libraries and information centres, have complicated the task. • The part-time nature of the work carried out in the different countries. • The lack of adequate insfrastructure and material resources, • The lack of an independent body with legal status.

23. Latindex and electronic resources: • Tracking and registering the electronic journal titles produced in the region. • Through the Directory : a quantitative perspective of electronic publishing in the region. • Through the Catalogue: a qualitative perspective between the different types of Iberoamerican electronic journals.

24. Array of electronic resources already in existence: • How should we identify and have access to Iberoamerican electronic journals that already compose such a diverse collection? • How should we register and classify them for the benefit of our users? • How should we track down electronic journals that fullfill scholar and scientific criteria? • How we should organize knowledge so that what today is added, tomorrow will remain available?

25. INDEX TO ELECTRONIC RESOURCES