From: Derek Law <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:54:18 +0100

In response to the posting by Gedye, LibLicense readers need to know
that the Electronic Publishing Trust for Development (EPT, not EFT as
described) is an informed, long-established organisation, the aim of
which is solely to promote open access to published research both to
and from the developing world (see http://www.epublishingtrust.net).
Further, we are concerned that appropriate research findings relevant
to conditions in the South are accessible, since by no means all
research supplied from the North addresses developing country needs,
while good research conducted in the South is not always readily
accessible to researchers in the North. The EPT supports any and all
means that help meet its objectives, and has no preferred agenda to
promote. However, we believe in a pluralist not a monolithic approach,
as all existing systems have strengths and weaknesses and there is no
single solution which meets all the needs of researchers in developing
countries. To ensure understanding, readers are invited to read the
entire response made to the Finch Report (see
http://epublishingtrust.net/ept-response-to-the-uk-finch-report/),
rather than selected excerpts that do not provide the context for the
statements we make.

The EPT welcomes the recent statement from the UK’s Department for
International Development (see
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/News/Latest-news/2012/Open-access-will-help-to-boost-innovation/)
that shares our concerns for the continuing imbalance of access
between rich and poor research organisations and offers support for
open access as one of the best mechanisms to repair the gap.

Professor Derek Law
Chair, Electronic Publishing Trust for Development

________________________________________________________________________________________
Professor Derek Law
Turnbull Building
University of Strathclyde
155 George Street
Glasgow G1 1RD
United Kingdom