User:Filippo Morsiani/Open access in Albania

Open Access in Albania; There are 30 libraries in Albania most of which are university libraries. These have formed the Consortium of Albanian Libraries and are members of EIFL.

As of July 2015, 2 OA journals published in Albania are listed in DOAJ: (i) Academicus: International Scientific Journal; (ii) Albanian Journal of Agricultural Sciences. The Directory of Open Access Scholarly Resources (ROAD) further lists 3 more OA journals published in Albania: (i) Albanian Journal of Mathematics; (ii) Albanian Medical Journal and (iii) Albanian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 1 institutional OA repository from Epoka University is registered in OpenDOAR.

Enabling Environment
The national library was established in 1920 and a legal deposit act passed in 1922 (most recently revised in 1994). Library legislation was passed in 2000 guaranteeing free access to information and establishing a recognition for library development.

Albania Library Association received a grant from EIFL to develop a Consortium of Albanian Libraries. All members of the consortium have access to Commercial e-resources through EIFL-Licensing.

Potential Barriers
Albania still ranks as one of the poorest countries in Europe; IT facilities and internet access is limited (few public libraries e.g. Durresi, Fieri, Shkodra, Berat have internet access).

Major Projects/Initiatives
EIFL funding to the Albanian Library Association in 2004 led to the development of a Library Consortium, conference and training to consortium members.

Details of Key Organizations
Consortium of Albanian Libraries

Overview: The consortium consists of 30 national, academic and special libraries which, together with the Albanian Library Association, act to provide collective access to e-resources, training for librarians and end-users, technical assistance to members.

9 May 2015: OSCAL 2015- Open Source Conference; Tiranë, Albania

OSCAL (Open Source Conference Albania) was the first annual conference in Albania organized to promote software freedom, open source software, free culture and open knowledge, a global movement that originally started more than 25 years ago.The Conference gathered free libre open source technology users, developers, academics, governmental agencies and people who share the idea that software should be free and open for the local community.

The conference was supported and organized by Open Labs, the community that has promoted free libre open source culture in Albania since 2012.

List of Publications

 * Kupryte, R, Segbert-Elbert, M and Bernal, I (2005) The eIFL.net Initiative: Access and Management of Electronic Resources by Library Consortia in Developing and Transition Countries Serials Review. ol 31, December 2005, 256-260.
 * Xhaja, F (2001) Library system in Albania Unpublished paper.