University of Namibia

Information and Learning Resource Centre

Academic Library · Namibia

• https://journals.unam.edu.na
• researchsupport@unam.na

Research and Scholalry communication

https://journals.unam.edu.na

Anna Leonard, Senior Librarian: Research and Scolalry communication
Phone: +264612064658
Email: aleonard@unam.na

Program Overview

Mission/Objectives:
The University of Namibia Libraries is guided by the notion of social justice imperative to progressively develop research, scholarly communication, and publishing services. By serving as a publisher of local open access journals; theses and dissertations; book chapters; and technical reports, we promote inclusive knowledge creation and access, as well as decolonizing locally relevant scholarship.

• Publishing activities began: 2013
• Stage of publishing efforts: 3 - Established
• Open access focus: One priority among many
• Portion of Open Access publications: All
• Publishing Languages: English

Program Organization

• Organization of publishing services: Centralized library publishing unit/department
• Advisory/editorial board: No
• Total staffing in Full Time Equivalents (FTE): 4
• Individual people: 4
• Students: Graduate student(s)
• Funding sources: Library materials budget; Library operating budget

Publishing Activities

• Conference papers and proceedings
• Electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs)
• Expansive digital publications
• Grey literature
• Journals

Highlights

Partners

• Internal partners:  Campus departments or programs; Individual faculty
• Other publishing entities administered by your library: No
  
• Other publishing entities within your library’s parent institution: Yes
  We work closely with the institutional repository librarian and digital curators, providing advice on open access publications, self archiving, and archiving publication through the repository. We collectively work on the workflow, create advocacy and awareness, and co-train academics and students.
• Program’s openness to working with external partners: Consider external partners if there is a tie to my institution (e.g., local editor of a journal for an external scholarly society)
• Types of publications should other publishers refer to your program: journals; campus-based faculty-created journals; conference papers and proceedings; faculty electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs); technical/research reports; educational resources
• Part of a consortium which provides support for publishing? (e.g. platform, funding): Yes

Technologies & Services

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Policies

Adopted Policies:
DOAJ guidelines for journal indexing submission; Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

Additional Information

Last Year:
We would like to establish a committee that will oversee the quality of the journals, develop guidelines for establishing a journal, and journal establishment application form to avoid random establishment of journals within the university.

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Future Plans:
We would like to revive the Namibia Development Journal by establishing a new editorial board and issuing a call for papers. We also wish to apply for indexing with the Directory of Open Access Journals and work with faculty to publish open access books.

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