MELA Notes number 83 (2010) - Middle East Librarians Association
MELA Notes number 83 (2010) - Middle East Librarians Association
MELA Notes number 83 (2010) - Middle East Librarians Association
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SPURR: Iraqi Libraries<br />
1. Iraq Virtual Science Library (IVSL) 1<br />
I owe particular thanks to Kamran Naim of the <strong>Middle</strong> <strong>East</strong> & North<br />
Africa Programs (MENA) of the U.S. Civilian Research &<br />
Development Foundation (CRDF) for information on the present<br />
status of IVSL. CRDF became responsible for the IVSL from the<br />
American end in the summer of 2006 at the request of the<br />
Department of State, and remained so until the IVSL was formally<br />
transferred to Iraqi control and financial responsibility in mid-<strong>2010</strong>,<br />
but remains actively involved in a consultative capacity, contracting<br />
expressly to manage the transition to Iraqi administration (the first<br />
actual contract between the CRDF and the Iraqis). The public<br />
notification of transfer may be found at the following link:<br />
http://www.crdf.org/events/events_show.htm?doc_id=1262002<br />
This event marked the transfer of responsibility for paying for<br />
the service to the Iraqi government. According to a brief prepared by<br />
Kamran Naim for the benefit of this report, the funding for the IVSL<br />
has been as follows:<br />
Total U.S. Funding: $1.98 million<br />
2004/2005/2006: $350K DOD (DTRA) through DOS and US<br />
National Academies of Science<br />
2006: $50K CRDF UNA<br />
2007: $350K DOS (ISN/CTR)<br />
2008/2009: $1.2 million DOS (IRRF), $30K DOE<br />
<strong>2010</strong>: $450K Government of Iraq (Ministry of Higher Education<br />
& Scientific Research, Ministry of Oil, Ministry of Water<br />
Resources)<br />
When management of the IVSL was transferred to Iraqi control,<br />
inactive accounts were purged, resulting in a sharp initial decline<br />
from the <strong>number</strong>s participating in comparison with those in the 2009<br />
report; however, that drop was soon countered by the great interest in<br />
this service in Iraq. Therefore, as of November <strong>2010</strong>, the <strong>number</strong> of<br />
registered members totals 8,933 active users (plus 656 awaiting<br />
approval) from all 25 public universities in Iraq, as well as 9 Iraqi<br />
ministries and the Iraqi National Academy of Sciences. Subscribers<br />
continue to be added at the rate of approximately 300 per month.<br />
1 IVSL website: http://www.ivsl.org/<br />
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