SPIE to Offer Free Digital Library Access to Selected Countries Building Research Capacity

BELLINGHAM, WA--(Marketwire - September 19, 2007) - SPIE today announced its agreement with the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to help meet the information needs of scientists in more than 30 countries that are rebuilding research capacity and infrastructure. SPIE will offer its journals and proceedings at low or no cost to INASP partner and network countries with low and lower middle income economies as identified by the World Bank.

"SPIE is committed to the enhancement of research capabilities in transitional and rebuilding countries. We are pleased to provide such a vital tool for the needs of science communities in need of increased access to information," said SPIE Director of Publications Eric Pepper, in making the announcement.

Researchers in more than 30 eligible countries in Africa, Asia and South and Central America will be able to download full-text articles from the SPIE Digital Library. The online library includes articles from SPIE's scholarly publications, including:

Optical Engineering
Journal of Electronic Imaging
Journal of Biomedical Optics
Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS
Journal of Applied Remote Sensing
Journal of Nanophotonics
Proceedings of SPIE
Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging

Eligible institutions include universities, libraries, not-for-profit research institutes, teaching hospitals and other similar institutions in countries identified by INASP. Access also will be available within those countries to many health professionals, agricultural extension workers and other professionals with not-for-profit status who are working in remote areas and within research institutes without formal collections.

Each country is being offered trials of the SPIE Digital Library through the end of 2007, and the opportunity to subscribe for either free or for a nominal cost beginning in 2008. Participation in the trials or subscription is optional.

The agreement is facilitated by the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information, which is operated by INASP to support capacity building in the research sector in transitional countries by strengthening the product, access and dissemination of information and knowledge.

For more information on this program, and to see if your institution qualifies, see inasp.info online.

About SPIE -- SPIE is an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light. SPIE organizes events including SPIE Photonics West, Photonics Europe, OptiFab, SPIE Optics and Photonics, SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, SPIE Advanced Lithography and many other international events. SPIE publishes journals, books and conference proceedings, with over 240,000 technical papers available for download via the SPIE Digital Library and 20,000 added annually. See SPIEDigitalLibrary.org for SPIE Digital Library details. For more about SPIE see http://SPIE.org.

About INASP -- INASP's mission is to enable a sustainable network of stakeholders that owns and drives access, use, dissemination and communication of research information. Collaborating with a wide network of partners in sister organizations, development agencies and publishers, INASP has implemented programs in more than 40 countries worldwide. These programs are designed for stakeholders engaged in all stages of the research communication cycle, with activities targeted to the needs of researchers, editors, national publishers, and librarians as well as ICT professionals.

Contact Information: Media Contact: Amy Nelson +1 360 685 5478