Dear All,

 

I posted this a while back to the HLG and UHMLG lists, and have had no replies, so am posting again!

 

We are looking at the diversity of our collections and resources, and as part of that have looked at how well databases index journals from outside North America, Europe and Australasia.

 

We discover that out of 5284 journals indexed in Medline, just 26 are published in Africa.   Of the 3809 journals indexed in Cinahl, just 15 are published in Africa.

 

Of course, African researchers, and research relevant to Africa, can be published in European and American journals, but as there are 168 health journals included in African Journals Online, we suspect there are plenty that may not be indexed in the major databases.    We think the Medline and Cinahl picture is similar for journals published in South and Central America and South Asia.

 

I know databases will have criteria for journals that they index, but I wonder if there is a discussion to be had with the producers of the databases?

 

And I wonder if this discussion would be better if it was started by a group, like HLG or UHMLG, not just by an individual.

 

What do you think?    Do you know of discussions that are already taking place?  I have asked that question on the AHILA and HIFA lists too.

 

Thanks for reading, and best wishes,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keith

 

Keith Nockels MA (Hons), Dip. Lib., MCLIP, FHEA
Academic Librarian (College of Life Sciences)

 

University Library,

Division of Library, Learning and Information Services,

Room 1.111, Fielding Johnson South Wing, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH

 

t: +44 (0)116 252 2044
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