Open Access, Open Source Archives, and Open Libraries Initiatives for Universal Access to Knowledge and Information :An Overview of Indian Initiatives

Abstract

The present paper describes about the universal access to knowledge and information in the network and digital environment. It highlights the Open Access Declaration, Open Access Movement in India and aboard, Open Source Software for establishing Institutional Repositories and Digital Libraries for open access. Besides this it also highlights the recommendations of the Working Groups of National Knowledge Commission for Libraries and Open Access and Open Access Educational Resources. Some of the national level digital library initiatives and institutional repositories have also been listed for the benefit of the professionals. Initiatives taken by the INFLIBNET Centre , Ahmedabad and IISc , Bangalore and other institutions for creating Digital Libraries using Dspace has also been described. The initiatives taken by the INFLIBNET Centre and IIT Bombay for initiating Electronic Theses and Dissertation Project has been described in brief.