The University of Wisconsin Press Journals Division has taken a significant step in making academic content more accessible to libraries in economically disadvantaged countries. By offering all content at no charge to select countries, this initiative recognizes the unique needs of these libraries and their users.
This program is offered through Project MUSE, a digital platform that provides access to scholarly books and journals from reputable publishers. MUSE has been actively working to bridge the knowledge gap between economically disadvantaged countries and the rest of the world by implementing initiatives like pricing tiers and partnerships with organizations like the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications.
The country list for this program will be updated each year based on the Wold Bank World Development Indicators. The 2023 list includes:
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Congo
- The Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eritrea
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Niger
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Togo
- Yemen
These efforts can go a long way in providing individuals in these countries with the tools and information they need to succeed. By making academic content more accessible, we can help bridge the knowledge gap and promote a more equitable world. We hope that other publishers and organizations will follow suit and take similar steps to make their content more widely available to those who need it most.