Rowing upstream : promoting and disseminating LIS research in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Dissemination of LIS research is fundamental to scholarship and the sustainable development of society. This article aims at demonstrating that research findings should be promoted and disseminated if they are to be of any utility to society. However, researchers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face a lot of problems when it comes to promoting and disseminating their research. Journals are one of the avenues that may be used, but some international journals are not easily accessible. Journals in Africa face viability problems. Policies in certain countries force LIS researchers to publish in certain journals which in some cases would be inaccessible to African scholars. Professional associations are not actively involved in disseminating research results in most countries in SSA. Publishing thematically by journals may inhibit publishing research outside the scope of a given theme. Open access and institutional repositories may help researchers in SSA to promote and disseminate their research.