Srinagar, Feb 1: In a significant development, the Kashmir University has published online, research contributions of three premiere academic and research institutions of the state for global access through the varsity’s website.
 The content, Open Access Repository, on www.kashmiruniversity.net, to begin with hosts contributions from the faculties, scholars and scientists at KU, SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, and the SK University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir.
 “The initiative aims to harvest voluntarily research papers, ETD (electronic thesis and dissertations) and conference proceedings in the three institutions and aggregate them in the repository for making them visible to interested scholarly community at a global level,” the KU PRO said.
 The Repository named KNOOR (Knowledge Repository Open Network) is being developed, maintained and regulated by KU’s the Department of Library & Information Science in collaboration with the Directorate of IT&SS.
 “The multi-lingual repository—which will help save the vital documents for posterity and ensure their preservation, easy access, dissemination and transparency—is a user- friendly one which will be accessible under indicators like subject, author or paper title,” the PRO said adding “Its broad categories will include Conference Proceedings, Research Papers (both preprint and post print) and ETD (Ph.D/D.M;M,Phil;M.D/MS thesis and dissertations).”
 “The Optimized Search Facility will make it easy for anybody to find an item within very short span…Users can also access an advanced level using more than one indicator to have more precision,” the PRO added.
 On Monday, the KU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi, reviewed the exercise. Prof Punjabi hailed the initiative, urging the administrator to extend the facility to all other universities and educational institutions in the state.
 “We have already kick-started the initiative and it will automatically expand with the passage of time,” said Prof Punjabi.
 Among others, the meeting was attended by the KU Registrar, Prof S Fayyaz Ahmad, Director, IT&SS, Prof Meraj-u-Din, and Head, Department of Library and Information Sciences, Prof M S Shafi.
 The KU has already put the “abstract and full-text of Open-Access papers online”.
 The KU PRO said: “The contributors can upload their research contributions (after completion of all formalities) from time to time.”
 “Every academic (faculty, scientist, research scholar of the participating institutions in the Repository Network) can submit his pre-print or peer reviewed post print research paper either directly by clicking on the website, or indirectly by mailing at digitalrepository@kashmirunivesity.ac.in or digitalrepositoryadmin@kashmirunivesity.ac.in.”

Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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