Belarus

Belarus Council of Libraries on Information  Cooperation (BelCoLib) was established on the initiative of the National Library of Belarus  and comprises over  37 university, public and special libraries. BelCoLib  as a successor  of BelLibnet  co-ordinates activities  of libraries with  EIFL and  have initiated  OA  movement in Belarus.  The working group on OA is responsible for coordination of the activities aimed at promotion of OA initiative in Belarus.

Enabling Environment:

EIFL supports Belarus in developing OA awareness through BelCoLibNet. The National Library of Belarus  provides methodological supports for OA  initiatives  and the National Academy of Sciences (Institute of Mathematics) has published an OA journal (indexed on DOAJ).

Potential Barriers:

Copyright Law  barriers; poor financial  support of the OA  projects ; limited national internet access.

Major Projects/Initiatives:

BelCoLib have made proposals to amendment of the national Copyright Law.

Belarussian State University Digital Library has been developed as a repository and included into ROAR.

Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics has published an OA  journal.

BSUIR  plans to launch a multidisciplinary OA portal for academic e-journals.

National library  of Belarus  is planning  to develop a corporate Belarussian Open  Access Repository.

Details of Key Organizations:

BelLibnet
Overview: BelLibNet is a consortium of 27 university, national and special libraries co-ordinating country activities with EIFL under the umbrella of the Belarusian Library Association. Communication address: v_britch(at)nlb.by

Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics
Communication address: Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics,  6, Brovka Street, 220027, Minsk, Republic of Belarus; e-mail: webmaster(at)bsuir.by

National Library of Belarus
Overview: National Library of Belarus is the country’s  legal deposit library offering loan and reference facilities. Communication address: 116 Independence Avenue,  220114, Minsk, Belarus, Email: v_britch(at)nlb.by

National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB)
Overview:  The major scientific institution in Belarus, NASB coordinates scientific research activity and serves as an umbrella organisation to support development in the sciences. Communication address: 66 Independence Avenue, Minsk BY-220072, Republic of Belarus; e-mail: nasb(at)presidium.bas-net.by

Library of the Belarusian State University (BSU)
BSU has established the first digital repository for its document collection.
Communication address: Belarusian State University, 4, Nezavisimosti Avenue, 220030, Minsk, Republic of Belarus; e-mail: library(at)bsu.by

Past and Future OA Related Activities:

Fundamental Library of Belarus State University, BelLibNet and EIFL Open Access Awareness Raising workshop in Minsk, Belarus, 2008 resulted in planned national project using Netherlands Cream of Science.

National Library of Belarus EIFL GA 2011, National Library of Belarus VII International Bibliological Conference "Libraries and the policy of open access to information and knowledge".

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