Developing countries get free access to SPIE Digital Library

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) has arranged for the SPIE Digital Library to become available free of charge to researchers and students in more than 90 countries.

Organised through ICTP's electronic Journals Delivery Service (eJDS), the centre distributes scientific articles via email to individual scientists in institutions with insufficient or unaffordable internet connection. Content provided by eJDS focuses on photonics, optics, physics, and mathematics.

‘The eJDS is aimed at individual scientists in low-income countries who often suffer from professional isolation and poor facilities,’ said Lucio Visitin, ICTP acting library head. ‘Thanks to the generous participation of SPIE, ICTP through eJDS can provide them with quick access to the invaluable scientific content of the SPIE Digital Library.’

‘Joining the eJDS program is an incommensurable help for scientists from developing countries,’ said Dr. Mama Nsangou, senior lecturer in the department of physics at the University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon. ‘Access to papers published by SPIE through eJDS enhances the research capability of these scientists by providing an opportunity to do good bibliographic reviews in the domain of optical engineering.’