The CGIAR virtual library: harnessing new technologies for scholarly access to agricultural information

Abstract

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) supports 15 international agricultural research centers worldwide, through strategic collaboration among countries, international and regional organiza‐ tions, and private foundations. Through aggressive research efforts and work‐ ing with national agricultural research programs, these centers generate a huge volume of scholarly outputs on various agricultural subjects. In the past, awareness and access to these valuable sources of information posed problems because of the lack of a central vehicle for searching and retrieval. In 2006, linkage between this valuable body of knowledge and scientists was maxi‐ mized through the development of a single electronic platform for metasearch‐ ing: the CGIAR Virtual Library (CGVLibrary). This paper attempts to present the progress of the CGVL Project and how web 2.0 tools are utilized for effi‐ cient content development, increased visibility, wider accessibility, and timely collaboration Currently available to worldwide users at http://vlibrary.cgiar.org/, the CGVLibrary is the result of collaborative efforts among information management professionals from the 15 CGIAR Centers, who established the CGIAR Libraries and Information Services Consortium (CGIARLISC) in 2003. Currently, this resource‐rich site offers a user‐friendly platform for federated searching of CGIAR Center libraries’ online catalogs, more than 180 online databases, around 4,000 electronic journals, and full text monographs. The CGVLibrary has instituted facets approximating Library 2.0 as it gives information access regardless of time and geographical location. Moreover, through its blog and wiki spaces, agricultural scientists have better awareness of agricultural information as well as augment the resources avail‐ able, discuss and collaborate. On top of achievements, there are many chal‐ lenges that need to be faced: content management and sustained access to full text electronic resources, the diminishing budget, improvement of search capa‐ bility, the development of standard interfaces and connector technologies for better information sharing, and sustained collaboration among the information management professionals in the CGIAR system.