Iraqi Virtual Science Library IVSL

Overview

The Iraqi Virtual Science Library (IVSL) is an online digital library that provides Iraqi universities, research institutions, and government ministries with free access to peer-reviewed scientific and engineering journals and academic resources. Launched officially on 3 May 2006, the library was conceived to help Iraqi researchers reconnect with the global scientific community after decades of isolation under the Ba'ath regime and international sanctions. Since 2010 it has been managed and funded by Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR).

History and Founding

The idea originated with Alex Dehgan, an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow who witnessed the devastation of Iraqi scientific libraries during his 2003–05 service in Baghdad. His account at a Washington science policy event prompted Susan Cumberledge, a biochemist and AAAS Fellow at the Department of Defense, to propose a virtual library solution. A team of AAAS Fellows — including D.J. Patil (University of Maryland), Ranjiv Khush, Ben Perman, and Kwabena Yiadom — worked across agencies to design and launch the library. Seed funding of approximately $360,000 came from the Department of Defense Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The U.S. National Academies managed the library at launch; the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) oversaw it from July 2006 until its formal transfer to Iraq's MOHESR in June 2011.

Collections and Access

At launch, IVSL provided access to over one million articles from more than 17,000 electronic journal titles contributed by publishers including AAAS/Science, Elsevier, Springer, JSTOR, Project MUSE, and the U.S. National Academies. By the time of its transfer to Iraqi management in 2011, the library served approximately 7,000 registered users, all Iraqi public universities, and nine government ministries. Monthly article downloads reached approximately 30,000 by end-2009. The library has been relaunched and is currently managed by MOHESR.