Founded in January 2021 by a young growing academician Mr Ngenge Ransom Tanyu, Africa Online and Publications Library (AOPL) is already gaining a strong foothold in the scholarly World judging from the strong desire demonstrated by scholars, organisations and institutions.
In an exclusive interview with Hilltopvoices's Nfor Nkfu, the manager of AOPL, says the outfit's concept is so original that those who get wind of it find it difficult to resist. Mr Raymond N Budi was speaking Saturday April 17th 2021 to give simplified insights of all AOPL is out to offer. It is a non profit making organization that aims to provide free and open access to academic literature for students and lecturers of higher institutions.
Below is a full interview with Raymond N Budi, AOPL Manager.
Q-what motivated the creation of AOPL?
Reymond N. BUDI: The motivation for the creation of the African Online and Publication Library (AOPL) emanates from a deep-seated challenges faced by students and lecturers in universities, professional schools and vocational colleges across the African continent. These challenges border on the inability of many university students and lecturers to access academic literature across different academic specialism across the entire African continent.
Q-The concept sounds so lofty, what do you seek to achieve in years to come?
Reymond N. BUDI: We envision an African continent where the average student or lecturer, can both access and publish academic literature and research content without regard to their economic position or geographical location. Our hope is to enhance personal growth and put Africa back in the limelight as far as contributing to knowledge development is concerned.
Q-AOPL has existed for months now, at what level are you?
Reymond N. BUDI: We actually started work in January 2021 and did our pre-launch online on 15 February 2021 and the feedback has been impressive. Since then, we have been involved in the process of completing our website construction process, the administrative procedure of legal recognition to establish on-site bureau in Yaoundé-Cameroon and already creating twinning platforms with some universities and associations in Africa and beyond among just many other things we are doing. In fact, our organization is fast gaining shape and taking the form we really intend it to be.
Q-since creation, how has the society especially the academic world received AOPL?
Reymond N. BUDI: This has been our greatest motivation. The feedback we have is overwhelming. The whole idea of an online and publication library is so original that those who het wind of it simply find it so hard to resist. Just by some example, within less than a week from the day of our pre-launch online, even without already uploading contents on our platforms, we already had a record followership of well over a thousand. This tells us that we are going places so fast and that our work is finding favour among our target groups.
Q-What does it take for a researcher to have his/her works published on AOPL?
Reymond N. BUDI: We have simplified the process of online publication of academic works to make it accessible to our target groups. We receive manuscripts; pass them through our team of reviewers according to their academic specialisms; we ensure that the review reports are received within 14 days, then based on those reports we go ahead to publish the works on our sites. To make it even easier, we request very low publication charges from authors.
Q-How secured is the platform?
Reymond N. BUDI: Our platform is extremely secure as we have been particularly keen about this. Our web developers have had it hot with us because our concern has been about security. We have sent them back to work on several counts mainly to establish the security of our platform. We can assure you of this.
Q-How can AOPL be reached? Is it only virtual or you have offices around?
Reymond N. BUDI: We are not only online, we also have on-site offices based in Yaoundé-Cameroon and represented even in the diaspora. Our websites have contact directories for on-site offices.
Q-Any modus operandi on how content can be searched on AOPL?
Reymond N. BUDI: Indeed, contents on our platforms are arranged thematically and in order of academic disciplines. All you need is to log into our website and choose your academic discipline and you would be directed to the contents, as easy as that.
Q-So far, have you been facing any difficulties?
Reymond N. BUDI: No endeavor worth the salt can be without challenges. We have had challenges with our web company we contracted to develop the site, we have issues acquiring legal authorization documents for our on-site offices to go operational as well as some staffing challenges. However, we are consciously working towards transforming these challenges into stepping stones and with determination, we are surmounting the challenges one after the other.
Q-Any last word to those hearing AOPL for the first time?
Reymond N. BUDI: To each and all, we are proud to announce that at long last, the opportunity you have been waiting for is here. Jump to it, seize it and improve your academic life. To students, budding intellectuals and university professors, the solution to all your literature accessibility and publication issues is finally here. Seize it!!!
Thanks for talking to Hilltopvoices