Introduction
Electronic Publishing also known as e-Publishing is the digital publication of e-magazines, e-books, e-journals, and the growth of digital catalogs and libraries. E-publishing grew in popularity amidst scientific publishing where it is argued that reviewed scientific journals are being replaced by e-publishing. Via the internet, distribution – also referred to as online publishing or web publishing as a website is these days associated with e-publishing – there are several e-publications like encyclopedias on DVDs and CDs and reference and technical publications depended upon by users and others without strong high-speed network access. In this article, we will know about the current trends in e-Publishing in India.
E-Publishing – Categories
E-Publishing is divided into two categories – offline and online publishing. Online publishing makes use of communication and computer networks which include the internet, extranet, and intranet for content delivery. Offline publishing makes use of storage media like DVD, CD-ROM, diskette, and memory cards for content distribution. It is also referred to as online, web, and desktop publishing.
Electronic publication or e-publication is the publication of any kind of electronic media. There is an extensive variety of e-publications available in the market which includes games and entertainment products, information resources, and databases.
e-Publishing has had an effect on what’s available for libraries to get and on buying practices. Unluckily, as the quantity of useful digital products and consumers required for them increases, a lot of libraries are facing severe financial constraints.
Types or Forms of E-Publishing
Various forms or types of e-publishing patterns available today are:
- Web Publishing
- E-Journals
- E-Books
- E-mail Publishing
- Print-on-Demand
- Digital Content
Initiatives in India for E-Publishing
Many Indian institutions have undertaken initiatives in offering open and free access to publications. Initiatives taken by a few well-known and commercial publishers are mentioned below.
- National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources
NISCAIR or National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources has carried out NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository which is based on open-source digital repository system software. It has facilitated NISCAIR to manage research journals shown online. Every one of the 17 research journals has been included under OA or Open Access mode for full-text accessing. The repository maintains 6400 articles. To heighten the visibility of NISCAIR journals, all journals are now registered with the Registry of Open Access Repositories (ROAR), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Directory of Open Access Repositories (DOAR), all the major search engines and Google Analytics.
2. Indian Academy of Sciences
Established in 1934, the Indian Academy of Sciences aims at marketing the progress and maintaining the cause of science in applied and pure branches. The main activities include arranging meetings of the fellowship and discussions on essential topics, publication of special volumes and scientific journals, managing issues of concern to the science community, recognizing scientific talent, and upscaling science education. IAS currently publishes 11 journals and print journals are now available on basis of subscription and electronic version is now available free in the format of PDF files.
3. Indian National Science Academy
The National Institute of Sciences of India now known as the Indian National Science Academy was established on 7th January 1935 in Calcutta and operated with the headquarters at the Asiatic Society of Bengal until 1951 and then shifted to Delhi. The academy handles the publication of three journals namely the Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IJPAM), the Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, and the Indian Journal of History of Science (IJHS). Additionally, the academy also publishes an Annual Report, Compendium of Fellows, Year Book, INSA News, and Biographical Memoirs of deceased Fellows and regularly publishes INSSeminars/Symposia proceedings and Special Publications. These publications also make way for revenue generation.
4. Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre
DESIDOC or Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre is the main agency to store, collect and disseminate information to intra-communities and is also responsible for the preservation of digital material in the long term. DESIDOC’s two prime publications are the DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT) and Defence Science Journal (DSJ).
5. Indian Statistical Institute – Sankhya
In 1933, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis founded Sankhya, the Indian Journal of Statistics which is published by the Indian Statistical Institute. Sankhya publishes articles in the areas of Theoretical Statistics, Probability, and Applied Statistics. It is available in two series format. It also publishes discussion articles and reviews on current research activity areas. Each volume has four parts – two parts in Series A and two parts in Series B. E-users can access these volumes from the institute.
Conclusion
Electronic publishing is the future of publishing. It is a reality that is fast-evolving and provides easy access, shareability, and portability, and induced people to lean towards electronic publications also. With the passing of time and technological advancements more online resources are now available for retrieval of e-information. They have made resources available and offering not just the existing papers and research data but also striving to maintain the back issues of periodicals and journals also. It is expected that digital and online publications will transform to a great degree the publishing industry in the future, benefiting humanity and India. The future of e-Publishing in India is a bright one.
