Building an open access African studies repository using Web 2.0 principles

This paper describes the aims and design of an open access African Studies Repository (ASR) (africanstudiesrepository.org) that is under development. The ASR is a relational database compatible with the open repository platform DSpace but incorporating the participatory online tools collectively known as ‘Web 2.0’. The aim of the ASR is to create a space where everyone who works on Africa, both inside and outside the continent, can store their work, access useful resources, make contacts, and join discussions.