Recent Press Releases
German educational institutions to get free access to 121 years of physics research
PR08(06)
Wed, 23 May 2007
In a move to open-up access to scientific research, an initiative announced today will provide free access to the Institute of Physics (IOP) archive of physics research, saving libraries at German universities, polytechnics and research institutions up to £30,000 each.
A special agreement, announced today by the German National Library of Science and Technologie (TIB) and IOP will make the contents of the IOP’s digital journal archive between 1874 and 1995 permanently accessible to higher education institutions in Germany. The deal will have a major impact on physics education and research in this country by making some of the most important discoveries of the last 130 years freely available for the first time.
The archive includes over 120,000 articles and over 1 million pages of physics research including papers by Max Planck, Max von Laue, Niels Bohr, Lord Rayleigh and Sir Edward Appleton.
The archive contains some of the most important breakthroughs in physics. In 1900, Max Planck’s work on thermodynamics and black body radiation led him to introduce the quantum theory (for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1918). The archive also contains papers by Max von Laue who worked on X-ray diffraction in crystals, leading to the use of X-rays to study the atomic structure of matter. He was awarded the 1914 Nobel Prize for Physics.
More recent Nobel laureates whose work has appeared in the Institute of Physics journal archive include Horst Stormer, Herbert Kroemer, Anthony J Leggett and Vitaly Ginzburg.
The Institute of Physics comprehensively digitized its historic journal archive back to 1874 in 2002. The entire archive now represents some £30,000 worth of material and the agreement between TIB and the IOP means that significant savings can be made by all German universities, polytechnics and research institutions.
Jerry Cowhig, managing director of Institute of Physics Publishing said: “The Institute of Physics aims to ensure that every German scientist who needs to read any paper it has published can do so. This agreement means that more libraries than ever before will be able to gain access to essential research”.
Uwe Rosemann, director at TIB, said: “This is an important national agreement for the higher education community in Germany. It means that universities can get free access to valuable research covering many of the key developments in physics from the last 130 years. The TIB is delighted to have worked with Institute of Physics Publishing to make this agreement possible.”
German higher education institutions are able to obtain further information on the Institute of Physics journal archive and download a licence agreement by visiting the website www.nationallizenzen.de.
Notes to editors:
For further information please contact:
Mrs. Frauke G. RALF,
IOPP Munich Office
Lipowskystrasse 28
D – 81373 Muenchen
Germany
Tel. 0049 89 72939586
Fax: 0049 89 72939587
e-mail: frauke.ralf@iop.org
Mrs.Dagmar BOCK-GRAPENTIN
Head of Team Periodicals
German National Library of Science and Technology
Technische Informationsbibliothek und
Universitätsbibliothek Hannover (TIB/UB)
Welfengarten 1B
D-30167 Hannover
Germany
e-mail: anmeldung.nationallizenzen@tib.uni-hannover.de
In the UK, contact:
Dianne Stilwell, pr manager, Institute of Physics
Tel: +44(0)20 7470 4875 or mobile: +44(0)7957 200214.
E-mail: dianne.stilwell@iop.org
1. The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership (currently over 35,000) and is a leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists through government to the general public. Its publishing company, Institute of Physics Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics.
2. TIB
The TIB is the German National Library of Science and Technology and its related basic sciences, in particular chemistry, information technology, mathematics and
physics and simultaneously University Library.
TIB
- holds a comprehensive stock of literature, which is of interest to users from the scientific, business and government administration communities, as well as to private individuals.
- shows genuine commitment in its efforts to establish a virtual specialist library, and provide access to electronic information worldwide.
- collects, archives and provides access to domestic and foreign scientific publications.
- co-operates with national and international institutions, and helps to shape future developments through its active participation in expert committees and technical authorities.
Information about TIB and its services can be found at: http://tib.uni-hannover.de.
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