LibraryTechtonics

Another nice followup to the NEASIS conference, particularly Siva Vaidhyanathan’s presentation on cultural policy and copyright:

Digital library to protect indigenous knowledge
[SciDevNet c/o ResourceShelf 12 jan 05]
“South Asian countries will create a digital library of the region’s traditional knowledge and develop laws to prevent such knowledge being misappropriated through commercial patents. The aim is to create a composite digital library comprising individual Traditional Knowledge Digital Libraries (TKDL) from each country in South Asia.”

I still need to read more about the ramifications this might have on patents and exclusive development rights, but a quick skim of a World Health Organization (WHO) 2001 report I found (.pdf/HTML) was really helpful, and also laid out the cooperative effort between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and India to set up the first TKDL. I can’t seem to find the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) of Ayurveda, even though the WIPO traditional knowledge database portal site links to the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSRI) India site, where the library should be hosted. If anyone can find it, please send me the link, because I’d love to take a look at it.

A January 3 Financial Express story from runs down the planned classification system for the SAARC TKDL as follows:

“The Saarc TKDL will also have an innovative uniform structured traditional knowledge resource classification (TKRC) for systematic arrangement, dissemination and retrieval which may be TK independent of region or country.

The framework will encompass various aspects of traditional knowledge including materials used for treatment like plants, animal products, minerals, their generic or specific method of preparations or designs, their dosage, mode and time of administration, therapeutic action or indication or application of traditional knowledge.

With respect to components of biodiversity digital library (CBDL), TKDL will be created using the taxonomic hierarchical structure of Whittaker’s five kingdom classification, namely, Monera, Protoctista, Fungi, Animalia and Plantae and modern phylogenetic classification system.”

Not only would a large digital library like this be a wealth of cultural information for education and study around the world, but it might serve as documentation to prevent commercialization of culture. There’s at least one cynic who disagrees.

Tags: government