Identifying, discovering and marketing grey literature in Science in the English-speaking Caribbean: A Case Study of Jamaica’s Scientific Information Units

Abstract

The English-speaking Caribbean produces its fair share of grey literature to the global scientific community. However, it has been a great challenge for information seeking communities to acquire and create access to these Caribbean resources. This research identified the factors contributing to the status of grey literature in Science in the English-speaking Caribbean, in particular Jamaica, and raises the profile by advocating for its proper organisation, greater accessibility, and marketing. It is a mixed method survey of twenty one (21) librarians working in information units that disseminate science information within the Scientific and Technical Information Network (STIN) in Jamaica. Fourteen (14) of twenty one (21) librarians participated in the survey. The findings indicate that the majority of them were very knowledgeable about grey literature. The institutions that they worked in were all producers of grey literature and their clients used it in the execution of their job functions. The majority found it challenging to access grey literature from their own organizations. Seventy five percent (75%) of the participants believed that lack of organisation contributed to the limited use of grey literature in Jamaica. The sharing of information was also identified as a cultural problem. All fourteen (14), one hundred percent (100%) indicated that they would be willing to join a team to organize grey literature and sixty two percent (62%) felt that grey literature should find its way into databases and another thirty eight percent (38%) felt it should be made visible on websites. Ninety three percent (93%) supported the use of seminars, workshops, public media and advocacy as strategies to raise awareness of the value of and to encourage the use of grey literature. The literature also supported the use of digitization as a means of raising awareness through greater access and inevitable exposure of their value to users.