The program provides free access to academic journals and research databases
The Community Scholars Program (CSP) is a leading national resource that provides free access to academic journals, books and research databases to Canadian non-profits and charitable staff.
Established in 2017 by Simon Fraser University (SFU), the CSP program is spearheaded by the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN). The University of Regina (U of R) is, at present, the only CSP regional hub in Saskatchewan between MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
The Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Studies Network (NVSSN) located at Luther College, U of R, is a strong partner which is helping grow the CSP in the prairies. Joining the Community Scholars Program positions the U of R as a bridge which supports non-profit organizations in Saskatchewan in carrying out evidence-based research by providing them access to CSP resources.
Beyond the paywall barrier
“Saskatchewan-based nonprofits often struggle to access the research they need because they lack staff time and research expertise, face paywalls, and hard-to-find academic or local data,” said Colleen Strauch, director of NVSSN, Luther College, U of R, to the Carillon over a phone call interview.
She further explained that non-profits in smaller regions have greater challenges where research expertise and access to data is limited. This makes it harder for them to demonstrate impact in grant applications to fund research endeavors.
According to Strauch, many non-profits already have staff to carry out research work but lack assistive tools. Most often, the primary barrier is financial.
“Typically, if a non-profit employs a staff member for research, they must pay for the researchers to have access to the paywall. But [the non-profits] are not required to pay to access academic journals if they are part of the Community Scholars Program.”
Impacts of evidence-based research
She referenced the example of the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance, a local organization that acts as a collective voice for the arts community of Saskatchewan.
“For example, the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance could use a peer-reviewed study showing that participation in the [different art forms] improves mental health and social connection to support its advocacy for increased public investment in the arts.”
She explained that the non-profit can demonstrate that arts funding contributes to measurable outcomes that governments care about, such as community well-being and social inclusion by citing peer-reviewed evidence in policy briefs, awareness campaigns, and grant applications.
“This allows the organization to shift arts advocacy from values-based arguments to evidence-informed claims about community impact,” she said.
It ensures that knowledge doesn’t just sit on a shelf but actually reaches the hands of those working on the ground.” – Michelle Renee, graduate student, La Cité Universitaire Francophone.
CSP’s growth into a national network
Michael Shires, community engagement and communications librarian, Dr. John Archer Library & Archives, U of R looked back at the history of CSP and noted its remarkable evolution.
Speaking over the phone with the Carillon, he said, “Since 2017, Simon Fraser University, alongside libraries from British Columbia, has been the lead for establishing the Community Scholars Program […] This involved new negotiations with the publishers, and they helped to kick those off by co-authoring a formal letter of request that was co-signed by CRKN and SFU library. CRKN also helped the CSP by adding new publishing partners such as Elsevier and Canadian Science Publishing.”
The CSP foundation is backed by CRKN, a non-profit national network of 88 Canadian university libraries that has served the research community for over 25 years. According to the SFU’s website, the current phase of CSP includes connecting 500 individuals to research publications, and it provides access to almost 20,000 journal articles and e-books to qualifying community scholars.
Prospective community scholars are those non-profit organizations that have an interest in accessing up-to-date research and knowledge to enhance their practice.
What students think about the program
Sara Dougall, a fourth-year faculty of arts student, expressed enthusiasm for the program.
“As a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross, I’m constantly looking for ways to apply what I learn in my studies to real-world challenges. Hearing about the Community Scholars Program for the first time is incredibly exciting. I look forward to exploring the opportunities that this program provides after I graduate and see if I can make a step in.”
William Brydden, a third-year political science student, stated that “it’s inspiring to see the university open its doors to a wide range of resources that charities and non-profits can access to amplify the vital work that they are already doing […] I’d definitely want to see where this program heads in the future.”
Michelle Renee, a graduate student at La Cité Universitaire Francophone, mentioned that the CSP resources can be a great tool for bilingual researchers to use for their research.
“The lack of French-language research and data is a real barrier to growth,” she said. “For French-speaking community researchers, having a streamlined way to access bilingual resources can be a gamechanger. I personally feel that the CSP gives a sense of déjà vu. It ensures that knowledge doesn’t just sit on a shelf but reaches the hands of those working on the ground.”
Brett Waytuck, dean of University Libraries and Archives at the U of R, explained via email that he thinks this partnership will allow “non-profit employees and volunteers to see how they fit into a larger research environment without necessarily producing peer-reviewed research papers.”
“They will see their ideas and programs validated, they will discover opportunities to share their successes, innovations, and challenges with a larger audience, and they will identify avenues for connecting with the U of R to bring depth to ongoing research projects.”
