Information and communication technologies: opportunities and challenges for national and university libraries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa

Chisenga, Justin Information and communication technologies: opportunities and challenges for national and university libraries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa., 2006 . In Standing Conference of African National and University Libraries of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), 9 – 10 July 2006. (Unpublished) [Conference paper]

[img]
Preview
 PDF
Chisenga_SCANUL_2006.pdf
Download (271kB) | Preview

English abstract

Organizations, including governments, in the world today are taking advantage of the many opportunities provided by modern Information and communication technologies (ICTs). To libraries, ICTs present an opportunity to provide value-added information services and access to a wide variety of digital-based information resources to their clients. Further, libraries are also using modern ICTs to automate their core functions, implement efficient and effective library cooperation and resource sharing networks, implement management information systems, develop institutional repositories of digital local content, and digital libraries; and initiate ICT-based capacity building programmes for library staff and information literacy programmes for library users. However, for most libraries in sub-Saharan Africa, including the SCANUL-ECS region, use of ICTs is largely restricted to traditional library automation, i.e. replacing manual operations by computerised methods. Innovative use of information and communication technologies in libraries is not widespread and it is made difficult, if not impossible, by several challenges or constraints, including lack of funds to sustain the ICT infrastructure, inability by librarians/libraries to keep up with the pace of developments in ICTs, inadequate ICT facilities in the libraries, lack of staff with appropriate skills to manage ICTs both at the strategic and operational levels, absence of institutional policies and strategies to support and guide the use of ICTs, and lack of adequate knowledge and skills to manage digital information resources and to deal with issues relating to copyright intellectual property rights in a digital information environment.

Item type: Conference paper
Keywords: Africa, Information Technology, Library Automation, Information Communication Technology
Subjects: D. Libraries as physical collections. > DD. Academic libraries.
L. Information technology and library technology
L. Information technology and library technology > LQ. Library automation systems.
D. Libraries as physical collections. > DB. National libraries.
Depositing user: Dr Justin Chisenga
Date deposited: 26 May 2007
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:07
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/9579

References

Adams, S. et. al. (n.d.). The National Library of Medicine. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~tfroehli/sighfis/nlm.htm (Accessed 21.01.2006).

Blurton, C. 1999. Chapter 2: New directions in education. In: UNESCO's World communication and information 1999-2000. Paris: UNESCO: 46-61

Boden, Diana W. R. 1993. A History of the utilization of technology in academic libraries. [Online]. Available WWW: http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/22/33/12.pdf (Accessed 21.01.2006)

Burford, N. 2003. Building a management information system. [Paper presented at the 4th International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists, 6-9 August 2003, Budapest, Hungary]. [Online]. Available WWW: http://library.univet.hu/icahis/proc/kburford.pdf (Accessed 19 July 2004).

Chisenga, J.(ed). 2004. The Use of ICTs in African public library services: a survey of ten countries in Anglophone Africa. Oxford: International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications.

Chisenga, J. 2004. Application possibilities of agricultural information portals. Johannesburg. Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg, South Africa. [D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)].

Chisenga, J. & Abebe Rorissa. 2001. Libraries and ICTs: a review of global trends and the state of the art in Africa. [Prepared on behalf of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and presented at the second meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Committee on Development Information (CODI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 4 - 7, 2001.

Coffman, S. 2003. Financial management/changing public library funding. [Online] Available: http://www.americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_changing_public_library/ (Accessed 29 December 2005).

Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management in Malawi. n.d. Glossary of common terms. [Online]. Available: http://www.compass-malawi.com/cglossary.htm (Accessed 30.12.2005)

Esterhuysen, A. 2002. “Networking for a purpose: African NGOs using ICT”, In: Levey, L. A. & Young, S. (eds). Rowing upstream: snapshots of pioneers of the information age in Africa. Johannesburg: Sharp Sharp Media.

Fidzani, B. T and Molebatsi, K. 2005. The Information literacy programme at the University of Botswana Library, In: Kiondo, E. and J. Msuya (eds), User information literacy: case studies from university library programmes in the SCANUL-ECS region. Oxford: International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications: 19:34

Financing frontline services. "...make a case which highlights your contribution to the Executive's wider social and economic strategy." 2005. Information Scotland. June Volume 3(3). [Online]. Available: http://www.slainte.org.uk/publications/serials/infoscot/vol3(3)/vol3(3)article11.html (Accessed 29.12.2005)

Infortrieve. 2004. Ariel® — the #1 document transmission system in the academic world. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.infotrieve.com/ariel/index.html. (Accessed 2 May 2004).

International Publishers Association. 2004. Library funding resolution. [Online]. Available: http://www.ifla.org/VI/4/admin/Funding-Resolution.pdf (Accessed 29.12.2005).

Jorge, S. N. 2002. The Economics of ICT: challenges and practical strategies of ICT use for women’s economic empowerment. [Online]. Available: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/ict2002/reports/Paper%20by%20Sonia%20Jorge.pdf (Accessed30.12.2005)

Kibirige, S. N. 2005. “The Current status of information training at Monash South Africa”, In: Kiondo, E. & J. Msuya (eds), User information literacy: case studies from university library programmes in the SCANUL-ECS region. Oxford: INASP & SCANUL-ECS.: 123-139.

Lakos, A. 1999. Implementing a library management system – update and lessons from the Tri-University Group of Libraries experience. [Online]. Available WWW: http://personal.anderson.ucla.edu/amos.lakos/Present/PM3a-99/PM399text.htm. (Accessed 04.01.2005).

Levey, L. A. & Young, S. (eds). 2002. Rowing upstream: snapshots of pioneers of the information age in Africa. Johannesburg: Sharp Sharp Media.

Lilley, D. B., & Trice, R. W. 1989. A history of information science, 1945-1985. San Diego: Academic Press.

Molepo, C. and A van Vuren. 2005. “User education at the Rand Afrikaans University”, In: Kiondo, E. & J. Msuya (eds), User information literacy: case studies from university library programmes in the SCANUL-ECS region. Oxford: INASP & SCANUL-ECS.: 140-149.

Morrison, D. 2000. Building successful portals. [Online]. Available WWW:

http://www.tcin.com/ebs.nsf/d83de8b348e854acc12568970075c66b/0c3d7772ec6e5e3dc12568e4006bb1f6!OpenDocument. (Accessed 9 January 2006).

Mutula, S. 2004. IT diffusion in sub-Saharan Africa’s information environment: Implications for developing and managing digital libraries: Key note address to the IFLA- Africa section workshop on the theme managing digital libraries, Gaborone, 23-27 February 2004. [Unpublished].

Ondari, R. and Kitendo, C. 2004. “Kenya National Library Service” In: Chisenga, J. (ed). The use of ICTs in African public library services: a survey of ten countries in Anglophone Africa. Oxford: INASP.: 62-66.

Owusu, E. S. 2002. “ICT in academic libraries – a user’ view point” In: Antwi, I. K & Asmoah-Hassasn, I. K (eds), Proceedings of the seminar of Committee of University Librarians and their Deputies held at the University Library, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, 31st July – 3rd August, 2002. Kumasi: CULD: 86-96

Prinsen, Jola G.B. 2001. A Challenging future awaits libraries able to change: highlights of the International Summer School on the Digital Library.

D-Lib Magazine, November, 7(11). [Online]. Available:http://www.dlib.org.ar/dlib/november01/prinsen/11prinsen.html (Accessed 30.12.2005)

Raseroka, K. 1999. The Role of university libraries in African universities. Accra: Association of Africa Universities. [AAU Occasional Paper, No. 3]

Rosenberg, D. 2005. Towards the digital library: findings of an investigation to establish the current status of university libraries in Africa. Oxford: International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.inasp.info/pubs/INASPdigitallib.pdf (Accessed 17.01.2006).

SABINET Online. 2005. Ariel addresses: JC-Codes numerically. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.sabinet.co.za/documents/ariel2.html (Accessed 21.01.2006).

Selematsela, D. and E. ten Krooden. 2005. “The Library information literacy programme of the University of South Africa (UNISA)”, In: Kiondo, E. & J. Msuya (eds), User information literacy: case studies from university library programmes in the SCANUL-ECS region. Oxford: INASP & SCANUL-ECS.: 150-163.

Shibanda, G. G. (n.d.) Development strategy of atechnological university library management information systems (MIS): a case of Moi University, Kenya. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.iatul.org/conference/proceedings/vol12/papers/shibandu.pdf (Accessed 04.01.2006).

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. 2005. NICI graph (February 2005). [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.uneca.org/disd/nici_graph.htm (Accessed 17.01.2006)

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. 2003. The value of library services in development. Addis Ababa: Economic Commission for Africa.

Williamson, I.P. & Rajabifard, A. 2003. Capacity building for SDIs. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.sli.unimelb.edu.au/research/publications/IPW/Capacity%20Building%20for%20SDIs%20(UNRCCAP%20Jul%2003).doc (Accessed 06.01.2006)


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Contact us
Send email Sponsors
Sponsor: AIMS Sponsor: D&P Sponsor: UniNa CAB Get connected
Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Linkedin LinkedIn RSS RSS