Title: The Role of IT for Resource Sharing Among Academic Libraries In Ethiopia By Daniel Gelaw AAU, Septem
1The Role of IT for Resource Sharing Among
Academic Libraries In EthiopiaBy Daniel
GelawAAU, September, 1998
2THE ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHINOLOGY FOR RESOURCE
SHARING
3Introduction
- Ubiquity of Computing and Telecommunication
systems. - Consequent, distributed availability and
accessibility of library and information
resources. - Has made IT based library networking and resource
sharing order of the day.
4Development of Networking in academic Libraries
- Library Automation (facilitated by MARC) was the
basis for present day computer networks. - In early 1980s OPACs came in to existence as
re-orientations of bib. infrmations - By the mid 1980s On-line acess of abstracting and
indexing databases was commonplace in Academic
libraries
5Basic Definitions
- Present day IT based networking evolved out of
- Interlibrary Loan Concepts
- Reciprocal Borrowing
- Referral Services
- IT application makes possible more efficient
resource sharing arrangements than all these.
6Basic Definitions
- ITs impact on resource sharing is two fold
- IT as a facilitator/means of resource sharing
- IT as a container/form of existence of resources
to be shared - These two aspects have now a days become
inseparably entwined
7Trends and Challenges - Developed countries
- Electronic resources are increasing in size in
academic libraries (Some say paper is in danger
!) - Idea of electronic library is gaining wider
acceptance and implementation. For e.g. - Follet Report (1993)
- Dempsey (1996)
- American Reseach Libraries (1992)
8Trends and Challenges - Developed countries
- All indicate that the new scholarly communication
system will inevitably be based on capabilities
of networks and networks of networks like
Internet. - Hence, academic libraries in the developed world
are grappling to handle the challenges and
possibilities presented by new technologies and
information explosion.
9Trends and Challenges - Developing countries
- Many developing countries are characterized by
poor IT applicationa and networking. - Many reports say that application of electronic
networking in these countries is replete with
confusions and lack of coordination. - Most academic libraries in these countries are
not yet users of local and wide area networks. - Hence, little infrastructure available to support
full-fledged IT based resource sharing. - Absence of Library automation is the main
bottleneck for most.
10The Ethiopian Case
11Status of ICT in Ethiopia
- Ethiopian case is not much different than what is
reported for many developing countries, if not
worse. - For instance, if we take telephone density that
most researcher use to measure ICT developemt, we
have only 0.26 (while global average is 11.57
and Africas average is 1.67 ). - However, there has been some efforts to use IT
for library services (Even if, little use of IT
has been made for resource sharing purposes).
12IT based services available in Ethiopia
- CD-ROM service
- Started in AAUL in 1991
- AAAS project played great role
- E-mail and, latter, Internet services
- PADIS - CABECA project
- Healthnet, UNCC-Mail, CGNet, CareNet
- ETAs dial-up Internet connectivity
- Resources like CD-ROM are IT resources academic
libraries could share and the Wide-area networks
can facilitate the resource sharing.
13IT and Networking for Resource sharing
- Increased Acess to local and remote lib. And
info. Resources - Complement to other lib. Resources/services
- Improved traditional information services
- Electronic document delivery (EDD)
- Electronic Journals
- Electronic library
- Provide new role for academic libraries and
librarians
14Some Resource Sharing Possibilities
- Accessibility
- Conveniences
- Empowerment
- Cost-Saving
- Efficiency
15Barriers to IT in Resource sharing
- Lack of funding
- Poor IT infrastructure
- Absence of Networking
- Lack of skilled human resources
16Conclusion
- Resource sharing using IT provides
- Increase in access to a broader range of
teaching-learning support resources - Increase in research productivity
- Increase in instructional effectiveness
- Increase in efficiencies in the administration of
lib. Resources - Facilitated resource sharing
- Competitive advantages
- etc.
17Recommendation - General
- IT resources for universal access
- Mother institution support
- Co-ordination
- Participation on international resource sharing
colaborations
18Recommendation - Each Library
- Steps
- (1) Explore local resource sharing options and
identify materials needed or available for
distribution - (2) Use available IT to establish an efficient
mechanism whereby resources may be shared with
the widest possible academic audience for the
least cost - (3) try to automate each library catalogue and
look for ways to make it available in
Internet/Web-based version.
19THANK YOU!