Access to Electronic Publications in Tanzanian Universities

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Access to Electronic Publications in Tanzanian
Universities

• Edna A. Nyika
• Institute of Marine Sciences
• University of Dar es Salaam

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Background

• Development of Universities in Tanzania 1961-
  (University College of Dar es Salaam)
• University of Dare es Salaam, 1970-
• Mlimani Main Campus
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and
  Veterinary Science

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Background cont

• Sokoine National University of Agriculture1984-
• Morogoro Township Campus
• Solomon Mahlangu Campus

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Government policy

• All government universities are financed by the
  government
• Universities are under strict control of the
  government
• Socio-economic changes at national, regional and
  global level and changes in the government
  control of universities

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ICT development in Tanzanian Universities

• Efforts to improve information and communication
  technology facilities
• Within the university- INFOPOL
• Expansion in university activities
• Transform university library services

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Access to electronic publications in Tanzanian
Universities

• Access to full text electronic journal articles
  from different electronic publishers such as-
• EBSCO
• Academic Press through the service, IDEAL
• Blackwell publishers
• Cochrane library (Medical resources)

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Access cont..

• Royal Society of London
• Oxford University Press

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Access cont..

• Document delivery services through
• The British Library. Requested articles are
  provided by airmail to libraries

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Access cont..

• African Journals Online (AJOL), through this
  facility university members of staff and students
  have access to electronic journal abstracts from
  journals published within Africa

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Who made it possible

• The Government of Tanzania
• Donor funding from
• ODINAFRICA IOC and Government of Flanders
  (skills, equipment, connectivity, maintenance)
• Sida SAREC (equipment and maintenance)
• INASP-PERI (access to electronic information,
  skills)
• FAO (access to electronic information)

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General observation on e- information usage

• At Sokoine National Agriculture University
  electronic resources are highly used by Students
  and less used by faculty
• Some of the faculty at the University of Dar es
  Salaam are still uncomfortable with electronic
  resources
• Graduate students at the University of Dar es
  Salaam are the most users of electronic
  publication

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Why?

• Scared of the internet
• No time to sit down and search
• Internet knowledge
• Some are not aware of the services

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What to do?

• After realizing the causes of less usage of
  electronic journal facilities, the libraries have
  introduced using the internet training
  workshops to patrons and library staff.
• Assisting old professors in searching for
  information
• Marketing

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Conclusion

• The time for Africa to succeed is now, by
  utilizing the liberation provided by information
  and communication technologies. The University of
  Dar es Salaam and Sokoine National University of
  Agriculture has enjoyed donor support to enable
  them develop ICT skills, access and use of
  electronic publications. It is important that
  Tanzanian researchers and scientist take
  advantage of the facilities for the development
  of the country and the continent as a whole

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Thank you for your attention