Evolution of library associations in Kenya

Since 1986, the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Research for Development (MRSTD), through its Information Service, CIDST, has been involved in an extensive programme to inventory the scientific and technical literature available in Madagascar. Its aim is to provide a better service for research. The work undertaken was made possible through government funding and a French grant. Almost 50 000 documentary units were located and identified at some 20 sites, mostly in the capital city. The data base currently contains 14 000 references which can be consulted in local mode at CIDST.

This article describes the approach taken by MRSTD-CIDST and the difficulties encountered during the project’s separate operational phases. It emphasizes that, in order to achieve full control of the resources, the active participation of all the information units involved is desirable. To that end, Malagasy librarians and documentalists will need basic training and libraries will have to be re-organized before any further inventories are undertaken.     

Fragmentation of academic library resources in Thai university libraries

Abstract

Survey works, carried out by 15 MSc (Information Science) students of the School of Information Studies for Africa (SISA) in the course of their dissertation work, reveal some important facts related to information systems and services in the countries studied. This paper analyses the student dissertations in order to present an overview of the library and information systems and services available in seven eastern and southern African countries—Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. It is noted that the state of library and information services needs to be improved in all respects; and there is a trend towards introduction of IT, albeit quite slow, in university, special and research, and national libraries and documentation centres. The condition of public, school and college libraries is very poor in all the countries concerned. Lack of a national policy on information systems and services in the countries concerned results in the inconsistent and insufficient growth of information services in different sectors. Major problems in the area are: lack of resources, particularly foreign currencies, lack of awareness on the part of planners and policy makers, lack of trained manpower, lack of adequate servicing facilities for IT equipment, and the continuing political, social, and natural problems that prevail in most African countries.     

高校图书馆特色馆藏建设策略

分析了高校图书馆特色馆藏的特点,指出了高校图书馆特色馆藏建设在经费、人力及规划等方面存在的问题,提出了高校图书馆要从挖掘地域性主题、依托本校重点研究方向、建立特色馆藏馆员队伍、设立特色馆藏部等方面开展特色馆藏建设。     

关于中国农村图书馆（室）建设的研究

文章从农村图书馆（室）建设的现状出发,指出了农村图书馆（室）的发展喜中堪忧,并对实现农村图书馆（室）的持续发展,提出了儿点建议和设想。     

从图书馆的演进看现代图书馆的复合性

在科技发展和社会进步的推动下,图书馆经历了古代、近代、现代三个承前启后、与时俱进的发展阶段。现代信息技术使现代图书馆在保持传统图书馆传承性和开放性的基础上,又出现了虚拟性和复合性,复合图书馆是现代图书馆复合性的体现。文章认为,随着网格技术的应用,现代图书馆复合性将从个体复合性发展到群体复合性。未来的新技术、新观念还可能使图书馆出现一些新属性,并沿着自己的轨迹继续向前演进。     

Organizational aspects of the virtual library: A survey of academic libraries

The virtual library is presently being investigated across disciplines, often with a strong technological emphasis. The present study takes an organizational approach by placing the virtual library in the context of the academic library, and focusing on opinions of the library directors concerning the virtual library. The problem investigated refers to the propensity of academic libraries to become organized as a virtual library, which is conceptualized in terms of four general models. Directors of academic libraries were surveyed, and the literature on changes in the library organization was reviewed. It has been found that academic libraries exhibit visible organizational changes. When the virtual library is concerned, however, library directors tend to understand it just as digital technology, are mainly supportive of such library, and demonstrate a number of limitations that prevent them from thinking of virtual libraries in more radical terms.     

Mechanization of library procedures in the medium-sized medical library. 8. Computer applications in hospital departmental libraries

To test the hypothesis that a standard library system could be designed for hospital departmental libraries, a system was developed and partially tested for four departmental libraries in the Washington University School of Medicine and Associated Hospitals. The system from determination of needs through design and evaluation, is described. The system was limited by specific constraints to control of the monograph collection. Products of control include catalog cards, accessions list, new book list, location list, fund list, missing book list, and discard book list. Sample data form and pages from a procedure manual are given, and conversion from a manual to an automated system is outlined.The question of standardization of library records and procedures is discussed, with indications of the way in which modular design, as utilized in this system, could contribute to greater flexibility in design of future systems.Reference is made to anticipating needs for organizing departmental libraries in developing regional medical library programs and to exploring the role of the departmental library in a medical library network.