bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Educational Informatics: An Emerging Research Agenda
Authors: Levy Philippa , Ford Nigel , Foster Jonathon , Madden Andrew , Miller David , Nunes Miguel Baptista , McPherson Maggie , Webber Sheila
Published: October 2003

This paper discusses educational informatics as a research field and provides an overview of the scope of work in this, and closely related, areas by members of the Department of Information Studies at the University of Sheffield. Current work in Sheffield focuses on the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in universities and schools, seeking to understand the effects of using ICTs in educational practice on learners, teachers and learning support staff. It also seeks to develop practical knowledge of relevance to the design and facilitation of ICT-enabled learning environments. The paper highlights the interdisciplinary nature of this research, and discusses theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches that are being used by Sheffield researchers. It concludes by suggesting that library and information science has a distinctive contribution to make to the study of ICT-enabled learning, and that there is a need for further discussion within the literature of this emergent field of inquiry.
Information Science in 2003: A Critique
Authors: Webber Sheila
Published: October 2003

The author aims to review the status of information science (IS) as a discipline, with particular focus on the UK. A consideration of the discipline begins by comparing definitions of IS. Two visions of the impact of IS are presented to illustrate a key problem area addressed by the discipline. Indicators of a discipline are summarized and Biglan's categorization of disciplines is explained. The author provides a critique of opinions on the nature of IS as a discipline, using Biglan's categories as a framework. The author contrasts the views of those who see the discipline as problematically fragmented and those who envision a discipline of fruitfully interlinked specialisms. This section of the paper concludes by considering disciplinary boundaries and the international scope of the discipline. The last section of the paper reviews the state of IS in the UK, drawing on evidence and on personal experience. Factors considered are: evidence of networks and communities of practice; the name and standing of academic departments and courses; artefacts and personal identification. The author concludes by identifying particular challenges for IS in the UK and indicates areas for research.
RoMEO Studies 2: How Academics Want to Protect their Open-Access Research Papers
Authors: Gadd Elizabeth , Oppenheim Charles , Probets Steve
Published: October 2003

This paper is the second in a series of studies (see E. Gadd, C. Oppenheim and S. Probets. RoMEO studies 1: the impact of copyright ownership on author-self-archiving, Journal of Documentation 59(3) (2003) 243-277) emanating from the UK JISC-funded RoMEO Project (Rights Metadata for Open-archiving). It considers the protection for research papers afforded by UK copyright law, and by e-journal licences. It compares this with the protection required by academic authors for open-access research papers as discovered by the RoMEO academic author survey. The survey used the Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) as a framework for collecting views from 542 academics as to the permissions, restrictions and conditions they wanted to assert over their works. Responses from self-archivers and non-archivers are compared. The paper concludes that most academic authors are primarily interested in preserving their moral rights, and that the protection offered research papers by copyright law is way in excess of that required by most academics. It also raises concerns about the level of protection enforced by e-journal licence agreements.
A Semantic Information Gathering Approach for Heterogeneous Information Sources on WWW
Authors: Arch-Int Ngamnij , Sophatsathit Peraphon
Published: October 2003

The increasing demand for accessing heterogeneous information sources to support global applications and decision-making requirements forces organizations to solve heterogeneity problems. One of the important problems stemming from accessing the heterogeneous data is semantic heterogeneity. A number of research efforts have been proposed to address this problem, ranging from mediator-based systems, description logic-based systems to content-descriptive metadata systems. In this paper, we propose a metadata dictionary as an assistant mechanism for solving semantic heterogeneity. The proposed metadata dictionary is designed based on domain ontology where the constituent components are defined in terms of object-oriented and set theory. An XML-based data model is employed to manipulate and express the metadata dictionary contents. The inherent flexibility of XML technology permits systemwide interoperability suitable for a web-based environment.
Scaffolding Performance in IR Instruction: Exploring Learning Experiences and Performance in Two Learning Environments
Authors: Halttunen Kai
Published: October 2003

In order to design information retrieval (IR) learning environments and instruction, it is important to explore available pedagogical solutions and their impact on learning experiences and performance in learning situations. The particular focus of this study is the demonstration of how pedagogical solutions like scaffolding and anchored instruction can be implemented in IR instruction and what effects it has on learning experiences and performance compared to a more traditional learning environment and instruction. The study of these solutions is a novel approach in information science. The 65 participants of an introductory course on IR were selected for this study, and the analysis illustrates their learning experiences and performance. The method for empathy-based stories (MEBS) as well as course feedback questionnaire and log files of search exercises were used to collect data. The results indicated that anchoring and scaffolding are promising strategies to make learning experiences meaningful and create learners' ownership of one's learning. Performance analysis indicates that scaffolding with an instructional tool, the IR Game, with performance feedback and scaffolding and anchoring by tutors, enables students to construct more effective queries. Results of the study, in terms of the benefits of anchoring and scaffolding, are not categorical because of the range of intervening variables; and the difficulty of setting up a field experiment which tried to be naturalistic, but at the same time tried to focus on a specific aspect.
Micro-Mining and Segmented Log File Analysis: A Method for Enriching the Data Yield from Internet Log Files
Authors: Nicholas David , Huntington Paul
Published: October 2003

The authors propose improved ways of analysing web server log files. Traditionally web site statistics focus on giving a big (and shallow) picture analysis based on all transaction log entries. The pictures are, however, distorted because of the problems associated with resolving Internet protocol (IP) numbers to a single user and cross-border IP registration. The authors argue that analysing extracted sub-groups and categories presents a more accurate picture of the data and that the analysis of the online behaviour of selected individuals (rather than of very large groups) can add much to our understanding of how people use web sites and, indeed, any digital information source. The analysis is labelled `micro' to distinguish it from traditional macro, big picture transactional log analysis. The methods are illustrated with recourse to the logs of the Surgery Door (www.surgerydoor.co.uk) consumer health web site. It was found that use attributed to academic users gave a better approximation of the sites' geographical distribution of users than an analysis based on all users. This occurs as academic institutions, unlike other user types, register in their host country. Selecting log entries where each user is allocated a unique IP number can be particularly beneficial, especially to analyses of returnees. Finally the paper tracks the online behaviour of a small number of IP numbers, in an example of the application of microanalysis,
Engineering the Production of Meta-Information: The Abstracting Concern
Authors: Pinto Maria
Published: October 2003

In order to improve the automatic production of meta-information in the abstracting field, an essential starting point is the exposition of the current state of the art. At the level of content, three significantly different types of procedure stand out, depending on the document structure in question: extracting, rhetorical summarizing and cognitive summarizing. In addition, reticular and graphic models of information representation, much more appropriate to digital environments, offer a complementary method. In all cases, prior definition of the domain, with its specific documents and actors, is needed. However, the low quality of the product derived from full automation (extract and summaries), above all lacking in coherence, led us to the concept of partial automation, a hybrid man-machine methodology that, at least for the time being, seems to be the best solution for the abstract and abstracting problem.
Studies on Information as an Asset II: Repertory Grid
Authors: Oppenheim Charles , Stenson Joan , Wilson Richard M.S.
Published: October 2003

This article presents findings from five repertory grid interviews conducted in early 2001 to identify attributes of information as an asset. Repertory grid is a technique developed by George Kelly based on his theory of personal constructs. Personal construct theory (PCT) assumes that individuals are their own `personal scientists' who mentally represent the world around them. The method was used to enable key senior executives in information-intensive UK organizations to identify attributes of information assets considered to be significant by them for their business. The findings are not intended to be representative, but give an insight into the thinking of these key executives and their approaches to managing information assets.
How Useful are `Key Words' in Scientific Journals?
Authors: Hartley James , Kostoff Ronald N.
Published: October 2003

In this article we consider the generation, use and value of key words in research articles designed to help readers, writers, indexers and abstractors locate related information, and we also present some suggestions for future practice.
Rekot Bilong Masta: archives and records management in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Kaima Sam T.
Published: October 2003

Discusses the past, present and possible future problems of records management in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Early foreign visitors who created records of the country included Dutch, German and British missionaries and colonial officers. The introduction of the Australian administration after World War II led to the generation of more records and the establishment of the registries operating in many government departments today. These operate under difficult circumstances and attempts have to be made to improve recordkeeping practices.
Cooperation on the Web: trends and practice in the development sector
Authors: Ballantyne Peter , Addison Chris
Published: October 2003

To deal with the challenges and opportunities posed by the Internet, the authors argue that the information and communication ‘strategies’ of development organisations must be based around notions of cooperation and communities. This paper introduces some information-sharing and management trends on the Internet, exploring the growth in gateways and portals, and briefly profiling several cooperative efforts. Discussion is focused on the institutional dimensions of this cooperation, looking at issues like ownership, participation, sustainability, and ‘cooperativity’. The authors conclude by calling for more joint action in which development organizations, together, seek to harness the power of the Internet.
Using Information and Communication Technologies in Tanzania: responses of information professionals
Authors: Nawe Julita
Published: October 2003

Highlights efforts made by information professionals of academic and research institutions in Tanzania in taking advantages of ICTs in supporting of spearheading of knowledge in their respective institutions and the country in general. The study is limited to University of Dar es Salaam and its two campuses, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Institute of Finance Management, and Economic and Social Research Foundation.
Automating Library Processes in the University of Calabar
Authors: Iwe Josephine I.
Published: October 2003

The University of Calabar Library is set up and organized in such a way that a local area network (LAN) could be developed to take care of library activities. This could be enlarged to include the Computer Centre, the different departments, faculties, institutes and the central administration. It could further be widened to include bibliographic utilities and databases within the city of Calabar and its environs. The Federal Government of Nigeria could go further in developing a National Library Network linking all thirty three universities of the country for maximum utilization of resources.
Managing Electronic Records: an overview
Authors: Katuu Shadrack
Published: October 2003

Provides an overview of key issues in the digitization of records in paper format and the management of records in electronic form.
MARC Time: the future of Arab bibliography
Authors: Vassie Roderic
Published: October 2003

The subject of MARC coding for Arabic bibliographic data has been debated since the early 1980’s, the heyday of separate national MARC formats. However, whilst an increasing number of libraries around the world have either achieved, or are working towards, harmonisation with USMARC, in the world of Arabic bibliography there are still many who believe that US standard will not do. Considering in turn the linguistic, bibliographic, human resource and cost issues involved, this article argues the benefits of an off-the-peg solution far outweigh any promised by those seeking to devise a new MARC format, be it for Arabic or any other language.
The Modern China Distance Education Project and Academic Libraries
Authors: Tang Jinhong
Published: October 2003

Introduces the Modern China Distance Education Project in the People’s Republic of China, discusses three generations of distance education, especially the latest one characterized by interactive study on the Internet. Expounds the responses by academic libraries to the needs of distance education in the People’s Republic of China.
The Electronic Medium: a panacea for publishing in the Pacific?
Authors: Mamtora Jayshree
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the Ninth Annual Pacific Islands Association of Libraries and Archives Conference, 15–21 November 1999, Koror, Republic of Palau. As new technologies have reached the South Pacific in recent years, it is appropriate to consider how best to utilise them in order to increase access to and use of information services. At present, print is by far the most common method of distributing library publications. Various non-print formats such as CD-ROM and the Internet have been employed to deliver information resources to remote users and are technically viable alternatives to print publishing. There is no doubt that CD-ROMs are a medium that have long been considered suitable for developing countries, on the basis of price and appropriateness alone. When considering the newer medium of the Internet, it has to be born in mind that in the Pacific, only half the inhabited islands have access to telecommunications. And where there is access to the Internet, cost, accessibility and user skills remain significant constraints. All of these factors contribute to a degree of caution. To find answers to some of these questions, a research study has been proposed to look into both the desirability and viability of publishing in electronic media. In the meantime, distribution of data in the Pacific will continue in hard copy.
Development of Intelligent Information Retrieval in China
Authors: Wei Cai , Ying Li
Published: October 2003

In the society where information has been increasing at a remarkable speed, information has increasingly made an impact on scientific research, production, economic activities and everyday life. The needs for information are greater than ever before, and information retrieval has therefore lately attracted great attention. This thesis elaborates on information retrieval in China. It analyses various means of information retrieval: manual retrieval, off-line retrieval, online retrieval and networking retrieval. It introduces the development of information retrieval in China, describes in detail the present information networking situation of China, and makes recommendations for future action.
Managing the Records of Restricted Organizations
Authors: Kenosi Lekoko
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the XV Biennial Conference of the East and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA), in Zanzibar, Tanzania, 28-30 July 1999, under the theme, ‘Archives and the Protection of People’s Rights’. Despite a wealth of archival legislation in all ICA countries specifying otherwise, the records of the military, the police and correctional services still fall outside the ambit and jurisdictions of most archival repositories. Security organizations argue that this state of affairs is desirable because their organizations cannot operate under an environment of unlimited access of information. This paper explores the doctrine of secrecy as employed in the management of records of restricted organizations and argues that the current management of security records is adverse to archival theory. A conference on the protection of human rights makes imperative a discussion of the concept of accountability as it applies to security organizations and the obligations these organizations owe to the citizens under democratically elected regimes.
Managing Records for ISO Compliance: record keeping at the Botswana Meat Commission
Authors: Mnjama Nathan
Published: October 2003

More and more companies in the developing world are desiring to export their products to the western world. How ever, in as much as the western world would wish to trade with developing countries, they need some assurance that the products are of the highest possible standards. To date the only standards that are recognized by both western and developing countries are ISO standards. The certification process demands among other things an assurance by the supplier that he (the supplier) has a well documented, effective and efficient procedures for maintaining all records pertaining to its products. This article looks at the case of Botswana Meat Commission, one of the major exporters of beef products in Africa, and shows the procedure it has followed to establish a quality system for managing its records.
Digital Library and Information Services in Southern Africa
Authors: Muswazi Paiki
Published: October 2003

Considers Southern African Development Community (SADC) digital library and information service (LIS) developments and observes an uneven regional pattern, the highlights of which are: though a number of libraries, mostly academic, have Web Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs), these facilities are generally underdeveloped across the region; South African and Namibian public libraries metadata is accessible on the Internet; regionally, there are a few Internet links to SADC based resources; digital information access policies are restrictive; leadership from National Library Associations is limited; and, regionally, a number of digital library projects are under way. The critical issues affecting digital LIS developments are: insufficient finance; lack of focused management strategies; underdeveloped information technology and communications infrastructure; predominance of English and low information and computer literacy rates. It is concluded that information technology advances require libraries to restructure, establish cooperative networks and empower selective target user groups with digital skills to give shape to the nucleus of a regional information society.
Managing Stakeholder Interests during Change: the United States International University Library, Kenya
Authors: Mutula Stephen M.
Published: October 2003

The paper discusses the ramifications of managing diverse interests of stakeholders during change process. A case study of the United States International University library in Kenya is presented. The paper demonstrates that an all-inclusive consultative approach is an effective tool to exploit in order to reconcile stakeholders divergent beliefs, interests and aspirations during the change process.
African Scientific Information in International Databases
Authors: Katundu Desdery R.M.
Published: October 2003

The coverage of Africa’s information by international databases has been minimal and discouraging. This is due mainly to the nature of Africa’s information environment and only partly to external factors. Most African countries lack an information infrastructure with the resources for processing and disseminating scientific and technical information, and policy makers in government have rarely attached priority to information services. Perpetual dependence on donors has had a detrimental impact on the allocation of resources to the information sector by most African governments. Professional enthusiasm for the production of bibliographic and abstracting tools in Africa has been dwindling. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment in most African countries is far from satisfactory. Feasible strategies that can facilitate the coverage and dissemination of Africa’s scientific information, both locally and internationally, are likely to come from within Africa. Discusses the roles of Africa’s academic and research organizations, international organizations and African information professionals in developing such strategies.
Re-organizing the University of Mauritius Reference Library
Authors: Ephraim Philip E.
Published: October 2003

Describes the reorganization of the reference library at the University of Mauritius. The work was divided into the following tasks: renewal and updating of heavily used materials, selection of relevant and fresh titles for inclusion in the collection, effective housekeeping and greening of the collection, identification of little used materials for removal from the collection.
Public Libraries and Adult Literacy in Nigeria
Authors: Adomi Esharenana E.
Published: October 2003

This paper centres on efforts the public libraries are making to enhance adult literacy in Nigeria. The mass literacy campaigns that have been embarked upon by the Federal Government of Nigeria so far are highlighted. The place of public libraries in advancement of adult literacy as well as the various efforts the public libraries have been making to promote literacy of adults are presented. It concludes by making recommendations that can help the public libraries to improve their services.
The Records Life Cycle: an inadequate concept for technology-generated records
Authors: Yusof Zawiyah M. , Chell Robert W.
Published: October 2003

The concept of a life cycle is at the core of most records management programmes. The activities of records management programmes are developed upon this concept, which has several phases that explain the stages or status of records – from creation through use and maintenance to ultimate disposal. However, it has been argued that the life cycle concept only fits successfully into paper-based records management. The concept is said to be inadequate when applied to electronic records, where records are unlikely to reach a definite inactive point but are instead migrated into new formats following developments in technology. Electronic records always need to be transacted, migrated and converted by hardware and software in order to be readable by their creators and users. A comparison of the way in which the life cycle concept has been modified over the years to accommodate the different characteristics of electronic records will demonstrate that the concept is inappropriate for technology-generated records.
Evaluation of Public Libraries in India: the case of Karnataka
Authors: Heitzman James , Asundi A. Y.
Published: October 2003

This article describes the development of the public library system in the state of Karnataka, India, several exercises in its evaluation during the mid-1990s, and the current direction of its planning. After outlining the system in the rural district of Chickmagalur, it concentrates on the system in the city of Bangalore, the state capital and India’s ‘Silicon Valley’. Quantitative and qualitative survey data portray the demographics of library clientele, their information needs, their rating of library materials, facilities and personnel, and the relationship between their evaluations and the preliminary stages of automation. Analysis focuses on issues of age, gender, trajectories of career development, and the rural–urban divide in determining the future planning of the system.
Prospects and Traumas of Computer-Aided Services in University Libraries: a case of the University of Dar es Salaam
Authors: Wema Evans F. , Nawe Julita
Published: October 2003

This paper highlights areas of, and reasons for computer use in university libraries in general, with more emphasis on African University libraries where the university of Dar es Salaam is used as a case study. Computer-aided services are identified and factors that facilitate or deter the effective use of IT to improve library services are discussed. It also offers suggestions on how to use IT effectively for promoting library services by using various approaches that capture the needs of both staff and users.
Knowledge is Like Light – Information is Like Water
Authors: Parker Stephen
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. Discusses the relationship between knowledge, information and decision-making in the context of a research programme on The Impact of Information on Decision-Making, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and carried out by the International Federation for Information and Documentation (FID). Describes the aims and achievements of the programme and identifies a need for a more comprehensive future research agenda, due to be discussed at a meeting in London in December 1999. Compares the problems of managing and using information and water. Concludes by emphasizing the importance of information in personal development.
The Role of Knowledge in Development Cooperation
Authors: Deane James
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. Provides a brief critique of the World Bank’s 1998 World Development Report on ‘Knowledge for Development’ comparing it to the contradictory 1999 report on ‘the changing development landscape’. The term ‘knowledge’ increasingly dominates development discourse, but needs to be defined largely by those who need to use it, not by external agencies. While access to information and knowledge is important, the skills to assess and debate that knowledge are equally important.
CDS/ISIS Information
Authors: Hopkinson Alan
Published: October 2003

A regular column for the exchange of information about the CDS/ISIS software package. Mainly comprises a summary report on a meeting of the European Distributors and User Groups of CDS/ISIS, held 30 June–1 July 2000 in Paris. The main purposes of the meeting were for European stake-holders to input into UNESCO’s development team their wishes for CDS/ISIS and to discuss distribution issues. UNESCO staff gave an overview of the CDS/ISIS software family and other participants gave presentations on utilities which could be used in association with CDS/ISIS. Also reports the release of a new utility, ISISASCII which allows ASCII-delimited files to be imported into a CDS/ISIS database. Also outlines the main features of a Windows NT demonstration version of the WWW-ISIS software, developed in collaboration with the Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The 1999 Meeting of the EADI Information Management Working Group
Authors: Lindberg-Hansen Svend Erik , Cummings Sarah , Kalinowski-Jagau Klaus-Peter , Lalonde Christiane
Published: October 2003

Provides an overview of the proceedings of the Information Management Working Group at the 1999 Annual Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), which took place on 22–25 September in Paris. The sessions covered: the information cycle, the Southern dimension and reaching the South, and the information revolution. The Group also organized a successful Semi-Plenary on ‘Knowledge, information and new technologies: the impact of information on the development process’, which aimed to convince researchers of the importance of knowledge to the development process.
The EADI Information Management Working Group: the state of the art
Authors: Lindberg-Hansen Svend Erik , Cummings Sarah
Published: October 2003

The Information Management Working Group of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) is an important European forum for reflection, discussion and action on development information. Its members comprise librarians, information managers, documentalists and other professionals working with development information. Since the mid-1970s, it has held annual meetings to discuss important issues in this field, to network, and to engage in joint projects and other activities. It is one of the constituent working groups of EADI, an independent, European-wide, NGO concerned with development research and training. This article reviews the nature of the Information Management Working Group to serve as a background document for newcomers to the group and for existing members. After describing the members, annual meetings, themes and projects, the parent association, EADI, is briefly examined, together with the status of the Information Management Working Group within it. Finally, other networks focusing on development information are briefly listed.
Libraries and Documentation Centres in France Specialized on Questions of Development: the situation in France in September 1999
Authors: Humbaire Bernard
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. The formidable development of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), generally related to the Internet, has represented a significant change for libraries and documentation in France as in the rest of the world. Although France lags behind other nations in connectivity, documentalists have on the whole embraced this new technology. The new Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DGCID), created at the beginning of 1999, has tried to take advantage of the challenges provided by new technology by providing new funding for institutions in selected developing countries, and also by restructuring documentation policy in France itself. In France, this has led to opening the DGCID Documentation Centre to the general public; support to the IBISCUS network and joint guardianship of some specialized, rich documentation sources. This policy has led to criticism, with some commentators proposing the creation of a ‘memory library’ on development. Some of the basic flaws in such a proposal are outlined.
The International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP)
Authors: Priestley Carol
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. Describes the objectives and activities of the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), a cooperative network which aims to improve the flow of information within and between countries, especially those with less developed systems of publication and dissemination. Activities include: Advisory and Liaison Services; Programmes such as INASP-Health, the South-South Rural Development Network, Publishing Support Initiatives and Library Support Initiatives; and Publications, including the INASP Newsletter and website . Describes the African Journals OnLine (AJOL) pilot project to promote African-published scholarly journals, and two examples of projects in Latin America: Latindex, which aims to collect information on, give access to and promote the quality of the serial scientific publications produced in Latin America and the Caribbean, Portugal and Spain; and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library OnLine), which aims to increase the visibility and accessibility of Latin American and Caribbean scientific journals on the Internet.
FAO Projects on the Background of the Global Information Society
Authors: Truelove Wendy
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. Describes some of the activities of the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), including the Data Dissemination Agreement/Information Finder, the Document Repository, the production of CDROMs and the Virtual Extension Research and Communication Network (VERCON). Lists a number of publications which address the application of new information and communication technologies to problems of food security.
Africa in Global Communication Networks: from networks to concrete uses
Authors: ChéNeau-Loquay Annie
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. The growing integration of Africa into the worldwide information and communications system gives rise to hopes that the continent will achieve a technological leap which will help resolve the problems linked with development. In Africa, the networks that form a country’s basic structures are usually poorly maintained and controlled. There is a territorial divide between urban areas, connected to modern networks, and rural areas which are completely remote. This duality is a fundamental obstacle to development, but is rarely taken into account when projects are prepared. Presents a global view of basic communication services in Africa and the evolution of new networks based on new technologies. Concludes that, whatever technical solutions are adopted, African countries will be unable to control either technology or costs and risk being submerged by input from the North. The real challenge is therefore the appropriation of information content and control over technology.
Global Cooperation and Global Dialogue in Development Research and Information
Authors: Esterhuysen Anriette
Published: October 2003

Considers development research in the context of North-South relations. There are four key areas which lead to Northern dominance of development research: research agendas; the paradigms that frame the research; the researchers; and what happens to the outcomes of the research. The Internet facilitates more horizontal information and communications flows, and has the potential to enable dialogue between the North and the South, and from South to South. But it also facilitates faster and easier extraction of information, raw data and so-called ‘local knowledge’ from the South by the North. Internet-based global development gateways are seen as a solution to disseminating development information but such initiatives cannot lead to meaningful dialogue between North and South. By building content locally, for local use, linked to developing long-term capacity to produce, evaluate and use information, it may be possible to succeed in maintaining the links between information and action that can contribute to generating change. Includes a comment on the paper by Daniel Baudin, Executive Director of IBISCUS, France.
CDS/ISIS Information
Authors: Hopkinson Alan
Published: October 2003

A regular column for the exchange of information about the CDS/ISIS software package. Discusses: the kind of database model implemented by CDS/ISIS; Web access to CDS/ISIS databases; backup of CDS/ISIS databases; conversion of CDS/ISIS databases to UNIMARC. Also answers other frequently asked questions.
Information and Development: the information effect
Authors: Rasmussen Anja Møller
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the 9th General Conference of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Paris, France, 22–25 September 1999, in a session of the EADI Information Management Working Group. The need for integrating information and communication policy with other policies needs to be better understood in most developing countries. Information and communication technologies and the new global information infrastructure have both positive and negative impacts on development. Widening disparities can lead to further disenfranchisement of the ‘have-nots’, but can also help empower them. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing international discussion on the ways in which the developing countries can benefit from the information revolution, to clarify the issues involved in measuring the information effect – the impact that the use of information makes on development –and to explore the methods that can be used to measure it.
The Impact of Y2K in Southern Africa
Authors: Mutula Stephen M.
Published: October 2003

The Y2K phenomenon passed with little undesirable effects reported among the fourteen member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Y2K bug had little effect on the region’s information systems in corporations such as telecommunications, power, finance, airlines, manufacturing, securities and the aviation industry. The pervasiveness of the bug and the inter-dependency of the region’s information and communication systems created panic. It was appreciated by member countries that fear of the bug would be the worst enemy of regional economies. The need to maintain confidence was critical to avoid the problems that could be caused by over-reaction. The countries of the region appreciated that the effects of Y2K would know no national or political boundaries and that every country would be affected in some way. The need for joint efforts in addressing the bug was therefore imperative. Within the framework of SADC, the countries of the region, either jointly or singly, put in place programmes and allocated financial resources to address the bug.
Leadership Challenges in Higher Education Libraries in East Africa
Authors: Nawe Julita M.
Published: October 2003

Outlines the role of institutions of higher education and the history of institutions of higher learning in East Africa and describes post-independence challenges to institutions of higher learning and their libraries in the region. Discusses the problems of managing change and identifies two groups of coping strategies: human resource and non human resource based. Concludes that the survival of organizations depends significantly on how much is invested in training as part of performance management.
Women Librarians and the Challenges of Information Technology in Nigerian University Libraries
Authors: Iwe Josephine I.
Published: October 2003

Edited version of a paper presented at the 2nd International Conference of the National Association of Women Academics (NAWACS) Abuja, Nigeria, 5–10 September, 2000. Women librarians form a considerable proportion of the academic staff of university libraries in Nigeria. Focuses on their status, role and position in the university library from the perspective of information technology in the new millennium, identifying the challenges of the future and offering trends towards their solution. Advances in information technology have made a lot of impact on information processing, storage and dissemination in the developed countries. Nigeria, as a developing country, has accepted the principle that better information management lies in the use of technology. This principle must be put into practice if the country is to achieve the maximum efficiency in information delivery and communication. Women librarians in university libraries are well-equipped to contribute towards this.
Keeping Pace with Development Information: the 2000 Meeting of the EADI Information Management Working Group
Authors: Cummings Sarah
Published: October 2003

Provides an overview of the proceedings of annual meeting of the Information Management Working Group of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), which took place on 6–9 September 2000 in Bergen, Norway. The theme of the meeting was ‘Keeping Pace with Development Information’. The sessions covered: global cooperation and global dialogue; knowledge management in theory and in development institutions; XML/IDML; ELAND; retrieval strategies; EADI and international initiatives; information impact; and new developments. Includes a personal view of the proceedings by Sheila Allcock, Librarian and Information Services Manager, International Development Centre Library, UK.
Africa-related Internet Resources
Authors: Gidlöf Håkan
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Information Management Working Group of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), 6–9 September 2000, Bergen, Norway. Provides a list of Internet tools, maintained by specialist librarians, which provide access to information about Africa, and particularly to information relating to African studies.
Agricultural Research in Nigeria: the role of institutional libraries
Authors: Ekpenyong Georgina Dien
Published: October 2003

Investigates the problems of agricultural research libraries vis-à-vis their effects on the advancement of agricultural research in Nigeria. Proffers solutions in the form of modern electronic information facilities like electronic networking, e-mail and Internet access. A method of working is suggested in which research institutes and universities in Southwest Nigeria can each selectively develop a database information system on agricultural research, all of which are coordinated through a local area network. This will facilitate access to information possessed by other such institutions. The advantages of the model are numerous: reduction of the cost of information acquisition, reduction in the duplication of research efforts and greater productivity by agricultural research scientists.
CDS/ISIS Information
Authors: Hopkinson Alan
Published: October 2003

A regular feature about the CDS/ISIS software package. Discusses: the release of CDS/ISIS for Windows 1.4; a request for information on a shelf-listing and circulation module which can be used with CDS/ISIS for Windows; CDS/ISIS implementation for a union catalogue of serials; stopword files; sorting numbers in CDS/ISIS; the comparative advantages and disadvantages of using generalized database management programs rather than CDS/ISIS for library catalogues; the conversion of a CDS/ISIS database to UNIMARC; an Indian format based on the Common Communication Format.
Webwatch
Authors: Addison Chris
Published: October 2003

Discusses the next wave of development of the World Wide Web, described as the ‘semantic web’. This is a way of building a web where computers can use a web of source data, interpret, analyse and process it, and present it to a user. Briefly describes the five levels of the semantic web: Unique Addresses – URI; Schema – XMLschema (DTDs)/RDFschema; Vocabulary – Ontology; Rules – Logic and Proof; Security – Trust. Concludes that we need to think of our websites as being part of a whole, rather than running them in isolation.
University Libraries in Turkey: a state of the art review
Authors: Çelik Ahmet
Published: October 2003

This paper tries to describe the present status of the academic libraries in Turkey, according to criteria suggested by IFLA in 1987. These criteria include the various dimensions of library services such as purpose, organization and administration, services, collections, staff, facilities, budget and finance, technology, preservation and conservation, and cooperation. By using these criteria the current aspects of Turkish university libraries have been discussed and basic problem areas have been identified as scarcity of financial sources, insufficient number of personnel, and lack of library policy.
Computerizing the Library Catalogue with ADLIB at the University of Dar es Salaam
Authors: Msuya Jangawe
Published: October 2003

Presents the experience encountered by the University of Dar es Salaam library in computerizing its catalogue using ADLIB software. Shows how the project was managed, the strengths and limitations of the software and the structure of the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). Other issues discussed include Retrospective Conversion of the catalogue, staff training, and sustainability of the project. In the course of the discussion, the paper draws some lessons which other libraries intending to computerize their catalogues can learn from the University of Dar es Salaam library experience.
Providing Information for Capacity Building: the role of an NGO library in Nigeria
Authors: Mabawonku Iyabo
Published: October 2003

Capacity building is an important process for developing the abilities of individuals to enable them to perform better in their jobs. In developing countries, people need empowerment through awareness of new developments, acquiring new skills and upgrading the old. Access to information is important in capacity building. The paper highlights the role of the Research Library of the Development Policy Centre, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Ibadan, Nigeria in building capacities of decision and policy makers, information professionals and other clients within the region. The activities include: information dissemination through publications; repackaging of research output; databank creation and maintenance; resource sharing with institutions with similar interests; and running training workshops. The likely inhibitors to effective performance are listed. However, the information professional has to be more dynamic in order to achieve much.
Knowledge Management in Oxfam
Authors: Stephen June
Published: October 2003

Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Information Management Working Group of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), 6–9 September 2000, Bergen, Norway. Outlines work in progress regarding knowledge management development within the development and relief charity, Oxfam. In the initial stage, knowledge management is being handled as a project. The Project Sponsor is a senior manager and member of the corporate management team. A three-year knowledge management strategy has been developed. The first phase comprises three pilot projects, dealing respectively with: knowledge mapping in emergencies response; assessing the effectiveness of Oxfam programmes on African land rights issues and HIV/AIDS; Knowledge Management for Shop Managers in the Trading Division. Knowledge management has been identified as a core competency for staff within Oxfam. Knowledge management activities will be assessed in individual annual performance reviews.