AFRO-NETS> Internet may aid Africa Colleges (2)

Internet may aid Africa Colleges (2)
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The posting on "Internet may aid Africa Colleges" provides good news
to most African professionals who are working towards electronic
connectivity in Africa.

Indeed, a African university needs to be brought into Cyberspace.
However, one university department which should not be left out in
the project is THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

In fact, if there is any department in the University that has
suffered worse budget cuts, is the Library. Most libraries in Africa
are still using manual systems and have no access to the Internet.
Some hold unique collections, which if made available on the
Internet, will be accessible to the whole world. How many times have
we heard of researchers and sometimes students from Africa studying
in Europe or USA sending letters and faxes back home requesting for
information materials from university libraries in Africa? If the
collections of these libraries are made accessible, and better still
available, on the Internet, library and information professionals in
Africa, will indeed be contributing to the development of the
information content of the Information Superhighway.

I hope that the project being planned will include university
libraries on the agenda and assist them in getting connected. Taking
into account the fact that the majority of the population in Africa
(this includes lecturers and students who will be benefit from the
project) do not have access to computer equipment, connected
university libraries could serve as information and access points to
the information superhighway for them.

Justin Chisenga, LIDPM
Head: Systems Management
Office of the Librarian
University of Namibia
Private Bag 13301
Windhoek
NAMIBIA
Tel: +264-61-2063718
Fax: +264-61-2063876
E-mail: jchisenga@unam.na

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