Information technology for agricultural research: SNAL's opportunities and challenges in addressing researchers' information needs in 21 st century.
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Date
1999
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Proceedings of FoA conference
Abstract
The paper defines information and briefly reviews its role in agricultural research. Applications
of information technology in agricultural libraries is considered to playa vital role in provision
of information to researchers, policy makers, practitioners, lecturers, extensionists, information
workers, students and the public at large for their meaningful contribution to agricultural
development. SNAL's achievements and problems in information provision to its clients for the
ending millennium are discussed. Introduction of IT applications to some of its services such as
CD-ROM services, and Online Public Catalogue are some of the achievements despite a list of
problems albeit budgetary constraints, critical shortage of manpower, over dependence to
external aids and failure to reach a wider audience of its clients. Whilefurther investments in IT
and its applications could greatly improve information services to agricultural researchers,
constraints mentioned above are among the major challenges to SNALS' obligations of meeting
its user information needs for the coming millennium.
Description
Keywords
Information technology applications, Agricultural research, Information services, Sokoine National Agricultural library