In a recent staff meeting at Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL), Professor W. Mtega, the Director, emphasized the importance of enhancing services to meet the evolving needs of the university community. The focus was on adapting to the digital revolution while ensuring SNAL's continued relevance.
During the first quarter staff meeting on April 25th, held at the SNAL board room on the Edward Moringe Campus in Morogoro, Professor Mtega stressed the significance of maintaining high service standards. He highlighted the increasing preference for electronic resources and online information, potentially reducing physical library usage.
"For the library to remain significant in the digital era, we must strive to satisfy our customers' needs," Prof. Mtega stated.
One of the concerns raised was the declining physical use of books and publications compared to previous years. To address this, strategies were discussed to promote both physical and electronic resources, including newly subscribed e-resources for 2024 through the Consortium of Tanzania University and Research Libraries (COTUL) and other channels.
The list of resources subscribed including a new one soon to be available are:
- JOVE - Journal of Visualized Experiments - a leading provider of science videos aimed at accelerating research and education in various fields.
- Research for life – AGORA, OARE, HINARI, ARDI, and GOALI
- Emerald
- Ebscohost Ebooks and Ejournals
- JSTOR
- De Gruyter Journal Collection
- SAGE
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Oxford University
- IOP science
- Edward Elgar
- Mathematical Sciences Publishers Journals (MSP)
- Open Edition Journals
- Royal Society Journal Collection
- IWA Publishing Journals
- European Respiratory Journal
- Bookshare
- STM Compass
- The Company of Biologists
The meeting also addressed operational matters such as the daily running of the library, staff privileges, including weekend allowances and transportation, and ensuring electricity availability for quality service provision. Security concerns, such as the installation of cameras and fire extinguishers, were discussed.
Emphasis was placed on the ongoing transition from the ABCD library management system to KOHA, ensuring accurate transfer of all bibliographic details. Additionally, updates to the library website, including staff profiles, and expediting the scanning of publications for library repositories - SUAIRe, TACCIRE, and Mkulima Collection - were discussed.
"In order to fulfill our mission and vision as part of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), we must adapt to changing times while upholding our professional ethics and dedication to service," Prof. Mtega concluded, encouraging staff to embrace these changes for the betterment of SNAL and its users.
SNAL staff leading by Prof W. Mtega during their quarterly general staff meeting held at SNAL boardroom.
