CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND LANGUAGES CENTRE INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS MODULE

FIRST SEMESTER, MARCH 2015 LECTURE 2 17/03/15 EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC/DIGITAL MATERIALS Lecturer: G.Kadyamatimba

Learning Outcomes By the end of this lecture students should be able to: Evaluate different information media Appreciate the different information institutions Contextualise the academic library within other types of libraries Appreciate the services on offer at CUT Library

Evaluation Criteria Evaluation criteria for content is the same as that of printed materials. Technical considerations are important in digital formats and multi-media.

Audio Visual eg. Digital video disk,(DVD), video cassette, images (pictures),artefacts, sculptors, charts etc. Audio-visual eg. DVD, slide tapes Microform /microfilm - Large amounts of data for archival purposes Digital/Electronic – computer hard disk, external drive, memory stick/flash stick, CD-ROM

Evaluation criteria cont……. Common aspects - Quality of sound -Quality of pictures - Durability

Evaluation Criteria cont….. Visibility of sub-titles Cost of accessing the media Ease of retrieval of information. For microforms and microfilm – Is the size of the print readable

Storage of Information Information is an expensive commodity Few individuals are willing to pay for information Fewer individuals possess all the information they need. Information is often communally owned

Storehouses of Information Libraries- printed and non book materials Archives – printed materials of historical value Art galleries – artefacts, paintings,sculptures Museums - artefacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance The internet – virtual collection of all kinds of information

Putting the Academic Library in Context Public libraries Accessible by the general public Funded from public sources, such as taxes. Collect a diverse range of materials The Avicena Library is the public library in Chinhoyi and it is run by the Chinhoyi Municipality

Putting the Academic Library in Context National Libraries Established by the government of a country to serve as the major repository of information for that country. Normally hold Legal deposit status Do not normally allow citizens to borrow books. Open to serious researchers only National Archives and the Bulawayo Public Library are the legal deposit libraries of Zimbabwe

Putting the Academic Library in Context Special Libraries Established by an organisation or government agency to provide specialised information for that organisation eg. The Institute of Mining Research at the University of Zimbabwe Normally collects serials and provides access to specialised databases Currency of materials is of paramount importance

Putting the Academic Library in Context School Libraries Support the school curriculum and other needs of the establishing authority.

Putting the Academic Library in Context Digital Libraries An electronic library (also referred to as digital library or digital repository) is a focused collection of digital objects that can include text, visual material, audio material, video material, stored as electronic media formats (as opposed to print, micro form, or other media) 18/03/15

The Academic Library Established at a higher education institution to support the academic programmes and the research needs of the university faculty and students. Collects books, periodicals and electronic databases

Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT)Library Supports programmes in the following Schools: Agricultural Sciences and Technology Art and Design Business Sciences and Management Engineering Sciences and Technology Hospitality and Tourism Natural Sciences and Mathematics Wildlife Management

CUT Library Organisation Library Management and Administration -90% of library staff have a professional qualification in library and information science Technical Services - Acquisition and processing of materials Public/ Client Services - Services that are available to staff and students

Public /Client Services Circulation Desk Borrowing and lending Reserve Area - High demand books - Overnight loans - 3 day loans

Public /Client Services cont….. Reference Section - Enquiries - Information - Directional - Assistance with Interlibrary Loans and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), internet and database searching - Smart TV - Lectures on video - Internet

Public /Client Services - Stackroom -Study area -Library Information Commons

Public /Client Services cont….. Periodicals Section/ Special Collections - Current and retrospective journals - Newspapers - Government documents - International and Non governmental reports - HIV/ AIDS collection

Public /Client Services cont….. Virtual/Digital Collections Institutional Repository - Research by CUT staff and students - Institutional reports - Past examination papers - Theses and dissertations

Public /Client Services cont…… Library Portal Available on the CUT website Rules and Regulations Electronic databases ( e-journals and e-books) CD -ROM databases The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library available on the Local Area Network (LAN –TEEAL} for the agricultural sciences

References 1.Digital Libraries: Dynamic Storehouse of Digitized Information/edited by N.M. Malwad et al. New Delhi: New Age International, Printed Reference Material..2 nd. Ed./edited by G.L. Higgens. London: Library Association Publishing,1984