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SNAL acquires new document scanners to speed up the process of digitization of information at SUA

Sokoine National Agricultural Library – SNAL has procured two modern document scanners (CZUR ET16 Plus Book Scanner) in order to speed up the exercise of digitization thesis and other document and uploading them into the Sokoine University of Agriculture Institutional Repository – SUAIR and Mkulima Collection.

The move made through funds allocated by the SUA management as to improve the use of technology at the university. The digitization exercise of thesis, dissertation and other documents such as scientific papers and articles written by lecturers, books and other university documents was slowly done due by the use of older scanners which their speed and mode of scanning was not easy to upload many documents at a time.

In making sure SNAL staff mainly from Knowledge Management section are capable of using them a technician Mr. Salehe Senga from COSEKE company who supply them provided a day training on how to use and service them.

The process of digitization of those documents will easier the access of various information through library website and available them from remotely. The move will reduce need of a library users to come physical to the library since they can use it from where ever one is.

Knowledge management staff following closely on instruction given by a COSEKE Company technician Salehe Senga on how to use new document scanners.

INTRODUCTION OF SNAL TO BIGWA FOLK DEVELOPMENT COLLEGE

Students of Bigwa Folk Development College in Morogoro apprehended the move done by Sokoine University of Agriculture - SUA through Sokoine National Agricultural Library – SNAL of visiting them at their college and introduce to them its services to public which specifically aimed at agricultural information services through Mkulima Collection.

Speaking after the introductory presentation done on 19th May, 2022 by one of the team members from SNAL Mr. Jabir A. Jabir, most students noted that they always thought SNAL is for university students and their lecturers only. Also it was of interest to them to know that SNAL is also a public library in terms of agricultural information needs to the general public.

Speaking to them Mr. Shaban Chika, Mkulima Collection staff member adviced students that by knowing what can be available on Mkulima Collection so as to read and utilize better practices found through various information available as to do better in their farming, gardening and animal keeping and not only at their places but also to share it to their neighbors.

SNAL has been in campaign to promote the use of information in agriculture and its related activities as for getting quality agricultural outputs but also use of library and the resources available especially to its neighbors and Morogoro residents involved in farming and animal keeping to start with later the visitation will be extended to other regions.

The campaign also aimed at promoting SUA information repositories like the Mkulima Collection and SUA institutional repository - SUAIR to those who might be possible clients and interested in access and use the information that are deposited into those repositories.

Bigwa Fold Development College established in 1975 and the college has various fields of training including cookery and Food Nutrion, agriculture and animal husbandry, tailoring, masonry, electrical engineering also the college trains on entrepreneurship, business and language – Kiswahili. Currently the college has also most one hundred and fifty students

 Mr. Jabir A. Jabir doing a presentation on SNAL and Mkulima Collection while students following carefully.

Principal of Kaole Wazazi College of Agriculture in Bagamoyo Mr. Sinani Simba praise efforts made by the Sokoine National Agricultural Library - SNAL in collecting and disseminate agriculture information to farmers using information technology.

Mr. Simba said that while he and his team were at Sokoine University of Agriculture - SUA and get a chance to visit the library among other university sections. Main purpose of the visitation was to learning and shares the experience on various areas including cooperation, since his College and SUA are dealing with same activities of teaching and research in agriculture.

Establishing the Mkulima Collection for the purpose of serving the agricultural information will with time increase the agriculture productivity due to better use of all appropriate and required techniques to produce quality farm products and also in animal products, he emphasised.

SNAL Director Prof. Camillius Sanga explained to them that establishment of Mkulima Collection is among the duties of SNAL since it has two roles of serving as University library but also as a Public library in terms of agricultural information needs where ever they are in Tanzania thus why emphasis is to put more information and come up with best and simple means of reaching them.

Kaole Wazazi College of Agriculture in Bagamoyo is an institute owned by UMOJA WA WAZAZI TANZANIA. The college is located 64 kilometres North of Dar er esalam city and about 3 km South of Bagamoyo town along the road leading to Kaole Ruins.

In his team accompanied by Deputy principal of the College, Mr Maximilian Sarakikya, Coordinator of Studies, Mr. Chonge Mazengo, Head of animal department, Michael Ottaru and a lecture from agriculture department George Kapilima.

SHORT COURSES TRAINING FROM SNAL

Introduction

The history of the Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL) can be traced back to 1964 as a college library for Morogoro College of Agriculture. Since then the library has transformed, first, into a faculty library of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Dar es Salaam in 1970, then the library of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Science still under the University of Dares Salaam and finally into a university library when the Faculty became a fully-fledged university in 1984. This university library became a national library for agriculture in Tanzania by the Act of parliament No. 21 of 1991, and was consequently named the Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL). According to this Act, SNAL shall be an Institute of the University; shall be both the library of the University as well as a national agricultural library; and shall be an agricultural library within the national agricultural library system and the centre of the national agricultural library network. The primary object of SNAL is to develop and maintain at the University a system of reference, lending and other library services in agricultural sciences and related disciplines for the benefit of the University community, the needs of agricultural scientists and of the people of Tanzania generally.

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On giving more skills and experience in digital library revolution which currently facing academic libraries around the world, Sokoine National Agricultural Library - SNAL send fifteen (15) of its staff to digital workshop as for them to be updated and be strong on digital service provision to its clients.

In this year Tanzania Library Association – TLA annual general meeting and workshop scheduled from 23rd - 25th March 2022 in Morogoro with the theme of the  “Digital revolution and the challenges of the new information environment: transforming library services, collections, and communities”. SNAL staff were able to gain a lot from their participation and presentations.

For more information please read here