Effectiveness of Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL) in disseminating veterinary information.
The Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL) was established by Parliamentary Act No. 21 of 1991, which elevated the former University Library to a national agricultural library. Therefore, SNAL serves both as a University Library as well as a national agricultural library. SNAL’s overall goal is to develop and maintain library and information services in agricultural sciences and related disciplines. As a university library, SNAL aims at supporting efficiently and effectively teaching, research, extension, consultancy and other academic activities of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). The Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) consists of many academic units that include four faculties; namely; the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This paper examines the capacity of SNAL in disseminating veterinary information. Electronic information resources available at SNAL are assessed with the aim of examining the coverage of veterinary information in comparison to other agricultural related fields offered by SNAL. Major electronic information resources include: CD-ROMs, e-journals and an OPAC. Additionally, the information needs and seeking behavior of veterinary scientists and students at SUA are identified in order to establish the extent to which SNAL meets their needs. The quality of library human resources at SNAL in relation to their capacity to provide veterinary information was observed as well.
A Methodology for the Identification of Information Needs of Users
L'identification des besoins d'informations est essentielle a la conception des systemes d'informations en general et a la prestation des services d'informations efficaces en particulier. Mais la tâche est difficile dans la mesure ou elle se confond presque avec un travail d'investigation ou de detection. Pour la mener a bien, force est d'adopter plusiers methodes afin de rassembler un maximum d'informations sur les multiples facteurs qui determinent le besoin d'informations. Aucun procede, aucun outil ne saurait y suffire seul. Il est indispensable d'associer des techniques differentes, rigoureusement selectionnees au prealable en fonction de la categorie d'usagers etudiee. Les personnes chargees d'identifier les besoins d'informations doivent donc soigneusement se documenter et se preparer. L'article expose les etapes successives d'un protocole pouvant servir a etudier les besoins d'informations d'une majorite d'usagers. Une fois les donnees collectees et consignees, il convient de proceder a une analyse approfondie afin de degager les besoins reels de l'ensemble des elements reunis. Le souhait des auteurs est que la methodologie ici presentee soit facile a apprehender et a mettre en pratique. Ils soulignent qu'elle gagne progressivement en clarte a chaque etape, d'ou une meilleure comprehension du scenario d'ensemble qui permet d'ajuster au plus pres le protocole en fonction des situations particulieres rencontrees. Il apparait en outre que l'utilite de cette methodologie ne se limite pas a la seule identification des besoins d'informations puisqu'elle determine dans une large mesure les moyens a mettre en oeuvre pour y repondre. En d'autres termes, les personnes chargees de l'identification decouvrent parallelement nombre d'idees, d'outils, de methodes et de techniques qui leur permettent de donner satisfaction aux usagers en repondant a leurs besoins.
Communicative Competence: Theory and Classroom Practice
ABSTRACT Within the framework of viewing communicative competence as a prerequisite to linguistic competence, rather than vice versa, this paper considers the following: (1) the nature of communicative competence; (2) the implications of communicative competence for second language teaching; and (3) ways in which the teacher can begin to make a foreign language program more meaningful. Communicative competeuce is defined as what native speakers know which enables them to interact effectively with each other. Implications for the language teacher include: (T) the need for tests which measure the ability to use language; (2) the irrelevancy of sequencing surface features; (3) the need for emphasis on non-lizguistic aspects of communication; and (4) the need to re-examiLe attitudes toward students and language teaching. Practical suggestins for implementing communicative competence in the classroom include the use of spontaneous role-playing, discussions, games, radio, and the telephone. (AM)