Browsing by Author "Dulle, Frankwell, W"

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    Information technology for agricultural research: SNAL's opportunities and challenges in addressing researchers' information needs in 21 st century.
    (Proceedings of FoA conference, 1999) Dulle, Frankwell, W; Lwehabura, J.F; Matovelo, Doris, S; Mulimila, Revocatus, T
    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.
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    The usage of e-resources among agricultural researchers and extension staff in Tanzania
    (Library and Information Research, 2014) Mtega, W.P; Dulle, Frankwell, W; Malekani, A.W; Chailla, A.M
    This article investigates the accessibility and usage of e-resources among agricultural researchers and extension staff in five out of seven agricultural zones in Tanzania. The study identifies sources of e-resources used by these researchers and staff, as well as assessing their information literacy levels and the factors influencing their usage of e-resources. The research used a survey approach based on convenient non-probability sampling. Findings show that usage of e-resources from popular agricultural databases remains low. Factors limiting access to e-resources include poor institutional ICT infrastructure, limited funds for e-resources and low information literacy levels. Recommendations include improvements to ICT infrastructure and budgets, as well as developing electronic institutional repositories to improve extension staff access to research outputs, creating a sustainable link between agricultural research and farming activities. Information literacy modules in agricultural training institutes could also support effective access to, and use of, e-resources.