Services
Computer clusters
Computer labs, administered by Information Communication Technology Services, are located on the Library. All registered library users can use the computers for word-processing, e-mail, Internet access, and other applications.
Information Services
The library provides both print and electronic information services. The services include lending, reference, advisory, current awareness (CAS), selective dissemination of information (SDI), reprographic and user instructions. The library is in the process of being fully automated. Apart from these, Information and communication technology (ICT) services that are currently available include internet, e-mail, Scout Portal Toolkit database and an Online Public Access Catalogue.
Advisory service
The library staff at ARU Library provides the required assistance to the use of the library to their customers whenever required. For instance, when the student does not understand well on how to use the library catalogue or how to search information successful in the internet, then she/he is encouraged to ask for assistance
Inter-library loan services
An inter-library loan service is basically a service where one library uses other library resource. Under this arrangement, the library borrows from other libraries or obtains photocopies of certain works required for study and research which are not available in the University holdings. Readers are encouraged to make use of this facility.
Special reserve service
Special reserve service is offered for prescribed and recommended materials that are intended to be read within the library. Readers are encouraged to approach librarians for advice and assistance for identification of relevant information resources available within the library.
Lending services
ARU library provide lending services to its users .library members are allowed to borrow library materials from the general collection. Students and staff ID card should be presented to check out library materials at the circulation desk. Loan period is 21 days for all library members.
Photocopying services
The University Library provides photocopy services to library users who may wish to have copies from various publications copied for them. These services are found in the first floor of the library building. Students are charged at subsidized rates.
Library catalogue
This is a tool which helps the library user to locate library materials easily. In the catalogue, the contents of each book are analyzed and filed alphabetically according to authors, titles and subjects.
Library catalogue can be classified under two categories namely;
- Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC)
This is a web based library tool that can be accessed online from any computer anywhere provided there is an internet connection. It is an electronic database that provides bibliographic descriptions of items in the library. Library staff offers OPAC search assistance to users when required.
Click here to access the database (OPAC)
Using OPAC one can also have access to search catalogues database of University of Dar es salaam library by author, keyword, organization, subject term etc. - Manual catalogue
Library also maintains a manual catalogue which also provides bibliographic information of items in the library. The manual catalogue is useful especially when there is a problem of power cut-off.
Click here for examples of manual catalogues used at ARU library.
Research, Publications and Consultancy Services
As an academic unit, the library is also charged with research and consultancy services. Plans are underway for the library to carry out research and consultancy on matters to do with aspects of information generation, organization, supply, dissemination and utilization. This also means working closely with ARU researchers.
Author Catalogues
The author catalogue file lists books, pamphlets and other ducuments in the library alphabetically according to authors' surname. In the case where the books has no personal authorship and therefore the authorship being attributed to either title, society, body, or institution its entry in this author file will be under the appropriate tile, society, body or institution as its author
An example of Author Catalogue record:
| 309.250 | Cowling, T.M. Author?s |
| 941 | call name is filed in the |
| COW | Author file |
Subject Catalogue
This is an alphabetically arranged file according to the name of the subject. It shows what the library has on a particular subject and how other documents existing in the library collection on the same subjects are related to each other. An Example of subject catalogue record: REGIONAL PLANNING – GREAT BRITAIN Subject name (Heading under which the card is filed in the subject catalogue) 309.250 Cowling, T.M. Author’s 941 Subject – Regional Planning Studios: an evaluation/by T.M. Cowling and G.C. Sceley. Oxford e
Last Updated: Tuesday, 26 May, 2009