Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

2.1. Data Collection

2.2. Data Analysis

3. Main Findings and Conclusions

3.1. Resources in the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in the Sudan.

3.2. Information Services

4. Problems and Constraints

APPENDIX (1)

QUESTIONNAIRE USED TO SURVEY AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTERS FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN SUDAN, 1997

Questionnaire Used to Survey Agricultural Libraries and Information centers Facilities and Services in Sudan 1997

APPENDIX (2)

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE SURVEY OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION USERS' NEEDS AND INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR

APPENDIX (3) RESULTS OF LIBRARIES INFORMATION CENTERS SURVEY (TABLES 1-12)

APPENDIX (4) RESULTS OF INFORMATION USERS SURVEY

TABLES (1A - 6A)

1. Introduction

In the framework of Project TCP/SUD/4553 "Strengthening Documentation Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Animal Wealth", under the direct supervision and guidance of the consultant in Agricultural Information Systems, the Assistant Consultant performed the following duties in the period from 9 September to 18 October.

- Participate in a survey of existing Agricultural Documentation/Information Services in support of research and development in Sudan, particularly by collecting data on their human, material and financial resources, types and quantities of information collected and generated, services provided, information management system used, lined with other information units.

- Participate in assessment of documentation, information requirements of the various organization involved in agricultural research and development.

- Present the data collected in an appropriate way for analysis by the consultant.

2. Methodology

2.1. Data Collection

2.1.1. Survey

The survey included ten Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers, seven of which are located in Khartoum State and three in Wad Medani, Gezira State.

2.1.2. Questionnaires

a. Libraries/Information Center questionnaire to survey Libraries/Information Centers facilities and services in Agricultural Information and related fields (Appendix 1).

b. Information users needs and information seeking behaviour questionnaire to survey information services and user information needs in the surveyed agricultural Libraries/Information Centers.

2.1.3. Interviews

With librarians, users and decision makers in the agricultural institution in Khartoum and Wad Medani.

2.2. Data Analysis

The Assistant Information Consultant presented the collected data in the form of 12 tables concerning Libraries/Information centers and 6 tables regarding information users (Appendices 3 and 4, respectively).

3. Main Findings and Conclusions

3.1. Resources in the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in the Sudan.

3.1.1. Staff

Most of the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers hava a shortage of qualified, trained staff, except the National Information Center and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (Table 1).

3.1.2. Materials

Most of the surveyed institutions have a good collection of materials such as books, reports, thesis, but they have some problems in providing up-to-date information sources, specially books, journals. CD-ROM databases and other information technologies have started to narrow the information gap to some extent, but still there are some critical problems in providing full text or journal articles for the retrieved abstract from CD-ROM. Some other problems such as bibliographical control and absence of network and cooperative activities has its negative effects on using, controlling and sharing of these resources.

3.1.3. Equipment

Micro-computers, CD-ROM drives, and photocopying machines are found in eight Libraries/Information Centers, while four institutions have telephone facilities and micro-form readers which may facilitate a data communication network (Table 7).

3.1.4. CD-ROM & Data Bases

Half of the surveyed agricultural libraries have some agricultural CD-ROM databases, while five libraries have a local database using micro CDS/ISIS and the AGRIN/CARIN packages for storage and retrieval of information (Table 11).

3.1.5. Financial situation

All surveyed Agricultural Libraries have some financial problems due to the overall economic problems of Sudan, which has lead to reductions in staff, discontinuation of journal subscriptions, and a halt to the purchasing of new books and the introduction of information technologies. Other problems are the lack of staff motivation, absence of cooperative activities and constraints concerning conservation, keeping, housing and information dissemination.

3.2. Information Services

3.2.1. Information Collection

Most of libraries and information centers have good quality and quantity of information, specially about agriculture and related fields in Sudan in the form of books, journals, reports, thesis and grey literature. Other types of information technologies such as CD-ROM, micro-forms and local databases are also available in most Libraries/Information Centers (Table 11).

3.2.2. Information Processing

Most of the Libraries/Information Centers use the international cataloguing rules (AACR); five libraries use the AGRIS/CARIS subject categories and AGROVOC for subject heading and subject analysis; five libraries use the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) for classification, while 2 libraries use the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) (Tables 2, 3, 4).

3.2.3. Cooperative Activities

3.2.3.1. Union Catalogue And Union Serial Lists:

Only four Libraries/Information Centers hold a union catalogue, while five libraries hold union serial lists (Table 5).

3.2.3.2. Types of Cooperative Activities

Gifts, exchange of publications, photocopying services and inter-library loan are the significant types of cooperative activities applied in the agricultural libraries, while cooperative acquisition and cataloguing are also existing (Table 8).

3.2.4. Network

Network activities do not exist in most of the Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan due to some constraints. Most of the institutions think that networking is important and six significant cooperative activities are mentioned as essential priorities. The willingness to participate in an agricultural information network in Sudan is available, in addition to other two essential fields of cooperation (Table 12).

3.2.5. Users needs and Information Services

3.2.5.1. Users Behaviour

The Assistant Consultant surveyed 50 users as sample in the agricultural libraries; with various nature of work (Table 1-A). Most users mentioned books, CD-ROM databases, and reports as main sources of information in their work (Table 2-A). They find it difficult to keep abreast with latest information in their field of interest. Many use CD-ROM databases and ask for information from abroad. Some users correspond with colleagues and attend conferences and seminars. The rest of users scan the few latest periodicals in their libraries, and some have their own personal subscription to some current journals. Most of agricultural information users miss current awareness services (CAWS) and selective dissemination of information (SDI), which are not existing in most of the Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in the Sudan (Table 3-A).

3.2.5.2. Quality and Quantity of Information Retrieved

Most of the agricultural information users found the information retrieved from the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information centers in Sudan reliable, fairly adequate, but not timely (Table 5-A).

3.2.5.3. Users Information Needs

Providing of new editions of books is perceived as the essential need by most of the surveyed information users in the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan. The provision of CD-ROM services, introducing SDI and CAWS services and renewal of journal subscriptions are the second information users need. The third information users need is the provision of full text of journal articles, providing of photocopying services and facilitate access to world-wide agricultural information Table (6-A). Most users, specially students and researchers preferred to have CD-ROM services and abstract services; while the rest of users preferred reference and referral services, SDI, CAWS and research in progress services (Table 4-A).

3.2.5.4. Information Services

Delivery of documents and other services such as loan, referral services are the most common services in the surveyed agricultural libraries in the Sudan; while CD-ROM literature searching and compiling of bibliographies are provided by five libraries; SDI, CAWS and abstract services are available from 3 libraries (Table 6-A).

4. Problems and Constraints

Most of the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers faced some problems that affect their work and cooperative activities, in particular insufficient funds and an inadequate communication system. Lack of proper equipment, inadequate number of professionals, lack of library associations and lack of bibliographical control are other important factors mentioned by the surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan (Table 10).

APPENDIX (1)

QUESTIONNAIRE USED TO SURVEY AGRICULTURAL LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTERS FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN SUDAN, 1997

Dear Agricultural Librarian,

I would appreciate very much your filling out the enclosed questionnaire as it would provide significant data for my study. The questionnaire is designed to assess the current situation of Agricultural Libraries and Information centers in Sudan , their cooperative activities and the attitudes of librarians towards networking.

All information and comments you may provide will be confidential, your replies will be used only for the purpose of this study.

Thanking you in advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

Isam El Din Hassan Osman

Questionnaire Used to Survey Agricultural Libraries and Information centers Facilities and Services in Sudan 1997

PART ONE: INFORMATION ON THE LIBRARY

1. Name of Library ----------------------------------------

2. Name of Parent Organization ----------------------------------------

3. Please state the number of:

a. Staff who holds the following degree:-

Degree No. Of Staff

B.A./B.Sc -----------

Postgraduate Diploma -----------

M.A./MSc -----------

b. Paraprofessionals(with Undergraduate Diploma)------------------

c. Clerks----------------------------------------------------

d. Others--------------------------------------

4. Which of the following organizational units does your library have? (Please tick where appropriate).

a. Acquisitions Department

b. Technical Services Department

c. Circulation Department

d. Serials Department

e. Reference Department

f. Administrative department

g. Other(s) (Please specify)

5. How many items of the following did your library purchase in the last fiscal year?

a. Books -------

b. Journals -------

c. Non-print materials (including CD-ROM Data Bases)-------

6. What is the total number of your library holdings of the following materials?

a. Books -------

b. Journals -------

c. Non-print materials -------

7. What cataloguing rules does your library use?

a. AACR

b. AACR2

c. Other (Please specify) ----------------

8. What subject heading list does your library use? ------------------------

9. What classification scheme does your library use? ------------------------

10. Does your library holds a union catalogue for all its materials?

a. Yes

b. No

11. Please indicate ticking in the appropriate box which of the following services does your library provide for its users?

a. Literature Searchers

b. Compiling Bibliographies

c. Abstracts Services

d. Document Delivery

e. Other Service(s) (Please specify) ---------------

12. Which of the following machines and equipment are available in your library (Please ticket in the appropriate box if available)?

a. Photocopying Machines

b. Printing Equipment

c. Micro-form Reader

d. Micro-fiches/Film Reader

e. Micro-computer

If yes, how many -----------------

f. Telex Machine

g. Facsimile

h. Other(s) (Please specify) -----------------

PART TWO: INFORMATION ON COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES

13. Is your library a member of any local or regional network?

If yes, which one?-------------------------------------------------

14. Please specify which of the following cooperative activities your library takes part in with other libraries? (Please tick where appropriate):

a. Cooperative Cataloguing

b. Cooperative Acquisition

c. Inter-library Loan

d. Exchange of Publications

e. Gifts

f. Photocopying

g. Other(s) (Please specify) ------------------

15. Are the activities, if any maintained by formal agreements or informal agreements? ----------------------------------------------

16. Please rank the following problems that affecting of would affect the cooperative activities according to their importance (that is 1 very important - 2 important - 3 less important - 4 least important).

Insufficient Funds

Inadequate Communication System

Lack of Proper Equipment

Inadequate number of Professionals

Lack of Library associations

Lack of Bibliographic Control

PART THREE: NETWORK OPINION SURVEY

1. Is it desirable to have a library network? Please rank by circling the network activities according to their importance in your opinion (i.e. 1 highly desirable - 2 desirable - 3 not desirable - 4 no opinion)

A. Acquisitions

1. Cooperative Acquisitions of Mono-graphic (Book)

Materials 1 2 3 4

2. Cooperative Acquisitions of Journals 1 2 3 4

3. Cooperative Acquisition of Non-print Materials 1 2 3 4

4. Union Exchange Lists 1 2 3 4

B. Cataloguing/Processing

1. Use of International Standard Bibliographic

Description 1 2 3 4

for Network Cataloguing 1 2 3 4

2. Centralized Cataloguing Unit 1 2 3 4

3. Union Accession List 1 2 3 4

4. Union List of Serials 1 2 3 4

5. Union Catalogue of Non-print Materials 1 2 3 4

6. Catalogue Card Production 1 2 3 4

C. Inter-Library Loan

1. Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges 1 2 3 4

2. Inter-library Loan Services for Non-print

Materials 1 2 3 4

3. Photocopying Services 1 2 3 4

D. Difference

1. Reference Services 1 2 3 4

2. Referral Services 1 2 3 4

3. Abstracting & Indexing Services 1 2 3 4

4. Subject Bibliographic Services 1 2 3 4

E. Delivery Services

1. Delivery Services such as special truck delivery

system 1 2 3 4

2. Access to Machine Readable Database for

Reference and cataloguing purposes 1 2 3 4

F. Storage/Preservation

1. Storage Centre for Mono-graphic Materials 1 2 3 4

2. Storage Centre for Journals 1 2 3 4

G. Education/Research

1. Personal Training 1 2 3 4

2. Joint Research Project 1 2 3 4

2. What other activities do you think should be considered for potential cooperative network activities?

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

3. If you currently do not participate in a library network, would you like to have your library participate in a network of Agricultural libraries?

Yes No Not Sure

4. If the answer to (3) above is YES, please list five priority activities in which you library would be interested to participate

1. ------------------------

2. ------------------------

3. ------------------------

4. ------------------------

5. ------------------------

5. Would your institutions be prepared to provide the financial support for your library's participation in a network?

a. Yes

b. No

6. If the answer to (5) above is NO, where would you see the financial support coming from for the development of the network? Please list sources:

------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Would you have anything to add about cooperative activities or networking of agricultural libraries in Sudan? Please feel free to express your opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX (2)

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE SURVEY OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION USERS' NEEDS AND INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Name ------------------------------------

2. Age ------------------------------------

3. Address ------------------------------------

4. Educational Qualifications ------------------------------------

Degree/Diploma Year Institution Subject

--------------- ------- -------------- --------------

--------------- ------- -------------- --------------

--------------- ------- -------------- --------------

--------------- ------- -------------- -------------

5. Language Ability:

Mother Tongue ----------------------------

Second Language ----------------------------

Other Language(s) ----------------------------

6. Experience:

Institution Year

Agricultural Specialist ------------------- -----------

Teaching ------------------- -----------

Research ------------------- -----------

Managerial/Administrative -------------------- -----------

7. Nature of activity in the organization (Please tick in corresponding parenthesis)

Studying

Practicing

Under -graduate

Post-graduate

Teaching

Research

Consultancy

Other(s) (Please specify) ------------------------

8. What is your current subject interest?

------------------------------------------------------------------

9. What type of information do you need in your work (Please be as specific as possible in describing your information needs. Define any terms that may have special meaning in your point of view. List the keywords that describe your information needs)

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

10. What sources of information do you refer to in order to get the information you need? (Please rank your preference by numbers, e.g. most preferred 1, second preferred 2 ... etc., within the parenthesis)

Books

Handbooks

Current Journals

Indexing Journals

Abstracting Journals

Other sources (Please name) --------------------

11. How do you keep abreast with the latest information in your field of specification? Is it by:

- referring to the institute's Current Awareness Services (This type of

service includes informing users of new items received recently by the library)

- Scanning latest periodicals in the library

- Discussions

- Attending Conferences and Seminars

- Corresponding with Colleagues

- Other method(s) (Please specify) ------------------------

12. What type of information services do you prefer? (Please rank your preference by numbers as in question 10 above):

a. Reference and referral (Referral service is the type of service whereby

a user is redirected by the library staff to another library or information

center, where he/she can get the desired information).

b. Literature Search

c. Current Titles

d. Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) (Giving specific information to specific users about items received which are relevant to their field of

specialization).

e. Research in Progress

f. Abstract Service

g. Translation Service

h. Other services (Please specify) --------------------------

13. Do you find the information you have access to:

- Adequate:

completely

fairly

not at all

- Timely:

Yes

No

- Reliable:

Yes

No

14. Do you usually get the information you need within your Agricultural Library or do you go to other libraries in order to satisfy your information needs?

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

15. If you go to other libraries for your information needs, please name those libraries

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

16. Is there anything else you would like to say about your information needs or about the services you now get in your library?

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX (3) RESULTS OF LIBRARIES INFORMATION CENTERS SURVEY (TABLES 1-12)

Table 1: Librarians & Other Staff in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 2: Cataloguing Rules Used in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 3: Subject Heading Lists & Thesaurus Used in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in the Sudan

Table 4:Classification Scheme Used in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 5: Union Catalogue & Union Serial Lists Holding in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 6: Information Services Provided by the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

SDI * Selective dissemination of information

CAWS ** Current awareness services

Table 7: Machines & Equipment Availability in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 8: Cooperative Activities Applied in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 9: Degree of Importance of Library Network Activities Mentioned by the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information centers in Sudan

Table 10: Degree of Importance of Problems that affecting Cooperative Activities in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 11: CD-ROM Data Bases, Drives and CDS/ISIS, AGRIN/CARIN Availability and Uses in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan

Table 12: Network & Significant Cooperative Activities Mentioned by the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries in Sudan

APPENDIX (4) RESULTS OF INFORMATION USERS SURVEY

TABLES (1A - 6A)

USERS SURVEY RESULTS

Table (1A):Agricultural Information Users in the Surveyed Libraries According to Their Nature of Work

No. = 50 (Fifty)

Table (2A): Information Sources Usually Used by the Users in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries in Sudan

Table (3A): Information Users Behaviour to keep up-rest with Latest Information in their Field of Specialization in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries in Sudan

CAWS * Current Awareness Service

SDI ** Selective Dissemination of Information

Table (4A):Type of Information Services Preferred by Users in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries in Sudan

CAWS * Current Awareness Service

SDI ** Selective Dissemination of Information

Table (5A): Information Quality and Quantity Retrieved by users in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries in Sudan

Table (6A): Information Needs & Information Services Suggested by the Users in the Surveyed Agricultural Libraries/Information Centers in Sudan