The ICM structure of the research system
The informatiion and communication management (ICM) work in
the Ethiopian agricultural research system is housed and served at two
levels. These are the national system handled by the Information and
Communication Department (ICD) from the EIAR headquarters in Addis
Abeba and the research center system rendered by an information unit in
each research center. Both levels cater mainly for the staff of the
research system, but they also provide public services. ICD is composed
of several IC services: Information and Knowledge Management ,
Networking and Systems Development,Publications and Gaphics and
Audiovisual. Whereas, the information and communication function at
research centers is currently represented by libraries.
The Main Library and Documentation Center
Resources
The Main Library and Documentation Center of EIAR is a special
agricultural library and documentaion center that houses resources on a
variety of agricultural subjects. The resources, which are in a print
and/or electronic form, span from scientific documents such as books
and journals to less technical and public awareness materials. The Main
Library and Documentation Center has a collection of CD-ROM databases
and documents which can be used from the library.
Library and documentation services
The Main Library of EIAR, located at Addis Abeba in the EIAR
headquarters, caters for research center staff, EIAR headquarters staff
and other userssuch as postgraduate students and research and
development workers affiliated to other institutions.
Reading service:
Reading service is provided to its members (EIAR staff) and any user.
The opening hours of the Main Library are:
- Monday–Friday: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Public Holidays: The Library is closed on public holidays.
Lending service:
The Library provides lending service only to the staff of EIAR who are
entitled to earn library readers pockets. EIAR staff are required to
produce their EIAR identity cards so as to get readers pockets and to
check books out.
Photocopying service:
The Library provides photocopying service. Members are entitled to a
copy of two artices per month free of charge. Students are charged 0.25
cents per page while other non-member users are charged 0.50 cents per
page for the service.
Mobile service:
Information provision, mainly using CD-ROM resources, is provided to
research centers as part of ICD's Intergrated Mobile Information
and Communication Service program. This service may be given
according to the work plan of ICD, or in response to the request of
individual research centers.
Training:
ICD assists research center libraries in human resources capacity
building by providing preservice and in-service trainings.
Other services:
Other services rendered by the Library include:
 reference
service,
question-and-answer
service,
literature
search,
document
delivery,
Internet access,
and
communication
(fax) services.
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