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AirPAC being demonstrated
Prof Maluleke, Prof Maré & Dr Mbambo-Thata
Prof Tinyiko Maluleke testing the new system
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Unisa Library always one step ahead
The Unisa Library has notched up another first. It is the first library in South Africa to offer its clients access to AirPAC, a wireless catalogue. This means that from now on users will be able to view and access the Library’s catalogue and documents via their cellphones. This new service, a dedicated research space and the Unisa institutional respository were introduced to distinguished guests and members of the media at a function hosted by the Unisa Library on Monday 11 May 2009.
AirPAC is a wireless e-catalogue that allows users to view documents on alternative devices such as mobile phones and personal data assistants (PDAs). Users can search the catalogue, read full text articles and books, renew their loans and request books from their mobile phones.
In her welcome address, Prof Rita Maré, Vice-Principal: Academic and Research, said the new innovation was an important step in establishing service-oriented technology-enhanced learner support. She said that while access to a computer or access to the internet remains a challenge for many students in South Africa, access to a cellphone is more universal.
At the event, the Library also introduced the dedicated research space on level 4 with wireless access to internet facilities, access to a comprehensive journal collection, computers, a reading room and professional information services. Prof Maré remarked that this space had the potential to attract researchers back to the Library, to increase their productivity, and to improve the research output and research standing of the university.
The Unisa institutional research repository was another exciting project introduced at the event. The research repository is a digital repository of the research and intellectual output of the Unisa community, and includes articles, working papers, speeches, conference papers, books, newspaper articles and even video files. "The benefits of the institutional repository are many," Prof Maré explained, "as the central archive of all Unisa’s research will increase the visibility usage and impact of Unisa’s research, facilitate sharing of new knowledge and contribute to the visibility of African scholarship. The repository will in itself also be a researcher web page that is user friendly and convenient to use."
The Executive Director: Research, Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, praised the Library for this development and emphasised the value it had in terms of the rating of researchers for the university and the National Research Foundation. "Researches are very excited about the opportunity to publish intellectual output on the repository and to enhance their profile in the research community."
Dr Mbambo-Thata, Executive Director of the Library, and Dr Judy Henning, Deputy-Executive Director of the Library, indicated how grateful they were that so many guests had joined them in celebrating the innovative services of the Library. "The main objective is to enhance access to services and the resources of the Library in an open and distance learning environment," they said. |
