16 Oct 2017

Libraries have been challenged to break the traditional practice of enclosing themselves within their walls.

This was said by senior librarian at the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) Gaborone, Ms Baone Letsatle , adding lack of collaboration between libraries and research institutions had resulted in the country not having enough scientifically proven information.

“Researches are being done but not stored properly because researchers do not understand the role played by libraries in storing and providing access.Challenge research institutions to avail their research projects,” she said during the IHS Gaborone Library Open Day recently.

The day that was held under the theme, Embracing technology to reach HIS Gaborone community is observed annually.

She said IHS Gaborone aimed to be the best institution library in provision of healthcare information by offering support to teaching, learning and research carried out by the community.

Ms Letsatle said the institution library operated through library management, user support, collection development and research and e-service databases.

She pointed out that the library had Moodle comprising of all the e-resources to ease accessibility.

She said partnership between the institution and other research and library institutions such as University of Botswana library, National Productivity Centre-inter library leading service and  Botswana Library Association had been fruitful.

Ms Letsatle mentioned that the library challenged its faculty to do research projects and avail the research for proper storage.

She noted that tracking of researches, managing of references and citations, development of search strategies to find relevant and reliable sources of information were amongst services offered at the institution library.

For her part, IHS Principal, Ms Thokgamo Boitshwarelo explained education as a great equaliser of man.

Ms Boitshwarelo encouraged Batswana not to allow walls of libraries or even the distance to be a barrier to information access.

“The library is now providing information about their services through Moodle and Facebook,” she added.

She noted that the institution had introduced e-resource services to acknowledge the fact that today’s learner learnt on a lifelong and wide every day and everywhere. ENDS