MAKERERE UNIVERSITY

THE LIBRARY

Electronic Library Information Navigator (ELIN): Making Electronic Resources Accessible with minimal Bandwidth usage in Makerere

University.

By

Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya

Reference and Circulation Librarian

PERI Team (Monitoring and Evaluation)

Makerere University Library

Kampala City

-Capital city

-Spread over seven hills, hence its name

-Greenest City in Africa

Uganda Kampala city

Makerere University. • Located on Makerere Hill

• Student population of over 30,000

• one of the largest in East and Central Africa

• about 5km to the north of the city centre

• area of 300 acres (two square kilometres).

• Issue for University Libraries in Africa is the cost and speed of bandwidth.

• During the day, it is very difficult for library users to download journal articles because there is not enough bandwidth to meet demand.

• ELIN helps with the bandwidth issue.

ELIN isELIN is • Electronic Library Information Navigator ….Electronic Library Information Navigator ….• Uses metadataUses metadata• Federated searching (Now 3 journal databases) Federated searching (Now 3 journal databases) • Open Source Software from Sweden Open Source Software from Sweden

Access Access • Patron’s Account Creation and mgt Patron’s Account Creation and mgt • PW & ID logs PW & ID logs • Downloads at night when more bandwidth is Downloads at night when more bandwidth is

availableavailable• Allow patrons to search more than one journal db.Allow patrons to search more than one journal db.

Success and strengthSuccess and strength of ELINof ELIN• Good ILS system & simple to useGood ILS system & simple to use• Slow networks & downloads no longer a problemSlow networks & downloads no longer a problem• Allows saving research results in your accountAllows saving research results in your account• Download requests any timeDownload requests any time• No external file storage devicesNo external file storage devices• Import references with Endnote, etc. Import references with Endnote, etc.

ChallengesChallenges• More funds to include more journal databasesMore funds to include more journal databases• Cannot be accessed outside campusCannot be accessed outside campus• Requires one to have an e-mail, a challenge to 1Requires one to have an e-mail, a challenge to 1stst year year

students students • Does not have spell-checkers Does not have spell-checkers • Easily blocked by System Administrator’s firewalls. Easily blocked by System Administrator’s firewalls.