|
UDSM ignores multimillion online encyclopaedia
2006-10-10 09:20:51
By Ludger Kasumuni
The university is the place where books are ’devoured’ more than hot cakes but this seems not to be the case at the University of Dar es Salaam as far as a multimillion encyclopaedia provided to the institution by United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is concerned.
The academic community at UDSM has not been using the vital book regularly, according to UNESCO Senior Scientist, Dr Marcel Tchaou.
”It is a pity that UNESCO handed the Largest Online Encyclopaedia (EOLSS) with a password to the UDSM library, but most of the students, lecturers and even professors are not aware of it,” he said.
Dr Tchaou said EOLSS is the largest online publication, at www.eolss.net.
He said it is dedicated to health, maintenance of the web of life on planet earth, focusing on complex connections among issues from natural and social sciences through water, energy, land, food, agriculture, environment, biodiversity, health, education, culture and other aspects.
Other aspects embodied in the EOLSS, according to him, are engineering, technology, management, development and environment.
”This is a very important tool for continuous learning, but to my surprise I asked one professor whether he knew about it. He had never heard of it,” he said, calling for it to be popularised.
” I remember when I was taking my degree course at the university, we used to rush and scramble for books. Now the technology has assisted these people, but they are not using it,” he said.
He called for the learning materials to be frequently used by students in universities, colleges, schools and even media houses.
”What you need is to go to the library of the University of Dar es Salaam then ask for the password then you can access all its rich information,” he said.
The EOLSS, which is normally updated to match with changes taking place globally, is available free of charge to universities in the UN list of Least Developed Countries worldwide, he said.
When contacted for comment, an official in the UDSM Public Relations section, who did not want to reveal his name, said he was not aware of the facility.
”The Director of the UDSM Library must know better about the encyclopaedia,” he said.
|
