Reflections from the Digital Repository Workshop at MUHAS (12-15 June 2012)

Academicians, librarians and ICT specialists from Tanzanian universities and research institutes have been urged to establish digital repository to enhance access to research outputs in their institutions and beyond. Officiating the opening of the digital repository workshop at MUHAS, the Chairperson of the Senate MUHAS Library Committee, Prof Temu said that "our institutions generate a lot of research information, most of which is available in local, regional and international journals. However, there is also equally important information lying on our shelves in the form of research results, reports, dissertations, theses, and undergraduate final year reports that may be useful to inform new researches or even contribute to policy. Thus after this workshop, all these information will be easily accessible and thus its use will be abundant to those who produced them and a few stakeholders. This four days digital repository workshop is an important step in enabling establishment of repositories in our institutions to enhance access and dissemination of research findings".

The workshop has brought  together, librarians, ICT specialists and academicians from Tanzania and outside Tanzania, particularly Malawi, Kenya and Nigeria. The workshop is organized and facilitated by Information, Training and Outreach Center for Africa (ITOCA), and its collaborating partners Muhimbili University of Health and allied Sciences (MUHAS), Cornell University in USA, Institute of Development Studies, UK, and Royal Tropical Institute of Netherlands.

Prof Temu further added that MUHAS Library has organized not less than ten workshops on the management of e-resources and web 2.0 technologies, but this workshop is the first of its kind as it aims at imparting skills on digital repositories which is important in increasing visibility of research outputs in our institutions. The Guest of Honor further added that through this workshop, participants will have an opportunity of sharing your views on how to enhance the quality of research and education by establishing digital repositories in their institutions.