DAR ES SALAAM TUMAINI UNIVERSITY
(DarTU)
Welcome to Knowledge and Information Resource Center!
The Knowledge and Information Resource Center (KIRC) houses the university Library which is largely open-access. Readers have free access to the shelves and may either browse and/or borrow books at will. However, books and some other materials placed either in the special reserve or reference collections are not available for borrowing, mainly because are highly valued, rare in supply, and are few but with a wide use by both staff and students
Admission and Membership
- a) The library is open for use by all members of DarTU but they must register for membership first.
- b) Non-DarTU users wishing to use the Library may do so after applying for a monthly membership which costs TZS 10,000.
Delivery of Service
Delivery of library service is organised under three main sections: Reader Services, Technical Services, and Reference Services.
Library Collection
The library collection is divided into two sections: an open-access or general collection section, which consists of monographs and serials, and a closed-access section, which constitutes a Special Reserve Collection. Both sections contain materials on the following programmes and disciplines: Law, Mass Communication, Business Studies, Library Studies, Information Management, Education, and ICT to mention a few.
Open Access/General Collection
The general collection consists of information materials on various subjects. Materials in this section can be borrowed for home reading and be returned after 2 weeks. The number of books to be borrowed per user varies ranging from 3 books for students, and 5 per academic members of staff.
Special Reserve Collection
Special reserve section consists of books, which are on high demand. Books from this section are to be read in the special reserve room; however, readers may borrow special reserve books for a maximum of 3 hours per one book. An additional 3 hours can be requested if there is no user waiting for the book. Failure to return a borrowed special reserve book after three hours will result to disciplinary actions.
Reference Collection
Reference collection provides textbooks with higher demands to support Schools staff and students. The reference collection consists of dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks manual, atlases, directories, almanacs and bibliographies etc. Given such a high demand from the majority of students and lecturers, these books are for use within the library only.
Library Catalogue
Library materials can be located or accessed through the manual catalogue (information provided in a catalogue card) and an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). This is a new computerized library catalogue that has been developed using the KOHA Integrated Library software package. Koha also enabled the computerization of in-house activities, cataloguing, circulation etc. Just to mention a few.Click here to access OPAC.
Electronic Resources & Periodicals
The College subscribes to a number of periodicals/journals in various fields. Electronic resources and Periodicals at DarTU Library include journals and databases to support academic and research activities. These periodicals are available for reading in the library and they are not to be borrowed for home reading. The library has subscribed to about 34 online journals through a joint subscription under the Consortium of Tanzania Universities and Research Libraries (COTUL). Subscribed databases include EBSCO Host, Emerald, and Research4 Life. Access of most of these resources is IP address-based, meaning that they can be accessed within DARTU using the University Computers connected with the internet.