The Project for Information Access and Connectivity

Project for Information Access and Connectivity

Table Three

Number of Theses and Dissertations Completed at
Feasibility Study Institutions

University
Comments

Addis Ababa

All student theses go to the School of Graduate Studies, where they are certified. The Faculty used to make 10 bound copies of each thesis, which were distributed to the Kennedy (main) library, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and branch and departmental libraries (as appropriate). One copy of every thesis also remains in the School of Graduate Studies reading room. It is now too expensive to reproduce 10 copies, so the number has been reduced to five. The Kennedy Library, branch libraries, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and the School of Graduate Studies still receive one copy.

Neither the Kennedy Library nor any of the other libraries has a computerized database. The Kennedy Library does maintain a master card catalogue, however. In addition, the School of Graduate Studies periodically produces a compendium of Abstracts of Graduate Theses and Dissertations. There have been three volumes: 1980-1983; 1984-1986; and 1987-1995 (published in January 1998). Unfortunately, these volumes were produced from word processing files, so there is no easily searchable database. The School of Graduate Studies is now planning to convert these files to a database format. Interestingly enough, all of this work was done in isolation from the library system, but it is possible that Kennedy Library staff will be involved in future efforts. (For its part, the Kennedy Library is interested in creating a computerized database of its thesis holdings.)

Ain Shams

Students submit four copies of their theses/dissertations. One copy goes to the Central Library; one to the relevant college library; one copy to UIN for processing; and one copy to the student.

American University in Cairo

Students submit three copies of their theses-one for the main library, one for the departmental library, and one for the students.

Cape Coast

Theses or dissertations are written in English or in any other approved language, but must have an English-language abstract. A thesis submitted for an M.Phil or a PhD degree must be suitable for publication as submitted. It must contain an abstract of not more than 500 words.

Candidates submit three copies to the Board of Graduate Studies, which are distributed to the library, the relevant department, and the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. In the library, they are processed and kept in the Special Collection. Theses and dissertations cannot be borrowed; they can only be read in the library.

The library maintains a CDS/ISIS database of its collection, including theses and dissertations. There is a bound volume of CDS/ISIS records that supplements the catalogue and database.

Cheikh Anta Diop

Masters theses are handled at departmental and faculty level. Copies are submitted to the Dean of Faculty. One copy is then sent to the library, one kept at the faculty and one at the department.

At PhD level, theses are approved by the office of the Rector. Thus postgraduate studies are centrally coordinated at PhD level only.

The Office of Research and International Relations provides general guidelines for the submission of theses and dissertations. However, each faculty has its own detailed guidelines, as well. Although faculties are required to compile annually a list of all theses and dissertations (with abstracts), the Assistant Director for Research and International Relations noted that only some faculties could do this. The main problem was attributed to lack of resources.

The library is supposed to hold all copies of theses and dissertations submitted at the university. Copies are kept in the central library, the medical library, and institute libraries, as relevant. The library maintains a card catalogue of theses as well as a CDS/ISIS database.

Dar es Salaam

Theses and dissertations are kept in the main library. Part of the Africana collection has been microfilmed, including theses and dissertations, the Cory Papers, and Swahilli Manuscripts. There is a computerized bibliographic database for the theses/dissertations collection, using CDS/ISIS software. The records do not contain abstracts. In addition, subject headings are sometimes truncated and often inadequate.

Eduardo Mondlane

The Center for African Studies is the depository for theses in the social sciences and the humanities; all other theses are held in the main documentation center. The university is just now beginning to create a computerized database of theses (including theses and dissertations completed overseas by UEM staff). There is a master CDS/ISIS database in the documentation directorate and a separate African Studies Centre database in Microsoft Word. Many librarians do not like the CDS/ISIS-format database (or CDS/ISIS). A consortium of documentalists (African studies, the directorate, humanities, and UFIX) are collaborating to explore other database software packages; the library system has funding to purchase software once the appropriate package is identified.

Egerton

The university library is supposed to receive one copy of every thesis completed at Egerton University, but it doesn't. The Dean of Postgraduate Studies estimates that over 100 students have completed their postgraduate degrees since 1992.

Because the library has so little in the way of computer capability, staff have not created a computerized index of thesis holdings. (The library currently only has one microcomputer, a 486 Gateway 2000. But the university is expecting a World Bank donation of a number of used 486 computers as part of the African Virtual University project.)

Ghana (Legon)

After completion of their course of study, candidates submit to the Board of Graduate Studies, through the Head of Department, three printed copies of their dissertation or thesis, with a 300-word abstract in English. These copies go to the Balme Library, the relevant department, and to the candidate. In the library, theses and dissertations are processed; cards are included in the main Balme Library card catalogue. The library is currently building an electronic database, using Bibliofile, as one step in the Phased Library Automation initiative.

Ibadan

Four bound copies of each PhD dissertation are deposited at the Postgraduate School. Two copies are sent to the Kenneth Dike Library (main library), one to the department, and one to the student. They are processed in the library and kept in a "closed access" collection. Indices, with author, title, and year of submission, are compiled annually, and guide users in this requests.

Due to large numbers and space problems, Masters theses are kept at the departmental libraries. The Kenneth Dike Library is the depository for PhD dissertations only.

Kenyatta

The Board of Postgraduate Studies receives 4 copies of the final theses or dissertation from each successful candidate. These copies are distributed to the library, the faculty, the department and the Board of Postgraduate Studies.

The University has guidelines for the format of presentation (in print), but has no written policy on dissemination, circulation or copyright related issues.

Theses and dissertations are processed in the library and kept in the Africana Collection. There is a separate card catalogue; the Library of Congress classification scheme and subject headings are used to classify them.

Makerere

The Dean of Postgraduate Studies turns over one copy of every thesis and dissertation to the library. Theses are held in the main library, the education library, and the medical library.

Makerere University has a CDS/ISIS database, which includes fields for author, title, imprint, type of degree, discipline, and abstract. Only about 598 records are in the database-out of a total of almost 2,000 theses and dissertations. The database was just getting started, Lisbeth Levey was told, but it has several flaws, including the truncation of abstracts.

In addition, the Deputy Librarian is working on a "Directory of Completed and Ongoing Research at Makerere University 1990-1995, which has been commissioned and funded by the School of Postgraduate Studies. Volume One is a compilation of Dissertations/Theses. Also, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture has commissioned one of his assistants to compile a record of theses and abstracts in the agricultural sciences. completed at Makerere University.

Malawi

At Bunda College, the library is supposed to receive a copy of every undergraduate and postgraduate thesis completed there. There is a CDS/ISIS database of the College thesis holdings. The database contains the following fields: author, title, number of pages, number of references, degree, supervisor, and descriptors. In looking at the database and in talking with lecturers and administrators, however, it emerged that a large number of theses are not turned over to the library. The Dean of Postgraduate Studies, who is new to his post, said that he has a checklist of all theses completed at Bunda, which can be used to ascertain which theses are missing from the library.

There is also a problem with the Bunda database. Although librarians are supposed to use the FAO thesaurus, the reality is that they don't. This results in inappropriate or incomplete descriptor fields.

At Chancellor College, there is some slippage in the number of theses turned over to the library. There is a manual card catalogue, but it is not yet computerized. The card catalogue is not up-to-date.

Nairobi

Despite two visits to the University of Nairobi, the consultant was not given an opportunity to visit the library. She was given the following information, but has not been able to verify it:

The library receives about four copies of every thesis presented to the university. Theses and dissertations are held in the Africana sections of the relevant library/college library or sub-library as the case may be. They are appropriately handled, processed, and preserved.

The library has a card catalogue with complete bibliographic details. The catalogue is up-to-date and includes a comprehensive standardized cataloguing record. The library has also made attempts to compile a list of theses and dissertations, both in hard copy and in a computerized format, using CDS/ISIS.

Theses and dissertations are treated like normal library materials, with restricted circulation and borrowing facilities.

Obafemi Awolowo

The Postgraduate College is responsible for the management of all postgraduate programs and certifies all theses and dissertations. Graduates submit 3 copies, of which one is kept by the Graduate College, one by the Library, and one by the department from which the candidate is graduating.

Theses are processed and kept in closed access. From 1986-1989, the Library published an annual compendium of theses produced at the university. The 1990 volume is in press now, and the library plans to continue updating this series in a timely fashion.

The library maintains a card catalogue of its thesis holdings, and is currently building an online public access catalogue (OAPC), which will include theses and dissertations.

Rhodes

Relevant Faculty officers collect theses and dissertations, after which they are forwarded to the main library. All theses/dissertations are held in the main library. There is both a card catalogue and a computerized database system. About 55 percent of the records are on the university library's URICA database, while the remaining 45 percent can be found in the card catalogue.

Yaoundé 1

The University of Yaoundé 1, which numbers about 16,000 students, is bilingual, using French and English as media for instruction and theses presentation. French theses have English abstracts and vice-versa.

Postgraduate Diploma and Masters programs are coordinated at faculty level. After approval, a copy of each thesis is kept in the main library and in the faculty library.

PhD programs are coordinated by the office of the Vice-Rector, which approves its presentation. Copies of PhD theses are submitted to the Vice Rector the Faculty, and the Library.

There are general regulations for the presentation (in print format) of theses and dissertations. Different faculties have their own detailed presentation guidelines. For example, the Department of Informatics, in addition to the abstract, provide keywords.

In the library, theses and dissertations are processed, using the Dewey Decimal Classification system. The library maintains a separate card catalogue for them. Cases of loss are common, and the library's collection may not be complete.

Zimbabwe

As of May 1998, the University of Zimbabwe library had received 1,091 masters theses and 254 doctorate dissertations. PhD dissertations are submitted to the Library through the Academic Registrar while masters thesis are submitted by the faculty. Two copies are usually sent to the Library. The Librarian acknowledges receipt by signing and keeping a copy of the transmittal memo.

The Library is the central custodian of theses and dissertations. Two copies are received by the library; one is kept for preservation, while the other is kept in the 'Special Collection.' Theses/dissertations can only be read in the library; they may not be borrowed. The librarian is guided by the relevant copyright act when making decisions regarding dissemination of parts of theses/dissertations. However, for commercial purposes, the request is referred to the author. The theses/dissertation do not bear a copyright statement.

The library maintains a bibliographic database on CDS/ISIS. This was developed by Mr. Mbirizah, and is named DZIDZO (meaning knowledge). It has 657 bibliographic citations dating from 1957 to 1995. Initially only Library of Congress subject headings were used. Because they were insufficient, library staff began to add local geographic descriptors and keywords. In addition, because scientific characters are difficult to handle with CDS/ISIS, only theses with normal characters are included in the database.

Although the Library maintains a card catalogue, the work had to be redone by using the original texts because the cards had many errors, and were poorly classified.

University	Comments
Addis Ababa	All student theses go to the School of Graduate Studies, where they are certified. The Faculty used to make 10 bound copies of each thesis, which were distributed to the Kennedy (main) library, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and branch and departmental libraries (as appropriate). One copy of every thesis also remains in the School of Graduate Studies reading room. It is now too expensive to reproduce 10 copies, so the number has been reduced to five. The Kennedy Library, branch libraries, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and the School of Graduate Studies still receive one copy. Neither the Kennedy Library nor any of the other libraries has a computerized database. The Kennedy Library does maintain a master card catalogue, however. In addition, the School of Graduate Studies periodically produces a compendium of Abstracts of Graduate Theses and Dissertations. There have been three volumes: 1980-1983; 1984-1986; and 1987-1995 (published in January 1998). Unfortunately, these volumes were produced from word processing files, so there is no easily searchable database. The School of Graduate Studies is now planning to convert these files to a database format. Interestingly enough, all of this work was done in isolation from the library system, but it is possible that Kennedy Library staff will be involved in future efforts. (For its part, the Kennedy Library is interested in creating a computerized database of its thesis holdings.)
Ain Shams	Students submit four copies of their theses/dissertations. One copy goes to the Central Library; one to the relevant college library; one copy to UIN for processing; and one copy to the student.
American University in Cairo	Students submit three copies of their theses-one for the main library, one for the departmental library, and one for the students.
Cape Coast	Theses or dissertations are written in English or in any other approved language, but must have an English-language abstract. A thesis submitted for an M.Phil or a PhD degree must be suitable for publication as submitted. It must contain an abstract of not more than 500 words. Candidates submit three copies to the Board of Graduate Studies, which are distributed to the library, the relevant department, and the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. In the library, they are processed and kept in the Special Collection. Theses and dissertations cannot be borrowed; they can only be read in the library. The library maintains a CDS/ISIS database of its collection, including theses and dissertations. There is a bound volume of CDS/ISIS records that supplements the catalogue and database.
Cheikh Anta Diop	Masters theses are handled at departmental and faculty level. Copies are submitted to the Dean of Faculty. One copy is then sent to the library, one kept at the faculty and one at the department. At PhD level, theses are approved by the office of the Rector. Thus postgraduate studies are centrally coordinated at PhD level only. The Office of Research and International Relations provides general guidelines for the submission of theses and dissertations. However, each faculty has its own detailed guidelines, as well. Although faculties are required to compile annually a list of all theses and dissertations (with abstracts), the Assistant Director for Research and International Relations noted that only some faculties could do this. The main problem was attributed to lack of resources. The library is supposed to hold all copies of theses and dissertations submitted at the university. Copies are kept in the central library, the medical library, and institute libraries, as relevant. The library maintains a card catalogue of theses as well as a CDS/ISIS database.
Dar es Salaam	Theses and dissertations are kept in the main library. Part of the Africana collection has been microfilmed, including theses and dissertations, the Cory Papers, and Swahilli Manuscripts. There is a computerized bibliographic database for the theses/dissertations collection, using CDS/ISIS software. The records do not contain abstracts. In addition, subject headings are sometimes truncated and often inadequate.
Eduardo Mondlane	The Center for African Studies is the depository for theses in the social sciences and the humanities; all other theses are held in the main documentation center. The university is just now beginning to create a computerized database of theses (including theses and dissertations completed overseas by UEM staff). There is a master CDS/ISIS database in the documentation directorate and a separate African Studies Centre database in Microsoft Word. Many librarians do not like the CDS/ISIS-format database (or CDS/ISIS). A consortium of documentalists (African studies, the directorate, humanities, and UFIX) are collaborating to explore other database software packages; the library system has funding to purchase software once the appropriate package is identified.
Egerton	The university library is supposed to receive one copy of every thesis completed at Egerton University, but it doesn't. The Dean of Postgraduate Studies estimates that over 100 students have completed their postgraduate degrees since 1992. Because the library has so little in the way of computer capability, staff have not created a computerized index of thesis holdings. (The library currently only has one microcomputer, a 486 Gateway 2000. But the university is expecting a World Bank donation of a number of used 486 computers as part of the African Virtual University project.)
Ghana (Legon)	After completion of their course of study, candidates submit to the Board of Graduate Studies, through the Head of Department, three printed copies of their dissertation or thesis, with a 300-word abstract in English. These copies go to the Balme Library, the relevant department, and to the candidate. In the library, theses and dissertations are processed; cards are included in the main Balme Library card catalogue. The library is currently building an electronic database, using Bibliofile, as one step in the Phased Library Automation initiative.
Ibadan	Four bound copies of each PhD dissertation are deposited at the Postgraduate School. Two copies are sent to the Kenneth Dike Library (main library), one to the department, and one to the student. They are processed in the library and kept in a "closed access" collection. Indices, with author, title, and year of submission, are compiled annually, and guide users in this requests. Due to large numbers and space problems, Masters theses are kept at the departmental libraries. The Kenneth Dike Library is the depository for PhD dissertations only.
Kenyatta	The Board of Postgraduate Studies receives 4 copies of the final theses or dissertation from each successful candidate. These copies are distributed to the library, the faculty, the department and the Board of Postgraduate Studies. The University has guidelines for the format of presentation (in print), but has no written policy on dissemination, circulation or copyright related issues. Theses and dissertations are processed in the library and kept in the Africana Collection. There is a separate card catalogue; the Library of Congress classification scheme and subject headings are used to classify them.
Makerere	The Dean of Postgraduate Studies turns over one copy of every thesis and dissertation to the library. Theses are held in the main library, the education library, and the medical library. Makerere University has a CDS/ISIS database, which includes fields for author, title, imprint, type of degree, discipline, and abstract. Only about 598 records are in the database-out of a total of almost 2,000 theses and dissertations. The database was just getting started, Lisbeth Levey was told, but it has several flaws, including the truncation of abstracts. In addition, the Deputy Librarian is working on a "Directory of Completed and Ongoing Research at Makerere University 1990-1995, which has been commissioned and funded by the School of Postgraduate Studies. Volume One is a compilation of Dissertations/Theses. Also, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture has commissioned one of his assistants to compile a record of theses and abstracts in the agricultural sciences. completed at Makerere University.
Malawi	At Bunda College, the library is supposed to receive a copy of every undergraduate and postgraduate thesis completed there. There is a CDS/ISIS database of the College thesis holdings. The database contains the following fields: author, title, number of pages, number of references, degree, supervisor, and descriptors. In looking at the database and in talking with lecturers and administrators, however, it emerged that a large number of theses are not turned over to the library. The Dean of Postgraduate Studies, who is new to his post, said that he has a checklist of all theses completed at Bunda, which can be used to ascertain which theses are missing from the library. There is also a problem with the Bunda database. Although librarians are supposed to use the FAO thesaurus, the reality is that they don't. This results in inappropriate or incomplete descriptor fields. At Chancellor College, there is some slippage in the number of theses turned over to the library. There is a manual card catalogue, but it is not yet computerized. The card catalogue is not up-to-date.
Nairobi	Despite two visits to the University of Nairobi, the consultant was not given an opportunity to visit the library. She was given the following information, but has not been able to verify it: The library receives about four copies of every thesis presented to the university. Theses and dissertations are held in the Africana sections of the relevant library/college library or sub-library as the case may be. They are appropriately handled, processed, and preserved. The library has a card catalogue with complete bibliographic details. The catalogue is up-to-date and includes a comprehensive standardized cataloguing record. The library has also made attempts to compile a list of theses and dissertations, both in hard copy and in a computerized format, using CDS/ISIS. Theses and dissertations are treated like normal library materials, with restricted circulation and borrowing facilities.
Obafemi Awolowo	The Postgraduate College is responsible for the management of all postgraduate programs and certifies all theses and dissertations. Graduates submit 3 copies, of which one is kept by the Graduate College, one by the Library, and one by the department from which the candidate is graduating. Theses are processed and kept in closed access. From 1986-1989, the Library published an annual compendium of theses produced at the university. The 1990 volume is in press now, and the library plans to continue updating this series in a timely fashion. The library maintains a card catalogue of its thesis holdings, and is currently building an online public access catalogue (OAPC), which will include theses and dissertations.
Rhodes	Relevant Faculty officers collect theses and dissertations, after which they are forwarded to the main library. All theses/dissertations are held in the main library. There is both a card catalogue and a computerized database system. About 55 percent of the records are on the university library's URICA database, while the remaining 45 percent can be found in the card catalogue.
Yaoundé 1	The University of Yaoundé 1, which numbers about 16,000 students, is bilingual, using French and English as media for instruction and theses presentation. French theses have English abstracts and vice-versa. Postgraduate Diploma and Masters programs are coordinated at faculty level. After approval, a copy of each thesis is kept in the main library and in the faculty library. PhD programs are coordinated by the office of the Vice-Rector, which approves its presentation. Copies of PhD theses are submitted to the Vice Rector the Faculty, and the Library. There are general regulations for the presentation (in print format) of theses and dissertations. Different faculties have their own detailed presentation guidelines. For example, the Department of Informatics, in addition to the abstract, provide keywords. In the library, theses and dissertations are processed, using the Dewey Decimal Classification system. The library maintains a separate card catalogue for them. Cases of loss are common, and the library's collection may not be complete.
Zimbabwe	As of May 1998, the University of Zimbabwe library had received 1,091 masters theses and 254 doctorate dissertations. PhD dissertations are submitted to the Library through the Academic Registrar while masters thesis are submitted by the faculty. Two copies are usually sent to the Library. The Librarian acknowledges receipt by signing and keeping a copy of the transmittal memo. The Library is the central custodian of theses and dissertations. Two copies are received by the library; one is kept for preservation, while the other is kept in the 'Special Collection.' Theses/dissertations can only be read in the library; they may not be borrowed. The librarian is guided by the relevant copyright act when making decisions regarding dissemination of parts of theses/dissertations. However, for commercial purposes, the request is referred to the author. The theses/dissertation do not bear a copyright statement. The library maintains a bibliographic database on CDS/ISIS. This was developed by Mr. Mbirizah, and is named DZIDZO (meaning knowledge). It has 657 bibliographic citations dating from 1957 to 1995. Initially only Library of Congress subject headings were used. Because they were insufficient, library staff began to add local geographic descriptors and keywords. In addition, because scientific characters are difficult to handle with CDS/ISIS, only theses with normal characters are included in the database. Although the Library maintains a card catalogue, the work had to be redone by using the original texts because the cards had many errors, and were poorly classified.