Library Research and Projects
Data Loss
On Sunday 5, March 2023, there was a serious power instability that ended up crushing one of the 8 Library Management System Discs. This in turn crushed the Library Server and Library Systems like the Library Website, Library Catalogue, Full Text Database, Circulation Module and Subject Guides and eventually, a lot of data was lost. Some of these systems had a backup while others didn’t have backups. Those systems that had backups like the Library Website were fully restored by migrating the backed-up data to one of the available redundant University Servers. Nagongera Campus Library as well as Maritime Institute Library were greatly affected. Also greatly affected was the Full Text Database which, unfortunately had no back up.
Recovery Plan
Efforts have been made, with support from the ICT Department, on recovering data from the crushed systems and data was recovered up to September 2022. However, due to the heavy workload involved in the data recovery, a work plan has been drawn to ensure that everything is done correctly to avoid unnecessary errors.
Building on the positives of libraries, we bring together a team of librarians, educators and engineers to explore the question of “Self-Learning” as a solution to the complex web of constraints and strain on learners in Uganda's rural and poor households.
The goal is to empower boys and girls to become not just self-learners but also coaches - Autodidacts. The research is divided into three phrases. In the current phase (July 2022 to June 2023), the goal will be to unearth insights about the resilience of community libraries to absorb learning shocks and stress that the pandemic both revealed and magnified. The researchers will explore answers to the following questions:
i) How do we adapt individual learners to manage their own learning?,
ii) How do we foster collective information gathering and sharing?, and
iii) How do we assist learners to thrive through their education within their communities?
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BUILDING A COHORT OF OPEN SCHOLARSHIP TRAINERS (DOSCU) |
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The DataCite and Open Scholarship workshop is organised by Busitema University Library with support from DataCite’s Global Access Fund (GAF). The Global Access Fund (GAF) was established to enable communities worldwide to make their research outputs discoverable. In this project: “Building a cohort of open scholarship trainers to boost adoption of DataCite open infrastructure services among the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries” Busitema University Library has developed and will deliver a five-day training trainers’ workshop to a cohort of librarians, ICT professionals, and research administrators selected from 76 Consortium of Uganda University Libraries members. The project aims to ignite a countrywide conversation on the benefits of open scholarship and open science and to increase awareness for integrating DataCite infrastructure services to make research discoverable.
- Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya
Busitema University Vice Chancellor, Prof Paul Waako constituted and appointed a Committee of Five people to oversee and improve the University Website, create subdomains for Faculties, Programmes and researchers to improve visibility and ranking. The Committee members are:
- Associate Professor Samson Rwahwire – Member
- Dr. Saphina Biira – Member
- Dr. Gilbert Ocen – Member
- Dr. Charles Muweesi – Member
- Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya – Chairperson
- The Webmaster - Mr. Byaruhanga Moses was appointed as the Secretariat to the Committee.
The Committee is required to meet at least once every month to handle matters pertaining to the management of the Website.
Busitema University Library has received funding to develop an interactive portal for the Graduate School of Studies, Research and Innovation. In line with the University’s Vision and Mission, the Directorate is mandated to:
- Initiate, nurture and advocate for research activities
- Raise funds for research from non-traditional sources
- Conduct workshops and information sessions for ethics reviews, funding applications, and awards opportunities.
- Create and maintain a current university expert database, and an inventory of business, industry and government agencies with the potential to partner or support research and development.
- Report on internal and external research activity, including publications and funding, contributions to society and the wider economy
- Develop, review and revise policies for research, intellectual property management and commercialization, centers, graduate and undergraduate research, overheads on grants and contracts, etc.;
- Nurture technological innovations into technology-based business enterprises, particularly in the area of agro-technology.
- Liaise with communities, partners and institutions locally and internationally to support research and community outreach.
- Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya - Project Lead
- Ms. Adong Grace - Technical Lead
- Mr. Byaruhanga Moses - Graduate Fellow - ICT
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ENGINEERING INFORMATION FOUNDATION Signifying Excellence @ Busitema University Library THE LIBRARY |
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Busitema University Library received funding from the Engineering Information Foundation (EiF) of New York, United States. The grant focuses on enhancing communication and the use of information in engineering. Thus, the goal of this project is to incorporate information-seeking in the engineering curriculum as an essential component in delivering engineering education at Busitema. This will be achieved through implementing a disciplinary-based information literacy e-curriculum for teaching engineering courses as a novel approach to online teaching and learning, where the responsibility for teaching engineering courses is shared between the lecturer and the librarian rather than being limited to the lecturers.
The Work Readiness Program (WRP) is a program implemented by Enabel and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) to enhance employability and productivity of young graduates from universities and other institutions of higher learning. Busitema University Library, through the WRP program will receive the support of Ugx 32,400,000 towards partial salaries of eight Graduate Fellows to acquire practical work experience and boost soft skills at Busitema University. The program will help the graduates apply the knowledge acquired in their course of study, while acquiring practical skills and competencies required in academic settings, for increased employability.