Profile of EPHA Library and e-learning Center

1.   Background 

The Ethiopian Public Health Association Library and E-learning Center was launched in January 2007.  The inauguration was attended by HE Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minister, Ministry of Health, delegates from CDC-Ethiopia and Executive members of the Association.

 The Center marks the first public health information center in the history of the Association and is expected to provide publications and other health related materials to all potential users. The Center is also expected to provide internet services for members, health professionals, students and researchers free of charge.  

The Center is making attempts to communicate with national and international organizations working on health information system.  This will enable to collect materials from these organizations and add to its library collection.  All the materials are registering in the Win/ISIS database system to facilitate quick searches by users as well as through website.

The Center is planning to established and organized Library and e-learning Center in Addis Ababa and Regional Chapters to provide effective and up-to-date health related materials and e-learning services to its regular and external/researchers and thereby fully attain the mission and objectives of the Association.

At present, the Center has upgraded its manpower capacity by employing two library and information professionals.  This will assist the Center to increase multimedia (print, electronic and audiovisual) collection of health materials and systematic provision of library services to users.

2.   Goal and Objectives of the Center

Goal

 Provide reliable and up- to-date public health related information for researchers, students, health professionals and the general public as a whole. 

Objectives

  1.      Acquire, organize, and preserve public health information,

2.      Provide access to public health information,

3.      Share best practices through information services and library resources to health professionals,

4.      Increase awareness and use of public health information among the public,

5.      Expand the use of public health information to EPHA Regional Chapters,

6.      Encourage health applications for current and future internet environments,

7.      Further training in public health information and librarianship.

3.   Our Services: 

 The Center in general provides public health information services.   Currently, there are a limited number of public health materials but there is plan to obtain additional through purchase, donation and exchange.  By doing so, the Center plans to satisfy the interest and need of potential users. 

 The following are the major services of the Center:

Reading Service

 The Library and e-learning Center has a small reading room and a collection of EPHA and partners organization publications.  There is some public health materials all gathered from different national and international organizations such as journals, reports etc that are made available for readers in the library.

Internet Service

 Currently, there are six computer terminals that allow users to conduct internet access free of charge.

 Circulation Service

 There is also plan to lend reading materials.  This will be announced in the future.

4.  Our target beneficiaries

The use of the Library and e-learning Center materials and services is free of charge to all professional members, researchers, public health students and the public as a whole. Even though, priority will be given to professional and organizational members of the Association, non-members including the general public are also welcome to utilize the Library.

5.  Our Rules and Procedures

The Center is currently developing a detailed manual defining the rules, procedures and guidelines of the Center.  The document will be made available to users as soon as it is completed.

6.   Our working hours

EPHA Library and e-learning Center is the following working hours:-

Monday - Friday:  -  8:30 am - 12:00 O’clock

- 12:00 – 5:00 pm

7.   Contact Address