Linkages and Networks

Aga Khan University's (AKU) Health Sciences Library (HSL) was among the first from Pakistan to become members of the World Health Organisation/Eastern Mediterranean Region Office's Virtual Health Sciences Library's (WHO/EMRO VHSL) new scheme of resource sharing among medical libraries of the region. This scheme is a modern and improved version of its earlier Eastern Mediterranean Library Network (EMLIBNET), i.e. EMRO Library Network. The broad objective of this scheme is to enable the user of the member libraries to share their resources electronically and intercommunicate among each other to avoid unnecessary duplication of materials and to facilitate the delivery of health information in order to improve the quality of health care in the region. The best part of this scheme is that the faculty at any site can get the full contents of the journal holdings of any participating library on request, if needed, free of cost. The WHO/EMRO has provided every participating library original copies of ARIEL software and free scanner, which may be used as a basic tool for document delivery. This is in addition to many other linkages that have been developed with local and national institutions.

Intranet

The Intranet, which connects a large number of departments, faculties, laboratories, service stations, offices, etc. of the entire AKU hub, is used by the Library for its Library Information Services (LIS). Wth the Intranet, the catalogue of the entire library collection may be accessed, index of local journals articles available in the Library may be browsed (AKUMEDLIT) and the catalogue of Institute for Educational Development (IED) library may also be searched. Additionally, 260 full text journals are available on the Intranet and can be accessed from anywhere on campus.

CD Library

This is a digital library comprising of all CDs that come with the books. The contents of the entire CD library may be accessed through the Intranet.

MEDLINE and Other CD-ROM Databases

These databases may be searched for free through the Intranet from within and outside of the Library by the faculty and students who have a password on the AKU network.

E-mail Services

The faculty may receive overdue notices, renew books, request bibliographic search and citation verification, receive notices of new arrivals, etc. through E-mail.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ and their answers are in process of being made available on the Intranet.

Audio Visual and Learning Resource Centre (AV/LRC)

The photography and video recording section covers various University and Hospital events, e.g. convocations, symposia, seminars, live surgical procedures, etc.

The AV also provides and lends audio video equipment like slide projectors, overhead projectors, multimedia and laptop to various departments to facilitate in teaching.

LRC has 69 computers and provides learning opportunities to student, staff and faculty 14 hours a day. Latest software packages are installed on LRC computers which includes MS Office, Epi Info, SPSS etc. Laser printer and scanning facility is also available.

LRC is also involved in academic teaching as it provides classroom teaching and training of computer related courses to Aga Khan University Medical College, School of Nursing, Postgraduate Medical Education, etc.