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By Maha Ellawati.
Benghazi, 11 October:
A major new project in Benghazi is underway to create Libya’s first electronic library.
Attia Saleh Al Ojali, . . .[restrict]under-secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Civil Society, who is supervising the work, told the Libya Herald: “This library will allow readers to access many scientific periodicals in medicine, sciences and engineering, so that readers can get these publications and download them.”
He added that there would be books available on the electronic system, to which the ministry will have all the rights. The contents of the book library itself have also been rebuilt. Olaji explained: “We have expanded and remodelled the library’s service centre and have mobilised it with new computers and networks.”
With more than a million summaries of MA dissertations and PhD theses available through the project, it is expected to be of particular use to universities.
“We are currently working with all the libraries of the Libyan universities, which all look forward to getting connected to the service,” said Ojali.
He added that the project is “100 per cent Libyan” and has received no funding from foreign associations or organisations. Contracts have, however, been signed with a German company, Springer, and the American firm Info Quest to help build up the on-line facility.
Eight members of the library staff are to attend training courses in the UAE. [/restrict]
