Preamble
The Library and Information Service System is a significant component of ZOU, which provides critical and appropriate information resources that support the learning, teaching and research activities of distance learners and academic staff.
Location and Facilities
The Zimbabwe Open University's Library and Information Service System is made up of a network of libraries comprising of the National Centre in Harare and ten regional centre libraries in the country's ten provincial towns as indicated below:
- National Centre - Harare (9 George Silundika Ave. 1st Floor Bryanston House Harare)
- Bulawayo Regional Centre Library - Bulawayo
- Harare/Chitungwiza Regional Centre Library - Harare
- Mashonaland Central Library - Bindura
- Mashonaland East Library - Marondera
- Mashonaland West Library - Chinhoyi
- Manicaland Regional Centre Library - Mutare
- Matabeleland North Regional Centre Library - Bulawayo
- Matabeleland South Regional Centre Library - Gwanda
- Midlands Regional Centre Library - Gweru
- Masvingo Regional Centre Library - Masvingo
The libraries are currently small units with limited reading and shelf space for books. The book collection, which currently stands at slightly more than 65 000 volumes, is also small compared to the more than 20 000 students now on board. However, the collection is envisaged to grow tremendously as increased efforts are being made to stock the Libraries adequately.
Information Resources Currently on Offer
- Books / Monographs
- Theses and Dissertations
- Journal Collection
- Newspapers and Magazines
- Internet Services
- Inter library Loans
The Libraries currently provide reading and study materials in the form of books / monographs acquired through purchases, donations and exchanges. Book purchases are made from titles selected by the academic and research staff, and from prescribed and recommended reading lists from faculties and Departments. This assures a high degree of relevance and appropriateness of the collection.
The Library and Information Service System has depository status to receive all theses and dissertations produced by the students, staff and researchers at or affiliated to ZOU. Currently the Library is working on establishing an online Institutional Repository using the Dspace software.
Currently a few titles are subscribed to and some are received as regular and
Irregular donations.
4.1 Currently a few titles are subscribed to including the major national newspapers and magazines.
The LIS National Centre now has Internet access. Internet Connectivity has also been extended to all the libraries through the ZOU Online Computer Labs
An Inter-Library loan facility is available. Please enquire from any of our libraries.
