I was looking over the blogs today and realised that I have not posted in about a year!!! Wow, how time flies! TCZ has been keeping me busy with a lot of IT stuff and so by the time I get home I can barely look at a computer let alone make blog posts. So this blog post is being written while I am at work. I figure this will be the only way I make a regular post. Besides, it ensures everyone stays up to date on what has been going on.
So this term, I have spent considerable time tweak Koha and putting the finishing touches on the interface as well as working with ACTEZ (Association of Colleges for Theological Education in Zimbabwe) to strategise a way forward on a Theological library consortium. This will be of particular benefit for the college in Harare (there are about 10 or so up there) as they will be in a better position to share resources. Down here in the Bulawayo area, we will try to work with a small school about 70km outside of the city to try to assist them with their resources, and perhaps with a Baptist Seminary about two hours from here.
This whole exercise has opened up a lot of opportunities, some beyond the borders of Zimbabwe. One of our library staff who had gone to work at a college in Zambia recently came back for a visit. She was entrigued by Koha. I am actually hoping that our work with Koha here will catch on to our accrediting agency in South Africa and spread throughout the continent (ACTEA oversees accreditation for most theological education in Africa). The millions of dollars that can be saved and put to better use is staggering.
Have a look at our catalog online: http://tcz.co.zw:8383 (I am working on the address...).