Abstract:
The Sokoine National Agricultural Library (SNAL) was established by Parliamentary Act No. 21 of 1991, which
elevated the former University Library to a national agricultural library. Therefore, SNAL serves both as a University Library
as well as a national agricultural library. SNAL’s overall goal is to develop and maintain library and information services in
agricultural sciences and related disciplines. As a university library, SNAL aims at supporting efficiently and effectively
teaching, research, extension, consultancy and other academic activities of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA).
The Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) consists of many academic units that include four faculties; namely; the Faculty
of Agriculture, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This
paper examines the capacity of SNAL in disseminating veterinary information. Electronic information resources available at
SNAL are assessed with the aim of examining the coverage of veterinary information in comparison to other agricultural
related fields offered by SNAL. Major electronic information resources include: CD-ROMs, e-journals and an OPAC.
Additionally, the information needs and seeking behavior of veterinary scientists and students at SUA are identified in order
to establish the extent to which SNAL meets their needs. The quality of library human resources at SNAL in relation to their
capacity to provide veterinary information was observed as well.
