SMU LIBRARY

The St. Mary’s University Library was founded in 1998 with the goal of acting as a focal point for collecting, managing, handling, storing, and disseminating information and knowledge resources in print and electronic formats to enhance teaching-learning, research, and public service, as well as to further the University’s goals by offering up-to-date information.

The University has three libraries located at different sites. The Graduate School library, which is located on the Main Campus, serves both Graduate School and College of Open and Distance Learning students, while the two libraries on the Undergraduate Campus primarily serve those enrolled in Undergraduate programs. Additionally, St. Mary’s University has so far been successful in providing mini-libraries at a significant number of the University’s Distance Learning Coordinating Centers to make it simple for students continuing their education through distance mode of learning to access learning resources.

The major tasks the Library strives to accomplish are to:

  • work towards ensuring that the University’s plans and objectives are met;
  • plan, administer, and safeguard the print and electronic materials of the University;
  • ensure the smooth running of the library service in line with the aims and objectives of the University;
  • increase and manage collections;
  • identify and provide learning resources to instructors, researchers, and students;
  • manage available resources efficiently and economically;
  • establish a conducive study environment that caters for the interests of library users;
  • train staff members and other library users to develop their information service skills for efficient and effective utilization of information resources;
  • carry out appropriate innovative work in the library with the aim of improving the library’s multi-purpose services;
  • maintain effective links with domestic and international educational institutions; and
  • Aspire towards the continuous growth and development of the University.

Resources

SMU library has organized collections of information resources accessible to students as well as academic and administrative staff members. The library’s collections include books, journals, periodicals, and policy documents in hard copies as well as other formats including e-books, e-journals, and databases.

Electronic Database

The Library has free online catalogues, full-text journals, articles, abstracts, reviews, theses, and catalogue databases available to the University community wherever they are and whenever they need it. To exploit e-resources, you can visit the library or the University web-site at “www.library.smuc.edu.et,” “http: //lms.smuc.edu.et/”, or “www.smuc.edu.et.” You may browse the website at www.repository.smuc.edu.et to access the theses.

The Library has also secured online services of electronic resources that are available through HINARI, AGORA and OARE, and from the American based research archive-JSTOR (www.jstor.org), African Journal Online (www.ajol.info), Hein Online (www.heinonline.org) and using the LAN IP address of the Library. Users can access thousands of offline scholarly articles in PDF format from over 325 scientific and technical journals in agriculture and related sciences, as well as research reports from The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL).  Students enrolled in the MBA in Entrepreneurship can enjoy the rich collections of Università Cattolica delSacro Cuore of Milan, Italy and Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania.

Access and Usage Policies

The Library has general information service standards, procedures, manuals, and policies on the use of facilities and collections.

St. Mary’s University Library has both closed and open access systems. The Library houses monographs, print journals, magazines, and audiovisual collections. The Library also has access to online e-resources (full-text, journals documents, reviews, abstracts, and databases). In addition to these, digital off-line resources and CD-ROMs are available in the Library.

Library Catalogue

SMU Library uses both traditional and OPAC catalogues as its principal gateways to all its collections.

Circulation Services

The libraries have circulation desks where the library staffs assist users to check-out library materials. The library staffs also recall and trace items that users cannot find in the stack, and answer questions about circulation policy and the issuance of borrowing cards.

Reference Services

Staff members are available at service desks in each library to help users find information and get proper services, collections, and resources from SMU libraries. You can also contact the libraries via telephone and email to get these services.

Periodical Services

Periodicals are among the most valuable assets in libraries since they are publications that contain up-to-date information. They serve as valuable research supplement to the other materials found in the libraries. SMU has collections of periodicals which are accessible to students and staff alike.

Inter-Library Loan Services

Broadening its services, the SMU Library has signed Inter-library loan agreements with local and international libraries to create better opportunities for the University’s students and staff, who need access to resources not available at SMU. SMU Library has kept its regular contact (interlibrary agreement) with the following libraries and information centers:

Library Acquisitions

Acquisition is one of the operations SMU libraries carry out. The policy of SMU libraries is to develop an up-to-date library collection with a large number of books, periodicals, newspapers, and CD-ROMs. The acquisition of materials is on-going, and new books and materials are consistently added to the existing collection in print and electronic formats. While adding more resources to its library through a variety of means, the University’s library strives to provide students with more options for easy access to learning resources. In this regard, the Library has entered into agreements with many institutions that are located in different parts of Addis Ababa so that students would be able to use these resource centers at their convenience.

Opening Hours

SMU Library is open for 12 hours a day from 8:00AM – 8:00PM (Monday-Saturday) and for 9 hours on Sundays from 8:00AM – 5:00PM, except on public holidays.

Address:

Phone: +251 11 553 8002

 E-Mail: library@smuc.edu.et

P.O. Box 18490/1211               

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia