The eGranary: Storing the Seeds of Knowledge

Heather Lee, MPH

UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health

February 6, 2012

OBJECTIVES

What is the Widernet Project? What is the eGranary Digital Library Project? What are some of the accomplishments of

the eGranary Project? Role and vision of the Sparkman Center How were the portals developed, including

the Zambia Knowledge Centre? Finally, the eGranary will be revealed!

WHAT IS THE WIDERNET PROJECT?

WHAT IS WIDERNET?

The WiderNet Project is based at the University of Iowa in the United States

WHAT IS THE MISSION OF WIDERNET?

To improve digital communication to all communities and individuals around the world in need of educational resources, knowledge, and training

Widernet serves many people who lack internet connectivity and information resources, but their work focuses especially on the needs in developing countries

WHAT DOES WIDERNET OFFER?

A holistic approach: computers, needed appliances and educational material

Also offer resources and training Training is important because enables

people to be self-sufficient with using Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR THEIR SERVICES?

Only one out of seven people have adequate access to the Internet

In many developing countries, universities may have a direct connection to the Internet, but not enough bandwidth to adequately serve their users

Only a fraction of professors and students have access to email and basic computer programs

What is your internet experience like at your job?

WHY DOES WIDERNET ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS?

Belief that ICT can empower people, giving them better access to information, knowledge and communication and in that way improve their overall quality of life

Strive to make educational resources and training opportunities available to everyone to bridge the digital divide

WIDERNET HISTORY Founded in 2000 by Prof.

Cliff Missen and Dr. Michael McNulty

After visiting the University of Jos in Nigeria as a Fulbright Scholar, Cliff experienced first hand the frustration of trying to teach with a lack of internet access

WIDERNET ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Has donated more than 1,200 computers for use at universities in Africa

Has provided training opportunities to thousands of university staff and administrators in programs customized to suit their institutions' specific needs

Installed the eGranary Digital Library at more than 350 partner institutions around the world

WHAT IS THE eGRANARY DIGITAL LIBRARY?

THE eGRANARY DIGITAL LIBRARY PROJECT

While at the University of Jos, Cliff created the first version of an off-line digital library after requesting that a UI graduate student send him some Web sites on a CD-ROM

Eventually started placing educational materials onto a hard drive

STORING THE SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE

WHAT IS THE eGRANARY DIGITAL LIBRARY?

Delivers millions of Internet resources to institutions lacking adequate Internet access

Provides lightening fast access to educational materials including video, audio, books, journals and Web sites, even where no Internet access exists

WHERE ARE THE eGRANARIES?

Blue dot= 1 eG, yellow= 2-5 eGs, red=10+ eGs

WHAT KIND OF PLACES HAVE eGRANARIES?

Primary and secondary schools Colleges and universities Medical schools Engineering schools Hospitals and medical clinics U.S. embassies Churches Prisons Businesses

HOW IS CONTENT IDENTIFIED AND OBTAINED?

The eG project looks for Web sites with pertinent digitized academic information (often guided by requests of its subscribers) to add to its ‘wish list.’

Requests the authors’ or publishers’ permission to copy their materials through email communication. If permission is given, materials are copied

Creative commons More to come later on the technical

details of this!

WHAT’S INSIDE THE eGRANARY?

Library that is fully indexed and searchable using built-in search engine

Websites, journals, videos, textbooks, audio files, articles, instructional manuals and much more

The tools to allow you to add local content

WHAT TYPES OF INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE eGRANARY?

The information stored inside the eGranary covers dozens of topics, including: Math and science Engineering Medical, nursing and public health resources ICT resources Atlases, almanacs and other reference materials Education and teaching materials History, sociology, psychology, economics,

religion and other social sciences Agriculture and horticulture Literature, art and music

EXAMPLES OF MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE eGRANARY DIGITAL LIBRARY

Wikipedia Columbia University Hesperian Foundation World Health Organization Khan Academy OER Africa

WHAT HAVE eGRANARY USERS HAD TO SAY THUS FAR?

“The eGranary Digital Library concept is the solution for creation and distributing online content challenges currently facing most African countries.”

--Mr. Jacob Mtui, Research and Development, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

“The eGranary Digital Library has helped our students and lecturers in accessing academic materials which were not easily accessible due to limited bandwidth. The concept is very good for those with limited or no bandwidth and should be supported. It has become part and parcel of our e-learning platform.”

--Nyaga Gacheru, Network Administrator, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

MORE COMMENTS FROM eGRANARY SUBSCRIBERS

“It was a fantastic success; both the students and faculty were amazed and delighted by even a small taste of the eGranary content.”--John Frediani, eGranary Donor, Jos, Nigeria

“The idea is simply GREAT! We are trying to promote it in Bangladesh, especially educational institutions providing higher studies in remote areas.”--Mr. Mizanur Munna, Positive Bangladesh Initiatives

COMMENTS FROM eGRANARY SUBSCRIBERS IN ZAMBIA

“The eGranary can help or can easy the job of a librarian by giving direct subjects and topics to the information seeker. It gives access of information to the users. The eGranary does not consume much time as compared to the internet.”--Workshop Participant, University of Zambia

“I think the eGranary digital library should be introduced to all the libraries, even in public libraries for the users to access information as quickly as possible.” --Workshop Participant, University of Zambia

ROLE AND VISION OF THE SPARKMAN CENTER

WHAT IS THE SPARKMAN CENTER?

Founded in 1979 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

WHAT IS THE OVERALL VISION AND MISSION OF THE SPARKMAN CENTER?

Alleviation of health problems in less developed countries by building capacity

We work collaboratively with academic institutions, international agencies and health ministries within host countries

We also work to enhance the capacity of the UAB community to engage, prepare and support current and future professionals

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DOES THE SPARKMAN CENTER DO?

Distance education Support international internships and

other educational activities for UAB students

Work with partner institutions in other countries to enhance medical, nursing and public health education

WHAT IS THE SPARKMAN CENTER’S ROLE IN THE eGRANARY PROJECT?

Sparkman Center Director, Craig Wilson, heard about the eGranary at a conference in Lusaka in 2007

Previously had been carrying over heavy textbooks each visit

Was particularly interested in adding health related materials

And that’s where I came along…

EVOLUTION OF THE PROJECT

Significantly expanded health science resources

Have seen eGranary increase from 750GB capacity to 4TB

Formed a partnership with VVOB Will be hiring an in country eGranary

support person

SPARKMAN SUPPORTED INSTALLATIONS IN ZAMBIA

The University of Zambia School of Medicine Chainama Hills College of Health Sciences Lusaka School of Nursing Copperbelt University School of Medicine Chikankata Mission Hospital Lewanika General Hospital Lusaka Apex Medical University (LAMU) Cavendish School of Medicine Zambian Forum for Health Research

(ZAMFOHR) Supported the purchase of 4 eGranaries for

the Colleges of Education in Zambia

WHAT IS THE SPARKMAN CENTER’S VISION FOR THE eGRANARY?

To see the eGranary used widely in Zambia, particularly in remote areas with no or very limited internet access

For every training institution in Zambia have an eGranary

To continue to work with our partners to enhance the eGranary Digital Library

PORTAL DEVELOPMENT

WHAT IS A PORTAL?

Custom portals highlight resources in certain topic areas

Portals are built by consulting with teachers, librarians and government ministries to create portals that best match their information needs

Portals enable teachers and students to quickly access information identified by experts in the subject

ZAMBIA HEALTH INFO PORTALS

The long journey of creating the first portal

And then two more…

THE GLOBAL DISABILITIES RIGHTS PORTAL (GDRL)

The purpose of the GDRL is to help users find resources they can put into action to improve the lives of people with disabilities around the world

United States International Council on Disability (USICD) developed the portal with funding support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID)

HOW THE GDRL WAS DEVELOPED

During its first year in 2010, the GDRL Project focused on identifying partners as well as gathering and cataloging resources for the library

Librarians at USICD and Widernet particularly emphasized practical toolkits and training manuals as well as reports on the status of disability rights and “best practice” examples around the world

GDRL DISSEMINATION In mid 2011, four organizations

received a “pilot” version of the GDRL to test the library and made recommendations for improvementsZAMISE was one of the sites chosen to

pilot the GDRL This year, the project will continue to

expand the library to include local content from end users

A total of 60 locations will receive a free eGranary via the project

THE ZAMBIA KNOWLEDGE CENTRE PORTAL

Idea initially developed at Zambia Knowledge Centre think tank meeting in April 2011

Participants agreed eGranary was the perfect tool for the ZKC

Team of Zambian educators was formed to identify resources for the portal

A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE CONTENT ON THE ZKC

Khan Academy Flexbooks Free High School Textbook Project

(FHST) TESSA Instructional guides for Microsoft Office

applications We will look at these tomorrow in more

detail!

Questions or comments?

AND NOW THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR…