PAST PAPERS

These constitute the past examination papers. It is a collection of past examination papers from all KeMU campuses that are availed online to students to use in their revision processes. The uploading of the past papers is done by the digital librarians upon receiving them from the relevant departments and lecturers.

Past papers provide a guide to students to areas they need to put into consideration during their revision processes.

They help to prepare the students and keep them focused, highlighting the areas that students may have omitted in their revision or research processes.

Past papers are available online and can be accessed from the KeMU website (www.kemu.ac.ke) by clicking on the “library services” link followed by “past papers/kemuwiki” link.

This takes the user to the website known as “KEMU WIKI” where he/she conducts the search based on the course code of the course he or she wants.
A collection of the papers searched appears from which downloads can be made.

Kemuwiki site used to conduct past papers search

CD-ROMs

CD-ROM refers to Compact Discs - Read Only Memory. CD-ROM is a storage medium that stores large amounts of information in a digital format that it is accessed optically via digital translation devices such as computer systems. A CD-ROM drive uses a low-power laser beam to read digitized (binary) data that have been encoded onto an optical disc in the form of tiny pits, and then feeds the data to a computer for processing. Because it uses digital data, a CD-ROM can store images and sound in addition to text and is thus used in video and audio devices to store music, graphics, and movies .Unlike conventional magnetic-storage technologies (e.g., hard disks), CD-ROM drives cannot write information (that is, accept the input of new data), hence the tag "read-only." Recordable compact discs (called CD-R) must be written on a CD-R recorder and can be played on any CD-ROM drive.

CD-ROMs have a capacity of carrying seven hundred and two (702MB) megabytes of data. A larger version of CD-ROMs, known as DVDs (Digital Video Discs) is also commonly used. They store information of up to four gigabytes (4GB).


CD-ROMS and DVDs databases provide learning resources that add to the entire library collection. Importantly, they provide portable resources that can be borrowed by the users and accessed at their place of choice.

In addition, the CD kit comes with support service that help the user to access its contents. They also provide video demonstrations, samples of topics covered as well as links to online resources. Some also provide "flash cards" to test user's knowledge of key concepts covered.

Each of the CD-ROM contains information based on a particular subject area such as economics, sciences, management etc. They are found on the digital library where they are cataloged according to the library of congress system to enhance their circulation.

CD-ROMS are issued to users for a maximum of two (2) hours that are subject to renewal upon user's request.

THE INTERNET

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by a broad array of electronic and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast array of information resources and services, most notably the inter-linked hypertext documents (web pages) of the World Wide Web (www) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail (email).

Most traditional communications media, such as telephone and television services, are reshaped or redefined using the technologies of the Internet, giving rise to services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and IPTV. Newspaper publishing has been reshaped into Web sites, blogging, and web feeds.

The Internet is a powerful tool that leverages one’s ability to find, manage, and share information.
The Internet service has enabled and accelerated the creation of new forms of human interactions especially through Internet educational forums.

It has provided an easy tool for communication amongst the institutional staff, students as well as between the institutional staff and students.

Internet in KeMU University can be centrally accessed from both the digital library and the computer laboratory. The digital library, situated on 1st floor of KeMU hub building, acts as an information center for students, staff and researchers to locate, access and exchange quality information that serves their needs. It provides a high quality internet service with vast information resources. The computer laboratory, located on the 3rd floor of the building also provides an alternative point of information access.



Students accessing internet service from the digital library

ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS CATALOGUE (OPAC)

OPAC means Online Public Access Catalogue. This is a list of all library materials accessible via a computer. It enables one to search for the document required through querying the library system. One is required to know at least on of the following; subject, title, author, or call number.

This service is very important because KeMU library has very many documents and going through each of them is a tasking job. This search assists you to get the document you are looking for fast and easy enough. This service is available on the KeMU website and also in KeMU libraries at Meru, Nakuru, Mombasa, Nyeri and Nairobi.

INFORMATION LITERACY

Information Literacy is defined as the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information legally and morally for the issue or problem at hand.

Being information literate is very important especially in the academic world. You need to know when information is needed while going on with your assignments, where to look for the information, evaluation and use of the information. KeMU library is determined to ensure that you are information literate by providing this service at the digital library as organized class or as requested by a group or an individual.

Information literacy session

CURRENT AWARENESS SERVICES-(CAS)

This is is a system for notifying users on a periodic basis of the acquisition, by a central file or library, of information (usually literature) which should be of interest to the user. The role of CAS is to: · Alert users to new books or journal material received in the library ; · Alert users to the recent literature in a given subject ; Provide non-bibliographic information, such as news on meetings, training courses and other events of interest to users. CAS is provided through routing of journals and circulation of new arrival lists to users.

Current Awareness Service

SELECTIVE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION - (SDI)

SDI is a current awareness system which alerts you to the latest publications in your specified field(s) of interest. A user registers at such a system with keywords representing his or her fields of interest, called a search profile. When new publications matching the search profile appear, the system informs the user of them instantly, periodically or upon request.
Selective Dissemination of Information assists user in keeping up-to-date current literature in particular subject areas. The purpose of SDI is to help users cope with information overload. The library provides a list of selected literature or titles of library materials available in the library based on a chosen subject. The sources of the literature may vary, from various materials such as books, serials, proceedings and also electronic sources.