Al-Madinah International University

Department Name: Acquisition Department

Functions:

1. To assemble and maintain an index of all the desired references, publications and databases related to the University’s specializations, by contacting various publishing houses and the centers that publish scholastic journals and bulletins.
2. To distribute the index of references, publications and databases to all concerned divisions so that they can make choices from it.
3. To receive the index from the concerned divisions for examination and scrutiny in order to assemble complete bibliographical information and compare that with the list of materials currently requested as well as the Library’s general catalog.
4. To collect the desired references, publications and databases in electronic form, if they are available, by conducting searches of websites on the internet.
5. To send purchase orders to authorized agents or directly to the publishers after making sure that the work is not available on the internet or in the Library’s collection.
6. To follow up on the purchase orders by contacting the publishers or designated agents for information.
7. To receive the requested materials from the publishers or agents, and to scrutinize them and make sure that they match the desired characteristics.
8. To receive information media from the Digital Book Production Unit.
9. To maintain ongoing communications and exchanges of experience with the Cairo office to continue adding to the collection.
10. To supervise the program of gifts and exchanges with universities and other academic institutions.
11. To present regular weekly reports to the Library administration about the progress of the department and the impediments and restrictions encountered, and to present suggestions for how they may be overcome.

Department Name: Cataloguing and Indexing Department

Functions:

1. To organize the information media in accord with the procedures adopted by the Library.
2. to establish a work plan and then choose the cataloging system used by the Library of Congress in accord with the Anglo-American rules of cataloging and the international rules for bibliographical description.
3. To customize the cataloging system used by the Library of Congress so that it is appropriate for Arabic information media.
4. To prepare an index of important reference works on indexing and cataloging, and then request their acquisition by the Acquisition Department, for example The Index of Major Arabic Subjects, The Index of Arabic Authors and other important reference works.
5. To exercise quality control and undertake reviews.
6. To present periodic weekly reports to the Library administration about the progress of the department’s work and any impediments and restrictions encountered, and to present suggestions for how they may be overcome.

Department Name: Reference and Information Services Department

Functions:

1. To provide guidance and training to library users regarding the method by which the Library is organized, particularly its cataloging system, how to use the electronic catalog employed by the Library, how to discriminate between the classification codes used for documents, and how to retrieve them.
2. To provide resource services and databases for users from among the faculty and students of the University as well as the general public.
3. To guide library users to various sources of information and train them to use them and derive benefit from them.
4. To exchange references and resource services with other libraries and information centers.
5. To answer any request for information regarding resource services by way of email or telephone.
6. To use appropriate technology (RSS software) to allow the user to stay apprised of or discover the Library’s latest acquisitions, databases and websites.
7. To connect the Library with other libraries and allow a search of their collections using Z39.5 software.
8. To prepare bibliographies that will enable researchers and library users to stay abreast of the subjects that interest them.
9. To perform all tasks necessary for registering prospective users as members of the Library.
10. To present periodic weekly reports to the Library administration about the progress of the department’s work and any impediments and restrictions encountered, and to present suggestions for how they may be overcome.