A Seminar on Electronic Reference Services
Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA) hosted a distinguished seminar presented by a visiting team from Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The team included:
- Rasha Mohsen, Head of the Electronic Reference Services Unit, Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Salma Kassem, Head of Bibliographic Services, Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Ashraf Fathy, Reference Services Specialist, Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- Hadeer El-Sayed Ahmed, Professional Skills Coordinator, Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The seminar aimed to introduce students and faculty members to the diverse services offered by Bibliotheca Alexandrina to support scientific research, culture, and knowledge.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Mohamed Etman, PUA’s Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, emphasized the importance of electronic services in facilitating access to knowledge. He highlighted how technological advancements have made accessing information effortless, even from home. Dr. Etman explained that digital services, such as specialized databases, enable students and researchers to access global references, books, and research articles with just a click, supporting research development and enhancing research skills without the need for travel. He also underscored the role of these services in improving the quality of education and scientific research, enabling researchers to compete at the international academic level.
The seminar provided a detailed overview of the services offered by Bibliotheca Alexandrina, including:
- Electronic Reference Services: These provide easy access to reliable digital databases.
- Lending and Citation Services: Their importance in correctly documenting scientific sources and upholding academic integrity was discussed.
- Combating Plagiarism: The risks of plagiarism and methods to avoid it through proper documentation practices were explained.
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s Guide to Formulating Reference Citations: This is the first specialized Arabic guide in this field, serving as a valuable addition to Arabic knowledge content and empowering Arabic-speaking researchers.
Additionally, the seminar reviewed search mechanisms within the library’s electronic catalog, demonstrating how to use keywords and advanced filters to locate required scientific books and articles. It also explained how to utilize the academic databases provided by the library to access the latest studies and references.
Further, the seminar highlighted the services of the Reading Hall, which offers an ideal research environment equipped with the latest technologies and scientific research tools. Librarians are also available to assist researchers in locating the sources they need. The Reading Hall provides access to rare references and valuable documents that are not available for external lending, further solidifying the library’s role as a specialized research center.
The seminar saw significant engagement from attendees, who expressed their appreciation for this awareness initiative. They emphasized the importance of Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s role in enriching scientific research and providing an integrated academic environment for students and researchers.
