Abstract

Recognizing the need to make better use of planning information, the government of Botswana has decided to establish the National Institute of Development Research and Documentation (NIR) as the primary focal point in a national information network. This project will enable NIR to strengthen its contacts with the development planning and research community, and to systematically identify and collect documents and unpublished literature related to Botswana's socioeconomic development. It will also permit Botswana to participate in the regional PADIS (Panafrican development information system) and more specifically in the PADIS-DEVSIS program. Training in DEVSIS methodology will be provided and a micrographics laboratory will be established. The principal output from the project will be two issues of Devindex-Botswana.

Post-Project Summary

This project established a national socioeconomic information system linked to PADIS (Panafrican Development Information System). International standards for recording bibliographic information were used to ensure compatibility with similar systems outside Botswana. Three issues of "Devindex Botswana" (an index to the literature on national and social development information) were published. As well, the project resulted in the automation of the library at the National Institute of Development Research and Documentation (NIR). Approximately 2 000 records were registered on the Documentation Centre's data base; and five new data bases were created that managed acquisitions, on-going national research projects, newspaper clippings, mailing lists, and circulation. The project was unable to access documentation sources in Botswana outside the NIR, nor was the microfiche unit reactivated.

Recipient Institution(s)