Introduction:

  The College of Commence and Economics (CCE) Information Center was opened in 16/11/1993 along with the CCE. The Center includes a specialized Academic Library which concentrates on the College specialties and dedicated for the college faculties, researchers and students. The Center also takes care of the technical and education technology support for the CCE.

Part One: The Library

1.   Technical Service: Books Collection

         a. Acquisition:

Books in both Arabic and English are obtained in the library by the following ways.

        -  Direct purchase from publisher.

        -  Direct purchaser from venders.

        -  Book Fairs Purchase.

        -  Gifts and exchanger.

 More than 3/4 of the Commerce library Collections are in English because the teaching language in all specialties is English. Arabic books holding makes around one forth of the collection. The following table and figure demonstrate that fact as it is for begins of 2008.

      1.2 Serials:

English titles subscription is centralized for the SQU main campus libraries, and is done by the Main Library in Cooperation with branch libraries. All of the Library Scientific Journals are in English. In the last few Years the library have reduced the number of printed titles in favor of electronic one, to face the dramatically increased subscription prices and the disturbing delay in receiving the printed issues. The following table shows the serial subscription in the last few years.

On the other hand the number of online databases with full text in costing ever year.

 

    1- EBSCO Business premier

    2- Emerald full Text package

    3- ABI Inform Global

    4 - Bank scope

    5 - OSIRIS

    6- World Development Indicator (WDI)

    7- IMF E-library Statistics

1.3. Catalogs and Classification:

The library uses the Library of Congress classification scheme; all of the books collection is classified accordingly.

 1.4 Preparation Service:

All the library materials labeling and preparation are done in the library.

1.6. Government publication:

The library has specialized collection of government publication in both Arabic and English. Most of the collection is supplied by the issuing public organization like ministries, banks and Financial unites in the Governments. The collection is kept separately in the Government publication hall in the ground floor. The collection contains:

    a.      Omani public and private organization financial publications and reports.

    b.     Some of the GCC publications related to commerce and economics.

    c.     Some of the International organizations reports.  

 2. Public Services:

2.1. Circulation

Circulation desk is located in the ground floor near the library entrances. All of the library materials are subject to circulation, attached is the circulation policy appendix (2).

 2.2. Reference:

 Reference services desk is located in the first floor . This service was delivered by the one of the circulation staff who  graduate as a reference assistant librarian.

 2.3. Copying and printing services:

 Copying services is available in the library; it is provided by a private company. The center also have sufficient printer (one in every lab) and students have access to this services according to the SQU Policy.

 2.4. Current Awareness:

 This Service is provided by the circulation department through library website & email on new arrivals and new publications.

2.5. Inter Library loan ILL:

Unfortunately ILL service is not available in the Commerce Library because there is no budget for that. We only take the ILL request if the item is available in some of the local or regional library in GCC Countries

 2.6. Training:

 The Information Center provides various type of training as fallowing:

        1. Tours and short training for library users (CCE students, faculty and researchers)

        2. Specialized students training, (Library Sciences Department students & Information Systems Students)

        3. Non SQU students summer training as part community services.

        4. Librarians training, new library staff training through the center training committee.

4. Reading Areas:

 The library has two reading halls Contain more that 150 .

5. Future Plans:

In 2006, since the coming of the new director, a plane for developing the Information Center was set (plans' timetable appendix (3). The plan concentrated on developing the library, where new services and setting will be introduced to the library.

The attached floor plan of the center (attached in appendix 4) shows the planned and approved changes in the library setting (these changes was approved by the executive committee of the CCE)

The main objective of the plan is:

        b. take some of the existing problem in the library in the library like noise and crowdedness

        c. provide more reading areas for the specialized collection like references and Government Publication

        d. Proved some places for projects and group discussions.

 Part Two: Technical Support

  The Information Center at the CCE handles all the technical and educational support for the college. Among the technical support services, we are responsible for installing computer hardware and software; solve the problems of the services and programs of all kinds. In addition, the process of installing programs required by users in computer laboratories, staff and faculty offices or classrooms.

 The average of technical support applications we receive about 120 per month, requests are often limited to the following:

         • Programs 
         • viruses 
         • failure of some spare computer for work (Hardware Failure) 
         • E-mail 
         • communicate with the Internet and Intranet 
         • Network 
         • Printers 
         • Installation and modernization programs

Technical support is divided into several sections:

1. User Support:

1.1. Helpdesk

The Helpdesk located at the first floor of the IC room # 1003. Helpdesk provides assistance by receiving calls from users by telephone, e-mail or visiting the Helpdesk and guides the users to the appropriate solution. They are as follows:

• receive User Support requests through Helpdesk hotline Ex. 2998 and 2901 or by e-mail infocenter@squ.edu.om
•  registration of all problems using our task assignment table(attached) with taking the necessary data
•  distribution of work among technician to solve the problem
•  Follow-up work or the proposed solution with emphasis that the problem has been solved
• assess the work in the last week of each month to discuss all the problems faced by the employee, in case of any problem to be discussed by all parties and find an appropriate solution
•  maintenance of all computers within the College
•  guiding users in the optimum use of computers
•  directing users to the latest arrived in the technology market
•  Coordination with the Center for Information Systems to upgrade the necessary computers

  2. Laboratory Support:

 · laboratories used for lectures, in particular, the Information Systems major and the general students of the CCE

 General and Special Programs in all disciplines, including:

•  programming and database design:
  (Oracle, Visual basic, HTML, SQL, Java, Flash, Adobe Photoshop, Gif Animator)
•  Statistics and accounting software programs and operations management and production:
  (Peachtree, Minitab, SAS, SPSS and Arena software.)
•  Maintenance of all computers in CCE laboratories
•  Periodic maintenance (the end of each semester)
•  Check the computers and eliminate all unnecessary files
•  Update virus programs (Norton Anti Virus)
•  Updated operating system (Microsoft Windows)
•  Other software updates
•  Replacement of computers & equipments every four years
•  Determine whether the computer or equipment needed to be changed completely or partially updated
•  Help students in a laboratory with regard to their queries
•  Provide technical support to faculty members in a laboratory during the lecture
•  Coordination with the faculty, especially department of information systems regarding the programs need to be installed in the laboratories
• Make the laboratories ready for courses offered by the university
• Providing appropriate software assistance to the process of teaching

 Because of the increasing number of lectures in the Computer Laboratories, has been provided with a computer and printer in every laboratory, total of five laboratories, to help students print files easily in every laboratory.

 3. Classrooms Support:

•  periodic maintenance (the end of each semester)
•   check the computers and eliminate all unnecessary files
•  update virus programs (Norton Anti Virus)
•  updated operating system (Microsoft Windows)
•  other software updates
• replacement of computers & equipments every four years
•  determine whether the computer or equipment needed to be changed completely or partially updated
•  provide technical support to faculty members in a classrooms during the lecture
• coordination with the faculty in all CCE departments regarding the programs need to be installed in the Classrooms
• make the classrooms ready for courses offered by the university
• Providing appropriate software assistance to the process of teaching

 The Center has taken a decision of installing only a compatible Application Software in order to reduce this kind of problem

 4. AV-Media Support:

 ·   This section maintains a computerized record of all AV-Media devices in CCE. AV-Media support to provides classrooms and laboratories in various kinds of AV-Media equipments such as video and audio equipments and appliances, LCD, display devices and other educational equipments.

•  Assist departments and faculty to develop and improve the effectiveness of using teaching equipment
•   Provide educational materials and services that help and expertise in the use of AV-Media
• coverage of the various activities and events that take place in CCE
•  maintenance and repair AV-Media equipments in CCE
•  provide assistance to departments during the planning, equipment purchase and installation of AV-Media
• loan of the AV-Media equipments for events and activity done by Students Community groups.