The Role Played by NaFIRRI Library and Data Centre in Managing Scientific Fisheries Data From Ugandan Waters

Abstract

National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) is one of the Public Agricultural Research Institutes under Uganda‘s National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). National Fisheries Resources Research Institute Information and Data Centre has been in existence for over 50 years. It is charged with not only managing library holdings but is also with managing the Institute’s scientific data generated from research. The library serves as a data center, meaning that the staff also work as data librarians. It acts as a storehouse for the Institute’s data, most of which is maintained in their raw form. The data date back in the 1920’s when the first surveys were carried out on Lakes Victoria and Albert in Uganda. The datasets have been organized in files. The paper explains the different ways used by NaFIRRI Library to organize and manage scientific data. It will examine challenges with managing raw scientific data that the library has faced