Ministry of Water Resources
Library and Documentation Service
1. Introduction
The Library and Documentation Service of the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) is currently
organized under the Water Resources Information and Meta-Database Center. At present the
service possesses over 2000 books and about 3000 documents that are particularly relevant as a
reference material for the water sector and related fields.
In view of the growing needs of users, the Service is making efforts to fulfill the needs by means
of purchase, subscription, exchange and thorough engaging into inter-library loan with other
libraries. Moreover, in view of delivering quality services, it has a plan to equip itself with facilities
such as Computerizing, Internet and photocopying etc. Modernizing service delivery is the
ultimate motive of the Service towards quality services.
2. Types of Services Rendered
The followings are among the main types of services rendered:

Reading (reference) service within the Library and Documentation Service;

Borrowing reference materials for the employees, departments, and various sections
and projects of the organization;

Borrowing reference materials for outside users from the Government, NonGovernment, Higher Learning Institutions and the Private etc, upon request and
approval for same;

Gift, transfer and exchange of excess reference materials as may be applicable
3. Service Hours
The Library and Documentation Service provides service to the users:
Monday - Thursday
Friday
Morning
Afternoon
Morning
Afternoon
9 A.M –12: 00A.M
2 P.M - 5:00 P. M
9 A.M - 11:00 A M
2 .M - 5:00 P. M
4. Membership Admission
4.1 An employee of the MoWR desirous of using the Library and Documentation
Service shall enter membership. Filling in his/her name and address legibly in a
membership card ref. fig. 1. Such entry shall be taken as an acknowledgment
that the person agrees to conform to the rules and regulations of the Library and
Documentation Service.
4.2 Any user (employee of the MoWR or outsider) shall be eligible to consult
documents in the reading room without any formal request or requirement, such
as handing request letter.
4.3 Outside users, desirous of borrowing resources from the Library and
Documentation Service shall have an official request letter from their employer or
organization, addressed to the MoWR. Upon approval of the request by the
respective official, he/she is entitled to get the requested service.
4.4 Organizations, such as Government, NGO’s etc desirous of borrowing resources
from the Library and Documentation Service shall get the service through official
request and approval, and/or through the arrangement of inter library loan...
5. Loan Service
5.1 Employees of the MoWR are entitled to borrow and takeout books and/or
documents from the Library and Documentation Service by enrolling as member.
A form of enrolment/membership card can be obtained from the Library and
Documentation Service. Ref. Figure 1
5.2 Upon acceptance of membership, a member shall be given 3 (three) borrowing
Pockets, 1 (one) with WHITE color for textbooks and 2 (two) with GREEN colors
for documents. Ref. Figure 2 and 3
5.3 A book/document will be lent to members only in exchange for one of his/her
applicable pockets, which will be handed back when he/she returns the borrowed
book/document.
5.4 Membership shall be renewed once in a year, as of registering for membership.
5.5 Other Library and Documentation Centers, shall borrow books/documents
through inter-library loan agreement with the MoWR, Library and Documentation
Service.
5.6 A Consultant or Contractor shall be entitled to get library loan if he/she is the
contract employee of the MoWR and the request there of is authorized by the
Department, Service or Project Coordination Office that he/she is accountable to
under the terms of project agreement.
6. Lost Pockets
6.1 A member who has lost Pocket shall make a written report to inform the case to
the Library and Documentation Service.
6.2 Before a duplicate shall be issued, one month shall elapse after the date of first
notice. During this period the member shall exhaustively attempt to trace and
recover the Pocket.
6.3 The service shall be maintained normal at any instance of recovery of lost
Pocket.
6.4 If not recovered within one month, the member shall report his/her endeavors to
become legible to get replacement Pockets.
6.5 If the Pocket has not been traced, a member shall pay a fee twice the price of
each Pocket and the Pocket will be issued after the receipt of the fee.
6.6 Replacement Pockets possess equivalent privileges to that of the original lost
Pockets.
7. Long-term Loan
7.1 Departments, Services and projects of the MoWR can get a short-term reference
material borrowing service. This short-term refers to a period less than one
month.
7.2 Provided there are more than three copies available, a Department, Service or
Project may take a specified number of books/documents for a longer period of
time as may be agreed by the Department, Service or Project Office and the
Library and Documentation Service. Long-term loan refers to a period of
borrowing exceeding one month.
7.3 Long-term loan will be administered by letter of request specifying the required
books and documents with associated volumes and annexes subject to the loan.
7.4 If possible, specifying the duration of the Long term loan is important.
7.5 The items borrowed under Long-term loan shall be returned or brought for
supervision once in a year for reasons of checking or inventory.
8. Conditions of Loan
8.1 Each individual member may have loan permits not more than 2 (two) volumes of
documents and 1 (one) textbook at a time.
8.2 Each member has a right to select the material (book and/or document) that
he/she likes to borrow, other than those that are marked as “Reserve” and
“Confidential Documents”. Confidential documents are documents that require
special permits.
8.3 The borrower shall submit his/her borrowing Pockets at the time of burrowing, in
exchange for the book or document(s) to be borrowed.
8.4 Before leaving the counter, the borrower shall check whether the
book/document(s) to be lent to him/her is/are in good condition or not. In case of
observed damage, he/she shall immediately inform the case.
8.5 Up on this information, he/she shall be allowed to have a changed book or
document or in case of no option for change remark shall be made on the
damage so that the borrower will not be held responsible. Otherwise he/she will
be liable for the replacement of the book/document(s) as it were in good
condition.
8.6 Periodicals, Publications, Dictionaries and works which might be difficult to
replace and those declared as "Reference Only" shall not be lent out.
8.7 Confidential documents shall be lent out if and only if the higher official of the
organization authorizes the application.
8.8 The burrowing of confidential documents permitted under the conditions stated
in 8.7 shall be applicable to the conditions of authorization and shall be respected
by the burrower.
8.9 Only authorized users can consult confidential documents.
8.10 All books/documents on loan shall be returned at or before the due date.
8.11 The returning date of books/documents if by chance happens to be on a
holiday, weekend or a closing date of the Library under special circumstances,
the next working day shall be regarded as the due date.
8.12 Books and documents, which are rare and temporarily in special demand may
be lent for such shorter period as may be necessary or may be temporarily
declared as "Reference". Shorter period is a period referred as less than 15
days, and will be specified by the service depending on the prevailing conditions.
8.13 Loan may be terminated at any time under special circumstances by the order
of the Library and Documentation Service.
8.14 A book or document on Long-term loan may be re-called at any time, if other
priority conditions prevail.
8.15 If a book is not returned at due, the borrower shall be suspended




For the first week 3 days per volume per day
For the second week 5 days per volume per day
For the third week 10 days per volume per day
For the forth week and above a member shall be suspended for 6
months from membership and all the services
8.16 Loan may be renewed for a further period of two weeks, provided the following
conditions are fulfilled:
8.16.1 The renewal requested three days before the due date.
8.16.2 Others do not request/reserve the same book/document.
8.17 A member who has lost borrowed materials shall make a written report to the
Library and Documentation Service. He/she shall be responsible for:
8.17.1 The levy of over due charges indicated under 8.15 shall apply until
the date of notice of loss is reported.
8.17.2 He/She shall receive warning in writing not to do the same next time.
8.17.3 The same shall replace a lost book/document. Or, pay double to that
of the original price of the lost book /document
In case of difficulty of determining the price of a book or document, a team of
experts will be established to give a decision advice on the matter. The
decision made shall be respected as binding and applicable.
9. Obligations of Users
9.1 Private books, documents and other articles are prohibited to enter in to the
reading room and shall be left at the service desk.
9.2 Silence shall be strictly observed in the reading room.
9.3 Smoking is strictly prohibited.
9.4 No person shall write, damage, or make markup on any book, document,
manuscript or any other belongings of the Service.
9.5 No tracing or mechanical reproduction of documents shall be made without
permission.
9.6 Before leaving the reading room, the reader shall leave books/documents that
he/she had taken for consultation on the reading table or return it to the service
desk.
9.7 Cases of mistreatment or other failure in the services should be reported
immediately to the Library and Documentation Service or the organization.
10. Obligations of the Service:
The Library & Documentation Service shall:
10.1 Inform users by prior notice the closing date(s) of the Library under special
circumstances, to allow users to collect reference materials in advance.
10.2 Inform users by notice about new arriving reference materials, documents and
books.
10.3 Create conducive environment for the users such as proper lighting, reduced noise,
avoidance of odor or bad smell etc.,
10.4 Continuously improve and modernize the services to meet the expectations of its
users.
10.5 Arrange/engage into inter-library loan with other libraries to avail other books and
documents that are desired and not possessed by the Service.
10.6 Borrowing of books and documents obtained through inter-library loan shall be
subject to the rules and regulations or conditions of Inter-library loan agreement.
10.7 Have a right to refuse, under special circumstances, admission to any person or the
use of any document/book by specifying reasons.
10.8 Any infringement of the rules will hinder the privileges of admission to and
borrowing books/documents from the Service.
10.9 This guideline may be amended at any time.
11. Forms Used
11.1 Membership Card: this is the card the Library and Documentation Service issues
to users to become member of the service to have loan privileges. The form needs
to be filled in by the applicant.
MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES LIBRARY
ADDIS ABABA
Expiry date______________ Membership No.___________
Name (Mr./Miss)___________________________________
Occupation_______________________________________
House Adress_____Higher____Kebele____House No._____
P.O.Box. No.__________Business Tel. No.______________
I apply for membership of the MoWR Library and agree to comply with all
its Rules and Undertake to replace or pay for any Book lost or damaged,
which has been borrowed on my card.
Date___________________ Applicants Signature____________________
Figure 1. Membership Card
11.2 Readers Pocket: these are two cards (white and green), which are issued to users
upon acceptance of membership, to checkout books and documents while borrowing.
Users will be issued 1 white card for books and 2 green cards for documents.
Ministry of Water Resources
Library
P.O.Box. 5744
Addis Ababa
Tel. ___________
READERS TICKET
Name:_______________________
____________________________
Address:_____________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Tel.________________________
Expires______________________
Figure 2 The White Card
For Renewal
COM. P.L
LIBRARY
P.O.Box. 5744
Addis Ababa
Tel. 611322
43112/86
READERS TICKET
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Name:_______________________
¾S•¨mÁ l
ID. No.______________________
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Tel.________________________
¾S. lØ`
Serial No.___________________
¾›ÑMÓKAƒ TwmÁ k”
Expiry Date_________________
Figure 3 The Green Card
Gate Pass: This is the form used to let users to take out books/documents or copy materials that
are borrowed or presented to them/their organization as gift upon approval of their application by
the respective authority.
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¾u?}SíQõƒ“ Ê¡U”|i” ›ÑMÓKAƒ
¾SíQõƒ“ Ê¡S”„‹ T¨<Ý pî
KØun:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
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Figure 4 Gate Pass