The design of a Cooperative Acqusition Programme (CAP) for a regional network -- ZALINET -- in China is discussed. The model is presented both descriptively and quantitatively ofr the purpose of design and planning. The types of participating libraries and potential network users are identified in the following sectors: research, education, production, government department, and marketing. A descriptive model has been worked out for the distribution of information resources. The assignment of responsibility for collection and allocation of information resources should be based on: the assessment of the colletion strenght and the subject biases of the libraries and information centres; the identification of geographical charactersisties of information resourc distribution; the differentiation of sector characteristics of information resources distribution; the identification of the resources already available, both human and material and estimation of future potential. In the descriptive model issues of CAP in ZALINET are proposed. The mathematical model intends to work out the optimum solution about total network coverage, overlapping degree of titles among libraries, and the duplication of titles with the libraries. The CEB model should be able to help the network manager decide how to carry out the cooperative acquistion program cost-effectively.
Agricultural information needs of extension officers in Africa are identified as control of major pests, credit and co-operatives, proper handling of insecticides, marketing of agricultural products, etc. The information needs of farmers are identified to be in arears of the supply of fertilizers, pest and diseases control, planting materials and credits and loans. The emphasis on information needs of farmers is on "why," "who," "where," and "how" to obtain information. In order to understand the information needs of their client, librarians' and information specialists trainig and ecuation should be reoriented to include coursed on agricultural escienes, rural sociolgoy, adult education and computer sciences. The University of Botswana in agricultural information with the support of the Technical Centre for Agriculture (CTA), which is sponsoring the General Programme for Education, PROGEFIA. With the provision of appropriate and timely agricultural information to extension officers and farmers, an increase in agricultureal production in Africa may be attained.
