WHY A PUBLIC INFORMATION/SERVICES CENTER (PIC)? The World Bank was founded in 1944. As an international financial institution or a development multilateral Bank, it was created to provide both financial assistance and technical services to its member countries. Its primary objective is to assist member countries in their economic development, which is a prerequisite to poverty reduction. This goal is well-captured in the Bank mission statement “a world free of poverty”. The World Bank membership includes more than 180 countries and its operations are conducted through 5 organizations: these are IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) which provides middle income countries with market based interest rate loans, IDA (International Development Association) provides low income countries with interest free credits, and IFC (International Finance Corporation) which provides loans and participation to the Private sector. The World Bank has been operating in Cameroon since 1967 and since 1994, the World Bank has been providing assistance to Cameroon with public resources, interest free, at extended maturity, thus significantly reducing the level and impact of indebtedness of the country to the World Bank. Undoubtedly, the World Bank is an important partner in the development of Cameroon and its goals and activities remain little known or misunderstood by a good majority of Cameroonians. Unfortunately, some notable constituencies involved in the dialogue with the World Bank are not very aware of its missions, the instruments it uses and even the projects that it finances. Opening up to and providing good information to the public has become an absolute necessity for us even though this information must be conveyed through appropriate standards and channels. This is the reason why the Regional Country Office in Cameroon has developed a communications/outreach, information, and public relations strategy presenting the overall and specific objectives, identified targets, consistent messages, and reliable channels among which the Public Information/Services Center (PIC). The Public Information/Services Center (PIC) provides access to current statistics, literature, and reports on development work in Cameroon and in the world at large carried out by the World Bank. The materials found at the PIC are collection published by the World Bank Group, the country governmental agencies and other official development agencies, and they are chosen to represent the ongoing development work, statistics, reports, and studies from government agencies and provide selected background information and more general studies on Cameroon and other countries. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org or www.workdbank.org/infoshop What is PIC Cameroon?  The Country Public Information/Services Center is a reference library and not a research library. It includes an up-to-date account of current development efforts in the country, development projects, future plans, economic and sector research and studies, and statistical information relevant to Cameroon and other country members.
Scope of collection The collection includes hardcover and paperback publications, CD-ROMs, full text Internet documents and informal documents and reports. The PIC integrates material including books, project reports, World Development reports, African Indicators reports, and various economic and sectoral studies into one subject collection composed of titles from the World Bank and other official development agencies. How to get World Bank publications? Please go to: http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/ or to www.worldbank.or/infoshop Online Bank Library: http://www.worldbank.org/elibraryor visit http://afr/cm/web/index.htm/ In case you can’t access, please call Héléne Pieume at 237 2220 3815 or email hpieume@worldbank.org – Ext.: 8008 or Armand at 8023 or email: etemmene jeuatsa@Worldbank.org. Apart from the PIC, you can also find Depository and Regional libraries in some of the main universities of Cameroon such as: - Yaoundé: Catholic University, Nkolbisson – Tel: (237) 2223 74 00/01- Fax: (237) 2225 2599 – PO Box: 11628
- Buea: University of Buéa: Tel: (237) 3332 2134 - Fax: (237) 3343 2272 – PO Box: 63
- Dschang: Dschang University: Tel: (237) 4445 1351 – Fax: (237) 4445 1436/4445 1202 – PO Box: 255
- Ngaoundéré : Ngaoundéré University: Tel : (237) 7764 4872 - Fax : (237) 2225 2599 – P.O. Box 454
- Douala : Panafrican Institute of Douala, Bassa, Douala
Internal Rules/Procedures PIC Cameroon is an ideal well equipped environment for your research and consultation where an enthusiastic, competent, and professional team welcomes you. Please visit us and recommend our PIC to others. Opening hours Monday thru Friday: 11 am - 3:00 pm. Who Can Use the Center?  Public Information Centers are open to the general public. No fee is required. Users can access information through the Internet and thousands of World Bank publications and other development-related materials. But only research can be carried out at the PIC and visitors should already know how to access the internet.
Users Users are researchers, high schools and university students, Government officials, and any other person dealing with research. All users must be identified at the main gate (Security Office) before entering the Center. All users must read the present internal rules that are posted wherever appropriate. Registration Prerequisites: Photocopy and Laser printing Services Members of the PIC can photocopy all or parts of publications for personal use for 25 Francs CFA per copy. But if photocopy concerns only 1 to 10 pages there’s no charge. Other Services Internet: Internet access is for research only. Time per user 1 hour. Special cases can be addressed on a case by case basis. News papers/publications for on-the-spot use only: Please leave all publications consulted on the table. Discipline  All PIC users have to behave themselves and in case of any irresponsible behavior, the user will be prohibited from entering the PIC. No bags, attaché cases, documents, beverages, food, electronic equipments, or any personal property are allowed in the Center. Please leave them at the main gate.
Mutilation/theft of property Any user who mutilates pages from and/or steals a publication, inserts a diskette in the computer or damages a device will be held accountable for and may loose all their user rights. Free publications All PIC users can get free World Bank publications or any other publications if multiple copies are available at “PICK ONE” Shelf. Please feel free to pick them. Should you have any question about the above, please contact Hélène Pieume or in her absence, Armand Temmene at tel.: 237 2220 3815, fax 237 2221 0722, Ext.: 8008/8023 – Dama 5330-8008/5330-8023 or write to The World Bank Cameroon Regional Country Office, 1792, rue Bastos, Ekoudou, Round About NEL, toward the Embassy of Japan, PO Box 1128 Yaoundé, Cameroon, or send an email to: hpieume@worldbank.org , or to Armand: etemmene jeuatsa@Worldbank.orgor visit our website at http://worldbank.org/cameroon or http://afr/cm/web/index.htm |
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