The paper gives an overview of CDS ISIS use in Zimbabwe and then focus on the case study of Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) virtual library. SARDC is an independent regional information resource centre based in Harare.

Zimbabwe is analysed in the context of developing countries and the typical challenges of limited infrastructure; skills; computer literacy; telecommunications regulations; language; support user groups and related issues. The paper will also focus at the efforts by the Zimbabwe Isis User Group (ZIMISIS) in trying to spearhead information sharing among libraries in and outside Zimbabwe through training and user support network

SARDC is a CDS ISIS success story .As of 2004 SARDC’s databases are now available on the Internet using WINISIS and GENISIS and are accessible at: http://databases.sardc.net, creating one of the first virtual libraries in Zimbabwe. Thanks to this, SARDC is able to effic ient ly and effectively networking and sharing information, knowledge with most of its partners who are scattered in all the fourteen Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries. Consideration will be given to the next steps in linking up with other virtual libraries especially in the areas of data exchange.