Promoting Information Technology in Pakistan: the Netherlands Library Development Project

Abstract

Describes the activities of the Netherlands Library Development Project (NLDP) for the promotion of information technology in Pakistan. During a period of five years, NLDP made great efforts in the fields of manpower training, hardware supply, software development, information networks, and curriculum development in Pakistan. It set up computer training centres for training librarians, introduced electronic mail and CD-ROM technology in Pakistani libraries, information centres and library schools, sponsored courses on library automation in Pakistan and sent librarians abroad for training. The project encouraged a group of librarians to work on information technology projects in the country, and suggested a framework for information networking in Pakistan.

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Information Development
DOI: 10.1177/026666699601200209
1996; 12; 96 Information Development
Khalid Mahmood Promoting Information Technology in Pakistan: the Netherlands Library Development Project
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Promoting
Information
Technology in
Pakistan:
the
Netherlands
Library
Development
Project
A
library
development
project
funded
by
the
Netherlands
Government
has
been
instrumental
in
changing
the
attitudes
of Pakistani
librarians
towards
information
technology.
Khalid
Mahmood
INTRODUCTION
International
agencies
played
a
very
important
role
in
the
his-
tory
of
the
library
and
information
profession
in
Pakistan.
For
many
years,
libraries
and
information
centres
received
assist-
ance
in
the
form
of
funds,
books,
equipment
and
advisory
serv-
ices
from
various
external
organizations,
most
notably
the
United
Nations,
Unesco,
the
World
Health
Organization
(WHO),
the
United
Nations
Food
and
Agriculture
Organiza-
tion
(FAO),
the
International
Atomic
Energy
Agency
and
the
Colombo
Plan.
Similarly,
the
Ford
Foundation,
the
British
Council,
the
Asia
Foundation,
the
United
States
Educational
Foundation,
the
United
States
Information
Service
(USIS),
the
United
States
Agency
for
International
Development
(USAID),
the
Library
of
Congress
and
the
library
associations
of
Eng-
land
and
Australia
have extended
their
cooperation
and
assist-
ance
for
the
development
of
library
and
information
services
in
the
country
in
one
way
or
another.
In
1975,
the
Netherlands
Government
initiated
the
Nether-
lands
Scientific
Literature
Project
(NSLP)
with
the
aim
of
pro-
viding
scientific
literature
support
to
university
libraries
in
Pakistan.
From
1975
to
1990,
some
NLG
3.5
million
of
the
Dutch
bilateral
allocation
for
Pakistan
was
committed
to
this
project.
In
1988,
the
director
of
International
Consultancies
SOCRATES,
Dr.
C.A.
Ravenswaaij,
was
assigned
to
carry
out
an
evaluation
of
the
project.
He
recommended
a
revised
ap-
proach
which
was
approved
by
both
Dutch
and
Pakistani
au-
thorities.
Prior
to
1988,
the
project
was
limited
to
’book
aid’,
and
covered,
in
principle,
any
institutions
showing
interest
in
receiving
books.
After
the
evaluation,
the
project
was
widened
to
encompass
the
much
broader
area
of
library
development,
which
included
also
a
training
component,
advisory
services
and
the
purchase
of
library
equipment
and
computer
hardware
and
software.
Phase
1
of
the
revised
project
covered
the
period
from
1988
till
May
1991.
The
concept
and
strategy
of
the
project
were
again
reviewed
in
June
1991,
and
the
scope
was
widened
from
supporting
in-
dividual libraries
to
implementing
collective
activities
at
the
na-
tional level.
The
name
of
the
project
was
also
changed
from
’Netherlands
Scientific
Literature
Project’
to
’Netherlands
Li-
brary
Development
Project
(NLDP)’.
Phase
2
of
the
project
covered
the
period
from
June
1991
to
May
1994.
After
an
external
evaluation
of
the
project
in
June
1993,
the
Netherlands
Government
decided
to
extend
it
until
August
1995.
A
further
extension
of
one
year
was
requested
in
order
to
ensure
sustainability
of
the
activities
initiated
under
the
project.
This
was
approved,
and
now
the
project
will
officially
end
in
September
1996.
The
extension
period
will
focus
on
the
marketing
of
information
products
and
services
offered
by
the
Pakistan
Library
Association.
The
aims
of
NLDP
are
to
develop,
support
and
improve
in-
formation
services
in
Pakistan.
It
provides
managerial,
techni-
cal
and
financial
assistance
in
the
information
field
for
developing
human
resources
through
training;
formulating
national
policies
and
plans;
and
introducing
information
net-
works.
Other
objectives
include:
~
computerization
and
automation
of
libraries
~
introduction
of
short,
medium
and
long
term
techniques
for
library
planning
and
management
~
development
of
library
manuals
~
networking
~
organizing
inservice
training
for
librarians
in
Pakistan
and
abroad
~
activating
involvement
of
librarians.
The
basic
function
of
the
project
is
to
introduce
new
informa-
tion
technology
in
Pakistani
institutions
and
to
train
manpower
accordingly.
The
activities
and
achievements
of
the
project
are
outlined
below.
HUMAN RESO UR CE
DEVELOPMENT
Training
of
librarians
and
information
specialists
has
always
been
the
highest
priority
area
of
the
project
and
special
atten-
tion
was
paid
to
it.
The
NLDP
helped
the
Pakistan
Library
Association
(PLA)
in
establishing
computer
training
centres
at
the
federal
and
four
provincial
headquarters
of
the
country.
These
centres
aim
to
provide:
~
training
to
working
librarians
~
training
to
students
of
library
and
information
science
~
a
place
for
practice
~
the
necessary
infrastructure
for
library
automation
projects
of
the
PLA.
The
first
centre
started
functioning
in
November
1992
at
La-
hore.
Each
centre
was
equipped
with
eleven
IBM-compatible
386
personal
computers,
four
dot
matrix
printers,
an overhead
projector
and
a
crystal
display
unit.
By
the
end
of
1995,
more
than
600
professionals
had
been
trained
at
these
centres.
The
courses
provided
include:
Fundamentals
of
Computers;
Disk
Operating
System
(DOS);
Wordprocessing,
using
MS-WORD
and
Word-Perfect;
Spreadsheet
Management,
using
Lotus-123
and
Quatro
Pro;
Database
Management,
using
dBase
and
Foxpro;
and
Library
Automation,
using
CDS/ISIS
and
the
Li-
brary
Automation
and
Management
Program
(LAMP).
After
the
establishment
of the
Centres,
the
NLDP
continued
its
fi-
nancial
support
in
the
form
of
instructors’
salaries,
equipment
repair,
etc.
For
training
purposes,
library
and
information
science
ex-
perts
from
abroad
have
also
been
invited
to
Pakistan
with
the
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97
sponsorship
of
the
NLDP.
Dr.
Sajjad-ur-Rehman
and
Mr.
Shaheen
Majeed
from
the
International
Islamic
University
in
Malaysia
were
the
resource
persons
in
a
one-week
workshop
on
library
automation
held
at
Islamabad.
With
the
sponsor-
ship
of
USIS,
NLDP
and
the
PLA,
Dr.
David
N.
Nelson from
Texas
A&M
University
made
a
four-month
visit
to
Pakistan,
during
which
he
conducted
courses
on
USMARC
in
five
dif-
ferent
cities
in
the
country.
With
co-sponsorship
by
Asian
Part-
ners
in
Training,
Ms.
Cheryl
Anne
Grant
from
the
State
Library
of
New
South
Wales,
Australia,
conducted
a
two-week
course
in
Islamabad.
Unesco
provided
a
grant
for
a
visit
by
Mr.
Eddie
Kips
of
The
Hague
Library
School
for
developing
training
material
on
CDS/ISIS
and
for
exploring
the
possibility
of
in-
troducing
e-mail
facilities
in
Pakistani
library
and
information
schools.
The
NLDP
arranged
for
him
to
visit
five
library
schools
in
the
country,
where
he
delivered
lectures
on
CDS/ISIS
and
e-mail.
Lectures
by
Professor
John
Feather
from
Loughbor-
ough
University
of
Technology,
United
Kingdom,
were
ar-
ranged
in
Islamabad
and
Lahore.
The
NLDP
also
arranged
foreign
training
for
Pakistani
pro-
fessionals.
Two
courses
in
the
Netherlands,
one
of
four
months,
and
the
other
of
six
weeks,
duration
were
attended
by
twelve
librarians
and
library
science
teachers
from
Pakistan.
The
use
of
new
information
technology
in
libraries
was
one
of
the
ma-
jor
elements
of
these
courses.
The
NLDP
also
sponsored
a
study
tour
to
the
Netherlands
by
eight
Pakistani
librarians.
To
get
firsthand
knowledge
of
library
automation,
the
participants
visited
scientific
libraries,
library
schools
and
library
associa-
tions
in
the
Netherlands,
as
well
as
the
Centre
for
Library
Au-
tomation
(PICA).
To
introduce
new
concepts
in
library
and
information
serv-
ices,
the
NLDP
sponsored
a
number
of
workshops,
seminars
and
conferences.
Training
courses
on
library
automation
were
conducted
in
nine
major
cities
of
Pakistan.
The
NLDP
also
nominated
two
library
professionals
to
attend
a
course
on
Management
Information
Systems
(MIS)
held
at
the
Pakistan
Institute
of
Management.
The
project
sponsored
a
seminar
on
’The
Status
of
Library
Automation
in
Pakistan’,
which
was
ar-
ranged
by
the
Pakistan
Library
Association
in
Lahore.
In
col-
laboration
with
USIS,
a
seminar
on
’Library
Automation
Planning’ was
also
conducted
in
Lahore,
while
the
project
also
collaborated
with
Unesco
and
the
National
Library
of
Paki-
stan
on
a
one-week
course
on ’Database
Management
and
Net-
working.’ A
two-day
workshop
on ’Managing
the
Information
Revolution’
and
a
series
of
lectures
on
’Library
Automation’
were
conducted
in
Peshawar.
The
15th
PLA
Conference,
held
in
December
1994
at
Lahore,
was
attended
by
more
than
700
professionals.
The
theme
of
the
conference
was
’Information
Technology
in
Pakistan:
potentials
and
prospects.’
About
twenty
papers
were
presented
at
the
conference.
The
NLDP
has
convinced
the
Pakistan
Ministry
of
Science
and
Technology
to
provide
scholarships
to
information
spe-
cialists.
The
Ministry
has
agreed
in
principle
to
send
library
professionals
for
Masters
and
PhD
programmes
in
future.
EQ UIPMENT’
S UPPLY
TO
LIBRARIES
To
encourage
the
use
of
new
technology
it
was
necessary
to
provide
equipment
to
some
model
institutions.
The
NLDP
provided
support
to
individual
institutions
and
supplied
four-
teen
photocopiers
and
more
than
twenty
computers.
Some
in-
stitutions
were
also
provided
with
hard
disks
and
backup
cartridges.
The
beneficiaries,
located
in
ten
cities
around
the
country,
included
seven
university
libraries,
seven
college
li-
braries,
five
public
libraries,
four
special
libraries,
six
library
schools,
the
PLA
headquarters
and
five
PLA
branches.
CD-ROM
drives
with
Sound
Blaster
were
provided
to
the
PLA
Computer
Training
Centres
and
library
schools,
while
e-
mail
facilities
were
provided
to
the
PLA
headquarters
and
branch
offices
and
to
the
library
school
of
Peshawar
University.
A
set
of
books
on
DOS,
dBase,
Lotus-123,
CDS/ISIS,
e-mail,
OCLC
and
the
Internet
was
provided
to
the
institutions
where
computers
had
already
been
supplied
by
the
NLDP.
CD-ROM
copies
of
the
Dewey
Decimal
Classification
were
supplied
to
six
library
schools,
and
a
CD-ROM
copy
of
the
Library
of
Congress
List
of
Subject
Headings
was
provided
to
the
library
school
at
Lahore.
The
project
proposed
to
the
Federal
Government
that
it
should
provide
fifty
computers
to
selected
libraries
in
the
country.
This
has
been
agreed
in
principle
by
the
Ministry
of
Education.
INFORMAT’ION NET ‘WORKS
Information
networking
is
vital
for
national
development,
but
there
is
no
culture
of
resource
sharing
in
Pakistani
libraries
and
information
centres.
Most
institutions
operate
in
isolation,
and
most
government
reports
and
studies
are
not
accessible
even
to
government
institutions
and
departments.
Under
these
condi-
tions
it
is
very
difficult
to
develop
an
information
network.
There
is
a
need
to
persuade
the
policy
makers
to
develop
databases
of
related
literature.
The
best
way
would
be
to
com-
puterize
the
most
important
libraries.
The
NLDP
has
made
efforts
to
develop
information
networks
in
the
major
development
sectors.
Base
work
has
been
done,
and
feasibility
studies
for
a
number
of
networks
have
been
com-
pleted.
Practical
work
on
some
projects
has
also
been
started.
A
national
union
catalogue
will
be
compiled
under
a
project
for
a
National
Network
for
Books
and
Government
Reports.
It
has
also
been
suggested
that
all
the
major
libraries
should
be
linked
together
electronically
through
a
wide
area
network.
OCLC
is
willing
to
assist
Pakistan
in
developing
an
online
in-
formation
system.
At
present,
due
to
the
shortage
of
funds,
the
majority
of
Pa-
kistani
libraries
are
not
in
a
position
to
purchase
even
the
bar-
est
essential
number
of
periodicals
from
their
own
budgets.
The
number
of
periodicals,
and
their
costs,
are
expected
to
increase
every
year.
Hence
there
is
a
great
need
to
share
resources
among
libraries.
For
this
purpose
a
Serials
Network
(SERNET)
project
has
been
proposed
by
the
NLDP.
A
SERNET
database
has
,,
been
developed
containing
information
on
the
contents
of
1500
periodical
titles.
Institutions
in
the
federal
and
four
provincial
headquarters
have
been
included
in
the
network,
and
the
data-
base
has
been
distributed
to
fifty
libraries
on
floppy
disk.
A
CD-ROM
version
will
also
be
developed
and
distributed.
When
a
national
union
catalogue
of
books
and
serials
is
functioning,
interlibrary
loan
will
be
easy.
For
this
purpose,
an
Inter Li-
brary
Document
Delivery
System
has
been
suggested
by
the
NLDP.
Through
this
system,
books
and
articles
will
be
avail-
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able
for
researchers
throughout
the
country.
To
make
the
sys-
tem
successful,
the
e-mail
facilities
at
PLA
branch
offices
will
be
used.
Full
text
CD-ROM
databases
are
also
recommended
to
provide
document
delivery
services.
It
is
proposed
to
start
a
coupon
system
for
the
payment
of
photocopying
service
charges.
Another
network,
WIDNET,
will
cover
the
governmental
and
non-governmental
organizations
working
in
the
field
of
women
and
development.
The
proposed
services
include
a
new
accessions
list,
current
awareness
service
(CAS),
document
de-
livery,
selective
dissemination
of
information
(SDI),
and
refer-
ence
service.
An
Environment
Information
Network
will
organize
the
information
resources
of
institutions
working
on
the
environment.
A
bibliographic
database
of
materials
on
the
environment
will
be
set
up.
As
Karachi
is
the
hub
of
the
banking
sector
in
Pakistan,
a
network
to
be
known
as
BANKNET
has
been
proposed
for
Karachi.
Organizations
involved
in
education
will
be
also
be
networked
through
an
Education
Information
Network.
The
University
Grants
Commission
has
shown
interest
in
devel-
oping
such
a
network.
About
210
organizations
are
involved
in
the
science
and
technology
field
in
Pakistan.
For
informa-
tion
dissemination
among
these
institutions
a
Science
and
Tech-
nology
Information
Network
has
been
proposed
by
the
NLDP.
The
Chairman
of
the
Science
Foundation
showed
keen
interest
in
this
proposal.
A
Forestry
Information
Network
has
been
de-
veloped
for
institutions
involved
in
forestry.
As
a
first
step,
the
library
of
the
Pakistan
Forest
Institute
at
Peshawar
has
been
com-
puterized
and
a
database
of
about
25,000
books
and
28,000
jour-
nal
articles
has
been
developed
for
distribution
to
other
forestry
libraries.
Health
service
institutions
will
be
networked
through
HEALTHNET.
The
National
Institute
of
Health,
Islamabad
has
agreed
to
become
the
focal
point
for
this
network.
SOFIWARE
DEVELOPMENT
At
the
time
when
NLDP
started
its
operation
the
automation
condition
of
Pakistani
libraries
was
pitiful.
There
was
no
na-
tional
format
for
library
automation.
More
importantly,
there
was
no
integrated
library
software
available
in
the
market.
Li-
braries
were
not
able
to
procure
costly
foreign
library
soft-
ware
packages,
and
imported
packages
were
not
compatible
with
the
needs
of
Pakistani
libraries.
Mostly,
libraries
devel-
oped
small
applications
in
dBase
and
Foxpro
in
isolation.
In
these
circumstances,
the
Netherlands
Library
Development
Project
took
the
initiative
to
develop
a
library
software
which
can
fulfil
the
needs
of
Pakistani
libraries.
After
discussion
with
senior
library
professionals,
an
inte-
grated
library
software,
Library
Automation
and
Management
Program
(LAMP),
has
been
developed.
A
team
of
two
compu-
ter
programmers
and
a
number
of
professional
librarians
was
involved
in
the
development
of
the software.
Advanced
pro-
gramming
in
PASCAL
language
was
incorporated
in
six
databases
created
in
CDS/ISIS.
It
is
a
completely
menu-driven,
user
friendly
package.
A
well-elaborated
user
manual
of
about
250
pages
has
also
been
published.
LAMP
can
handle
almost
all
the
housekeeping
routines
be-
ing
done
in
any
public,
academic
or
special
library
in
Pakistan.
The
module
for
acquisition
of
monographs
includes
budget
control,
ordering
routines
and
payment
records.
Bibliographic
information
can
be
entered
in
the
cataloguing
module,
which
can
print
catalogue
cards,
bibliographies
and
shelf
lists
and
search
for
any
information
through
various
keys.
The
circula-
tion
module
can
maintain
borrowers’
records
and
issue,
return,
renew,
and
reserve
books.
It
calculates
fines
for
overdue
books
and
also
prints
overdue
notices.
SDI
service
can
also
be
pro-
vided
to
the
users
having
specific
interests.
The
serials
module
can
handle
the
acquisition
and
cataloguing
of
serials
and
hold-
ing
lists
of
serials
can
also
be
printed.
Subject,
author,
and
pub-
lisher
authorities
can
be
maintained
in
LAMP.
The
first
version
of
LAMP
is
currently
being
used
in
more
than
twenty-five
libraries.
Some
of
them
are
using
LAMP
on
a
local
area
network
(LAN)
very
successfully.
The
software
has
also
been
distributed
for
comments
to
twenty-five
other
librar-
ies
in
Pakistan
and
to
sixty
international
institutions
through-
out
the
globe.
An
Urdu
version
of
LAMP
has
also
been
prepared.
After
receiving
the
feedback
from
the
library
profes-
sionals,
the
development
of
LAMP
version
2.0
has
been
started.
This
version
will
be
more
compatible
with
the
MARC
format.
RETROSPECTIVE
CONVERSIONAND
DATABASE
DEVELOPMENT
Retrospective
data
conversion
is
a
main
hindrance
in
automat-
ing
a
library
catalogue.
With
the
help
of
the
PLA,
NLDP
started
to
offer
its
services
for
this
purpose.
The
libraries
of
the
fol-
lowing
fourteen
institutions
have
been
automated
by
the
PLA:
~
Swiss
Development
Cooperation,
Islamabad
~
Sustainable
Development
Policy
Institute,
Islamabad
~
Senate
of
Pakistan,
Islamabad
~
National
Assembly
of
Pakistan,
Islamabad
~
Pakistan
Investment
Board,
Islamabad
~
Pakistan
Institute
of
Development
Economics
(PIDE),
Islamabad
~
Pakistan
Institute
of
Medical
Sciences
(PIMS),
Islamabad
~
Quaid-e-Azam
University,
Islamabad
~
Planning
and
Development
Division
(PDD),
Islamabad
~
Punjab
Legislative
Assembly,
Lahore
~
Baluchistan
Legislative
Assembly,
Quetta
~
Legislative
Assembly,
Peshawar
~
Pakistan
Forest
Institute,
Peshawar
~
Sind
Legislative
Assembly,
Karachi
These
projects
provided
three useful
outcomes.
The
first
ben-
efit
is
that
the
librarians
were
provided
with
on-the-job
train-
ing
on
library
automation
and
management.
The
second
is
that
it
generated
income
for
the
Library
Association.
The
third
is
that
it
developed
teamwork
and
cooperation,
which
is
essen-
tial
for
information
networking.
The
projects
have
been
instru-
mental
in
the
formation
of
library
automation
teams
in
the
country.
The
NLDP
has
also
initiated
the
process
of
developing
a
na-
tional
database.
More
than
200,000
bibliographic
records
of
the
libraries
which
have
already
been
computerized
using
LAMP
were
included
in
the
first
national
database.
A
CD-ROM
version
of
the
database
has
also
been
produced.
The
following
benefits
are
expected
from
this
CD-ROM:
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99
~
resource
sharing
among
libraries
becomes
possible
~
users
can
search
the
other
libraries’
catalogues
from
their
own
institutions
~
assistance
in
research
work
~
help
in
dissemination
of
research
efforts
~
reducing
searching
time
~
assistance
in
cataloguing
~
development
of
a
union
catalogue.
LIBRARYAUTOMAT’ION
GROUP
(LAG)
To
discuss
the
library
automation
problems
of
Pakistan,
a
Li-
brary
Automation
Group
(LAG)
has
been
established
in
Islamabad.
The
objectives
of
the
group
are:
~
to
provide
technical
and
professional
advice
to
libraries
in
their
automation
programmes
~
to
advise
or
recommend
computer
training
programmes
for
librarians
so
as
to
help
them
to
automate
their
libraries
~
to
develop
library
automation
projects
~
to
coordinate
library
automation
activities
in
the
country
~
to
coordinate
library
automation
activities
with
interna-
tional
organizations
~
to
provide
information
and
conduct
research
and
studies
on
library
automation.
A
number
of
meetings
have
been
conducted
so
far.
A
quarterly
newsletter,
LAG
News
has
also
been
started.
The
Group’s
main
activities
have
included
a
comparative
study
of
Micro
CDS/
ISIS
and
INMAGIC
software
for
libraries.
A
detailed
report
of
this
study
was
prepared
and
published
in
the
newsletter.
The
LAG
recommended
CDS/ISIS
as
the
best
library
software
in
the Pakistani
situation.
Another
area
of
study
by
the
LAG
was
CD-ROM
technology
in
Pakistan.
A
list
of
existing
CD-ROM
titles
in
Pakistani
librar-
ies
and
documentation
centres
was
compiled.
A
book
on
library
automation
in
Pakistan
is
planned
to
be
published
by
the
LAG.
The
Group
also
plans
to
compile
a
national
union
catalogue
and
to
provide
advisory
services
to
libraries
for
automation.
z
C URRIC UL UM DEVEL OPMENT’
At
present
the
six
library
schools
in
Pakistan
have
different
curricula.
The
syllabus
is
also
outdated
and
does
not
cover
any
new
information
technology.
A
committee
was
formed
to
re-
vise
the
current
curriculum
to
include
today’s
library
needs.
Mr.
Mir
Hassan
Jamali
from
the
University
of
Baluchistan
was
made
the
coordinator
of
the
committee.
After
several
meetings
attended
by
the
heads
of
all
library
schools,
working
librarians
and
representatives
of
the
University
Grants
Commission,
a
new
curriculum
was
finalized.
The
revised
curriculum
has
been
sent
to
the
departments
of
library
and
information
science
for
implementation.
The
new
curriculum contains
for
the
first
time
all
contem-
porary
information
technology
components
in
different
courses.
Besides
other,
more
traditional,
topics,
the
curriculum
includes:
~
fundamentals
of
computerized
information
storage,
re-
trieval
and
dissemination
~
introduction
to
computer
hardware
and
software
~
telecommunications
~
CD-ROM
(technology
and
databases)
.
networking
(LAN
and
WAN)
· electronic
mail,
bulletin
boards
and
Internet
.
machine-readable
databases
. use
of
microcomputers
in
libraries
database.
design
and
maintenance
. MARC,
UNIMARC,
ISBD,
CCF
.
management
information
systems
(MIS)
. automated
serials
management
· marketing
of
information
products
and
services.
CONCL USION
In
a
society
where
education
is
a
low
priority
area,
where
very
little
funds
are
allocated
for
this
purpose,
and
where
library
development
seems
to
be
the
most
neglected
area,
the
NLDP
has
really
been
a
blessing.
The
opportunities
provided
by
the
NLDP
for the
promotion
of
librarianship
in
Pakistan
are
match-
less.
The
project’s
major
activities
have
been
in
the
area
of
the
introduction of
information
technology.
The
project
has
almost
completely
changed
the
thinking
of
Pakistani
librarians
and
information
professionals
in
this
respect.
There
was
a
time
when
our
librarians
were
scared
of
the
computer
technology.
They
used
to
mention
its
application
in
libraries
only
vaguely.
But
now
everyone,
from
a
fresh
graduate
entering
a
library
school
to
a
near-to-be-retired
professional,
is
exposed
to
the
new
tech-
nology.
The
NLDP
made
great
efforts
in
the
fields
of
man-
power
training,
hardware
supply,
software
development,
information
networks,
and
curriculum
development.
The
project
provided
a
platform
for
the
further
development
of
in-
formation
activities
in
Pakistan,
and
initiated
a
number
of
projects
which
have
been
highly
appreciated
by
the
profession-
als
all
over
the
country.
It
is
suggested
that,
for
the
sustainability
of
these
projects,
the
NLDP
should
continue
for
at
least
five
more
years.
It
is
also
recommended
that
library
associations
in
Pakistan
should
contact
other
international
donor
agencies
and
make
them
ready
to
sponsor
information
technology
activities
in
Pakistan.
References
1.
Activities
of
Library
Automation
Group.
LAG
News,
Vol.
1,
no.
1,
Jan.-Mar.
1993.
pp.
1-2.
2.
Mushahid
Hussain.
Effectiveness
of
NLDP’s
activities
to-
wards
the
development
of
library
profession
in
Pakistan.
Unpublished
Master’s
thesis.
University
of
Baluchistan.
1994.
3.
Netherlands
Library
Development
Project
Pakistan:
semi-
annual
progress
report
no.
8,
period
January-August
1995.
Islamabad,
International
Consultancies
SOCRATES,
Sept.
1995.
4.
PLA
Bimonthly
Newsletter:
Special
issue
on
Netherlands
Library
Development
Project —
Pakistan.
Issue
no.
14,
Dec.
1994.
5.
Ravens
Waaij,
Boen
Van
and
Riaz
Khan.
Inception
report-
1991.
Islamabad,
International
Consultancies
SOCRATES,
1991.
6.
Shah
Farrukh
and
Naeem
Ahmad
Khan.
LAMP,
Library
© 1996 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.
at LAWRENCE INST OF TECH LIBRARY on July 21, 2007 http://idv.sagepub.comDownloaded from

100
Automation
&
Management
Program:
user’s
manual.
Islamabad,
Netherlands
Library
Development
Project, 1995.
7.
University
Grants
Commission.
Curriculum
in
library
and
information
science
for
Master
in
Library
and
Information
Science
(MLIS)
previous
and
final.
Islamabad,
The
Com-
mission,
1995.
(Typewritten)
Abstract
I
Describes
the
activities
of
the
Netherlands
Library
Devel-
opment
Project
(NLDP)
for
the
promotion
of
information
technology
in
Pakistan.
During
a
period
of
five
years,
NLDP
made
great
efforts
in
the
fields
of
manpower
training,
hard-
ware
supply,
software
development,
information
networks,
and
curriculum
development
in
Pakistan.
It
set
up
compu-
ter
training
centres
for
training
librarians,
introduced
elec-
tronic
mail
and
CD-ROM
technology
in
Pakistani
libraries,
information
centres
and
library
schools,
sponsored
courses
on
library
automation
in
Pakistan
and
sent
librarians
abroad
for
training.
The
project
encouraged
a
group
of
librarians
to
work
on
information
technology
projects
in
the
country,
and
suggested
a
framework
for
information
networking
in
Pakistan.
Khalid
Mahmood
is
a
Lecturer
in
the
Department
of
Library
and
Information
Science,
University
of
the
Punjab,
Lahore,
Pakistan.
Tel.
+
92
(42)
586-3764.
© 1996 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.
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