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Educating future librarians in Pakistan - a library educator's perspective
Abstract
Unplanned expansion of library education facilities has affected the quality of library manpower. Various constraints encountered by library schools in their effort to improve the situation are discussed and suggestions are offered. Bright students are not attracted to library schools because of low status according to librarians in the society. Traditional courses dominate the curriculum, with very little emphasis on computer and media courses. The existing faculty lacks competence for the teaching of courses relating to information technology. The teaching methodology is primarily characterized by traditional class-room lecture, supported by practical work. The existing facilities for conducting practicals are not satisfactory with few bibliographical and reference tools available together with a lack of equipment. The most recently published books are seldom available, while there is an absence of periodical literature. Continuing education is confined to the organization of courses in computer applications by the Pakistan Library Association and its branches. The distance education programme needs improvement in order to avoid further criticism. Both M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes are still in their initial phases and are under scrutiny constantly by academics.
... Asian LIS departments admit a large number of students and faculty members have to allocate most of their time to teaching activities. Furthermore, unfamiliarity with research methods is another major problem (Haidar, 1998;Satija, 1999;Xiao et al., 2008). An outcome is graduates who are not able to conduct proper research. ...
... On the other hand, Asian LIS departments face a wide range of shortcomings including lack of qualified persons to execute courses, inability to create content, lack of appropriate medium, lack of practical knowledge, lack of applicants, etc. These are reasons of criticizing LIS distance education in Asia (Al-Ansari, Rehman & Yousef, 2001;Bhatti & Arif, 2006;Haidar, 1998;Jakaria Rahman, Khatun & Mezbah-ul-Islam, 2008;Jeevan, 1999;Kanjilal, 1998;Mahmood, 1999;Sarkhel, 2006;Satija, 1999;Singh, 2003;Tang, 1999;Xiao et al., 2008). Proposed Solution: Continuing education/in-service training facilities should be recognized as an essential part of manpower development programs and sufficient financial resources may be allocated for this. ...
... The library and computer laboratory for LIS students are both a workshop to do practical assignments, learn and create new things. But, in many cases, Asian LIS departments have little facilities, resources and buildings (Dutta & Das, 2001;Haidar, 1998;Haidar & Mahmood, 2007;Jakaria Rahman, Khatun & Mezbah-ul-Islam, 2008;Mahmood, 2003;Mortezaie & Naghshineh, 2002;Rehman, 2008;Sarkhel, 2006;Singh, 2003;Tran & Gorman, 1999). ...
... Asian LIS departments admit a large number of students and faculty members have to allocate most of their time to teaching activities. Furthermore, unfamiliarity with research methods is another major problem (Haidar, 1998;Satija, 1999;Xiao et al., 2008). An outcome is graduates who are not able to conduct proper research. ...
... On the other hand, Asian LIS departments face a wide range of shortcomings including lack of qualified persons to execute courses, inability to create content, lack of appropriate medium, lack of practical knowledge, lack of applicants, etc. These are reasons of criticizing LIS distance education in Asia (Al-Ansari, Rehman & Yousef, 2001;Bhatti & Arif, 2006;Haidar, 1998;Jakaria Rahman, Khatun & Mezbah-ul-Islam, 2008;Jeevan, 1999;Kanjilal, 1998;Mahmood, 1999;Sarkhel, 2006;Satija, 1999;Singh, 2003;Tang, 1999;Xiao et al., 2008). Proposed Solution: Continuing education/in-service training facilities should be recognized as an essential part of manpower development programs and sufficient financial resources may be allocated for this. ...
... The library and computer laboratory for LIS students are both a workshop to do practical assignments, learn and create new things. But, in many cases, Asian LIS departments have little facilities, resources and buildings (Dutta & Das, 2001;Haidar, 1998;Haidar & Mahmood, 2007;Jakaria Rahman, Khatun & Mezbah-ul-Islam, 2008;Mahmood, 2003;Mortezaie & Naghshineh, 2002;Rehman, 2008;Sarkhel, 2006;Singh, 2003;Tran & Gorman, 1999). ...
Education of Library and Information Science (LIS) has several problems that are caused by the changing nature of the discipline and the social, economic and cultural contexts in which LIS departments function. The aim of this article is to enumerate and discuss some of the common problems of LIS education in developing countries of Asia and suggest solutions. We show that as Asian developing countries share some of the social, economic and cultural elements, they have similar problems in LIS education. Therefore, the same solutions could be recommended such as setting up limited number of independent LIS schools, establishing or empowering accreditation agencies, flexibility in educational systems, more emphasis on research, developing in-service training, relocating the departments in new faculties, equipping the departments with new facilities, employing new and skillful staff, encouraging collaboration among faculty members and departments, diversifying courses and degrees, updating syllabi in an ongoing manner, taking advantage of IT, and creating and publishing LIS literature in native language.
... Technology has become a critical issue for librarianship especially in the developing countries (Chang & Chen, 2011). University librarians are constantly dictated by researchers to perform contemporarily and are forced to acquire the technological competencies for effective performance (Haider, 1998;Mahmood, 2003;Ameen, 2008, Ullah, 2011. As a result, the diffusion and infusion of these technological innovations have also transformed the traditional ideologies of libraries from a social unit to a digital or virtual identity. ...
... On the other side, university library users' needs have changed (Tanlet & Tuamusak, 2011) but librarians' response to the adoption of technological skills is stationary (Ramazan, 2004;Sridhar, 1999;Ullah, 2011). Additionally, university librarianship in Pakistan is declining (Haider, 1998) and there is a need of competent staff (Ameen, 2008). Mahmoood (2003) indicated miscellaneous rationales causing scarcity of competent staff in Pakistani academic libraries such as, lack of technological knowledge, deprived library and information science (LIS) education, obsolete LIS course contents. ...
The objective of this research was to explore an association between technostress and job satisfaction of university librarians in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. For that reason a self-administered questionnaire was used to gather the data from 148 librarians serving in 25 public and private sectors universities of KPK. The entire population (N=148) was selected as respondents because the population was accessible. For this study, 148 questionnaires were distributed and only 120 questionnaires were returned. However, after initial data screening, 116 questionnaires were ascertained as useable for further statistical analyses. Pearson correlation was calculated to investigate the correlation of technostress and job satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis was performed to test the three hypotheses between technostress dimensions and job satisfaction. Findings of this study show a negative but statistically significant relationship of three dimensions of technostress with job satisfaction. Based on multiple regression analysis-all the three hypotheses, (H1, H2, and H3) are supported. This study will be significant in controlling stress caused by technology and enhancing the level of job satisfaction among Pakistani university librarians. The study will equally contribute to the literature on relationship between technostress and job satisfaction. No identical previous studies were located on this topic in the context of Pakistani university librarianship.
... Various criticisms have always been expressed, that, the curriculum of LIS the programmes especially, in the developing countries did not kept pace with the increasing demands in the LIS discipline. (Haider, 1998;Mahmood, 2003;Mortezaie & Naghshineh, 2002) which according to many writers, is still traditional in nature. ...
Developments in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), worldwide, are changing the face and direction of the LIS education and profession in general. As a result, educational offerings need to be revised to keep up with the current trends. This study examines the MLS programme offered by the LIS School, Bayero University, Kano, in terms of its curriculum and training facilities. The study also suggested a new masters' degree curriculum for the LIS School that is based on the current requirements (i.e. local and international). Such a curriculum is considered appropriate and necessary in bringing about the desired changes in the MLS programme. Thus, it is anticipated that graduates who are trained based on the proposed curriculum would have an edge in the ever-changing labour market for the LIS practitioners.
... Out-dated and irrelevant curriculum was one of the charges they leveled. While criticizing the teaching methods used in the library schools of Pakistan, Haider [6] pointed out that the traditional lecture method was the most common form of teaching in our universities. Teachers spent hours standing in front of the class discussing different reference sources without having a practical use of them. ...
Emergence of the digital era has posed rapid social, cultural and technological changes and challenges to the human society. The library as a social institution and librarianship as a service-oriented profession are now at the focal point of revolutionary changes. These changes not only added a new dimension of information science to the library education during the mid 1960s but further crystallization of the information and retrieval systems during 1970s caused the information science component to gain an upper hand, transforming the discipline and introducing new concerns, issues and challenges. Keeping this reality in view Rehman [1] pointed out that in today’s world we have no choice but to be open, creative and enterprising in our outlook. The process of curriculum design and implementation is complex and intricate. However, if we do not tread this difficult course, we will become irrelevant.
Department of Library and Information Science at the University of the Punjab, Lahore is the oldest LIS education provider in Pakistan. It initiated a certificate program for librarians in 1915 in the British regime under the supervision of Asa Don Dickinson, a pupil of Melvil Dewey. After independence this program was converted into a postgraduate diploma. A master program was started in 1974. Since then more than 1500 students got master degrees and have been serving various types of libraries, information centers and library schools throughout the country. Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan having an approximate population of 10 millions. A large number of LIS graduates are working in Lahore. The second largest cluster of the graduates of this department is Islamabad, the country capital 288 kilometers away from Lahore. Other graduates are mainly working in university and college libraries in cities and towns of all sizes in the Punjab province. The remaining professionals serve some organizations in other provinces and even in abroad particularly the oil rich countries of Middle East.
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan is responsible for revision and recommendation of a common curriculum. It has set up a National Curriculum Revision Committee LIS consisting of representatives from all library schools and some working librarians. The last revision made by this committee was in 2002. This committee is only a recommendatory body and it is up to the individual universities to implement the curriculum as such or further revise it. The Department of LIS at the University of the Punjab immediately implemented the new curriculum. After some time, the senior professionals, particularly from large university and special libraries, started to insist for further revision and effective implementation of the LIS curriculum. Flaws in LIS education have been a common topic in professional gatherings and seminars. Practitioners were criticizing the quality of education by claiming that library schools were not keeping pace with the technological and environmental developments in libraries. They were feeling difficulties in finding manpower possessing required knowledge, skills and attitude. Even graduates with good grades were lacking in some basic skills. Keeping in view the situation the principal researcher conducted some surveys to assess educational needs at entry level and experienced manpower (i.e., References 2 and 3). Meanwhile, the principal author got an opportunity to become head of the department. He decided to conduct a thorough review of the MLIS program and design and implement a new curriculum. The review and design process included seeking practitioners’ feedback through an LIS listserv, a questionnaire survey of the alumni, a detailed literature search, a review of course contents of LIS schools all over the world available on the World Wide Web, and two focus group interviews of chief librarians considering them the potential employers of the department’s graduates. This paper presents results of the alumni survey conducted for this purpose.
... Research indicates factors responsible for the slow learning process are incompetence of instructors, traditional curriculum, low exposure to computers, and lack of facilities at the workplace (Haider, 1998). In the 1990's, the Netherlands Library Development Project in Pakistan funded the technology related courses for the librarians in cataloguing, classification and the use of computers (Mahmood, 1997). ...
The research paper investigated the Pakistani Workplace Learning and Performance
(WLP) practitioners’ perceptions of the evolving importance of delivering training in the
workplace. By focusing on themes and the contents of designing, delivering and
improving training, this research illuminated gaps in current knowledge and need for
future improvements with respect to occupational expertise. Looking at the context of
the growing formal workforce in Pakistan offers insights into the demographic and
technological shifts occurring in the economies of the developing world. Forty WLP
practitioners volunteered to respond to a paper-pencil based survey using convenience
and snow-balling sampling approaches. This study employed inferential statistics to
identify the differences in perceptions of practitioners regarding the current and future
importance of selected delivering training competencies. The results of this study
suggested that degree of engagement in knowledge and actions areas in delivering
training would be sufficient for predicting the development of a skillful workforce. Very
little empirical research had been done to connect delivering training in knowledge and
actions areas. Despite possible sampling bias, this research bridged the information gap
by examining the relationship between perceptions of Pakistani practitioners regarding
the current and future importance of delivering training competency.
... According to Ceppos, failure to consider market demand was one of the reasons for library school closures in North America [47]. In Pakistan, the LIS curriculum has always been criticized as it has been implemented without any feedback from the library community [48]. The present study was conducted with the following objectives:) Information Technology Competencies; and 6) General Competencies. ...
The changing environment of academic libraries in Pakistan demands new competencies for future academic librarians. This study defines and validates competencies for entry-level professionals keeping in view the needs of the next five years. Top-level library managers of selected universities and post-graduate level colleges participated in the study. A scale of perceived importance of each competency was used for validation of competencies organized in six categories: management, resource development, technical service, reference & information services, information technology and general. A distinct preference is noted for information technology competencies. A significant overlap between the opinion of public and private sector librarians is also observed. The validated competencies can be used for the evaluation and revision of the curricula of formal education programs.
In the digital library management librarian play a dynamic role in easy accessing of computer- held digital information including abstracts, indexes, full-text databases, sound and video recording in the digital formats. Management focuses on managing people and their work. On the other hand, administration focuses on making the best possible utilization of the organization's resources. The library professionals are working in electronic information environment they should requires a balance combination of knowledge as well as skills. The project Library Management System aims at developing a fully functional computerized system to maintain all the day-to-day activity of a library this project has many features which such as the facility of user login and teacher’s login. Also, on top of all this, there is an admin who will be managing the entire application’s authorization and authentication, not no intruder can log in and modify the data, as a login for admin is also available.
Training facilitates learning of the required innovative skills that further assist workers to grow professionally. However, who needs training is an important question for organizational authorities. The objective of this study is to empirically analyze the training needs on leadership innovative skills of Pakistani university librarians. A quantitative study was conducted on a randomly drawn sample of Pakistani university librarians. A self-administered questionnaire, measuring the current and needed levels of leadership skills was used for data collection. The significance of hypothesized relationship was tested through paired sample t-test and found significant. Additionally, descriptive statistical analysis revealed that the current leadership skills of Pakistani university librarians have more than fifty percent of deficit, less than fifty percent of surplus and twenty percent of job best fit. The findings have several implications for academic librarians, such as designing of training programs, curriculum development, performance evaluation and exploring causes of under and over utilization of leadership skills. Findings are also significant for those organizations that are interested to enhance workers' leadership skills. The present study is the first attempt that explored dimension-wise need of training on librarians' leadership skills. The results are valuable to manage deficit and surplus in leadership skills that ultimately ensure job best fit and perhaps facilitate optimal performance.
This chapter provides an overview of the development of formal Library and Information Science (LIS) education and research programs in Pakistan. It analyzes the trends in scholarly literature publishing while identifying the areas of LIS research addressed by Pakistani authors. It also discusses the challenges faced in LIS education and highlights the milestones of LIS education and research history in the country.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: what are an open system and its components? How can the open system model be used to describe a library system including its objectives and functions? What is the situation of librarianship in Pakistan in terms of the elements, characteristics and features of an open system model?
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a review of the literature. The challenges which are faced by librarianship today are presented as a supra‐system of a library system. Inputs (people, knowledge, material, energy, capital and finance), processes, outputs and feedback mechanism of Pakistani librarianship are described. Characteristics of an open system such as users, controller, cycle of events, teleology, mission and negative entropy are presented with special reference to libraries in Pakistan.
Findings
That the Library system in Pakistan would benefit from the application of an open systems approach, but resource and other constraints prevent this from happening.
Research limitations/implications
Attempts to show how open systems theory can be applied to the sphere of a national library system.
Practical implications
The barriers to implementing the systems model offered in this paper are essentially practical: resource constraints, political priorities, and related social or governmental factors.
Originality/value
The paper is useful not only to understand how a library can be studied using systems theory but also to have a picture of the present state of librarianship in Pakistan.
Purpose
– The aim of this study is to provide an insight to international readers into the perspective of doctoral level research in Pakistan. The factors which led to the start of this program and difficulties encountered in this regard at different universities are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
– The study is mainly based on review of the literature. Research theses approved at MPhil and PhD level are evaluated. Some information collected from Library and Information Science (LIS) schools through personal communication is also provided.
Findings
– The problems that did not allow success in the doctoral programs in LIS were: lack of encouragement by seniors in a real sense; low esteem for indigenous PhD degree in the eyes of fellow professionals; little or no impact of early recipients of the degree on profession; and non‐availability of financial assistance to the prospective candidates. Of the findings mention is made of: no fixed criteria for admission; the research topics do not concern the problems; and absence of proper supervision/guidance resulting in poor quality of thesis in most cases. Suggestions include: formation of a high level committee comprising senior library educators under the Higher Education Commission to work out problems and streamline the process; maintenance of close links with library schools in other countries, particularly in the English speaking world, which are interested in global librarianship.
Originality/value
– This paper is the only evaluation of postmaster level LIS education in Pakistan. The findings are useful for planners of LIS education at postmaster level in Pakistan as well as in other developing countries.
Reference Service has been regarded as a required course in the curricula at all levels of library education in Pakistan. An analysis of the contents of reference service course and teaching methodologies of the country's seven of the eight graduate library schools reveals that reference service practices of the 1960s and 1970s predominate, along with a wider absence of electronic reference sources and newer technologies, non-availability of competent teachers, and poor lab facilities. Suggestions include revision of curricula, arrangement to train reference teachers in developed countries, improvement of laboratories, and organization of continuing education programs.
Cataloging and classification has been regarded as a required course in the curricula at all levels of library education in Pakistan. An analysis of the contents of cataloging and classification courses and teaching methodologies of six of the country's eight LIS Departments reveals that cataloging practices of the 1960s and 1970s dominate, a wide scale absence of newer technologies, non-availability of competent teachers, and poor lab facilities both in terms of equipment and library materials. Suggestions include: revision of curricula, arrangements to train cataloging and classification teachers in developed countries, improvement of laboratories, and the organization of continuing education programs.
Rapidly growing academic libraries are the major consumers of the product of seven LIS schools in Pakistan. The changing environment of academic life demands new competencies in academic librarians. This paper reviews the literature on the competencies needed for academic librarians in the Asia/Pacific region and discusses the changing environment of academic librarianship in Pakistan. It provides a list of competencies needed for entry-level academic librarians, first prepared on the basis of a literature review and, then, validated by 70 chief librarians of universities and postgraduate level colleges from the public and private sector. The validated list of competencies is compared with the curricula of LIS programs. The paper highlights the deficiencies in the curricula and their implementation and recommendations are given to improve the situation.
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