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Combating problems related to library software in higher education institutions of Pakistan: An analysis of focus groups
Abstract
The absence of standard library software is one of the main hinderance in the effective automation of libraries of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of Pakistan. A review of the literature does not provide the actual requirements of the libraries in Pakistan related to library software and highlights the absence of library software selection criteria. This paper explores the opinion of the experts about the current status of library software, problems faced by the libraries and needs relevant to library software in order to suggest a sustainable solution for the automation of the libraries of HEIs of Pakistan. This study was conducted using qualitative approach and three focus groups were conducted in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. The participants of all three focus groups comprised librarians from HEIs, Library and Information Science (LIS) experts with experience in designing and implementing library software, LIS educators with experience of teaching library automation and computer science professionals having experience with library software. A purposive sampling was made in this regard. A discussion guide was prepared on the basis of literature review and expert opinions. Data were analyzed qualitatively. The analysis of focus groups revealed that there was a shortage of library software and the libraries of HEIs were still in the process of automation. Few libraries were using standard software but most of the libraries had implemented cataloguing module only. The non-availability of standard library software, regional languages, lack of awareness, lack of funds and lack of vision in the top management of HEIs were the common problems causing hinderance in the effective automation of the libraries. The experts suggested formulation of a consortium under the umbrella of HEC that takes the resposibility of development and distribution of the software.
... Although some local and international software options are available in the Pakistani market, they often fail to meet the specific needs of local libraries. Efforts by IT professionals to address this issue have also been unsuccessful (Siddique and Mahmood, 2016). Bibliometric research is a quantitative method used to analyze the publications of individuals, organizations and subjects in various fields (Pareek, 2013). ...
... Most libraries in Pakistan choose automation software without considering the experiences and perspectives of other libraries (Siddique and Mahmood, 2014). Siddique and Mahmood (2016) highlight the lack of collaboration and consultation between computer experts and library professionals in the development of library software, leading to the failure of these systems to meet user needs. Naveed et al. (2021) conducted a survey on higher education institutions in Lahore to assess the level of automation. ...
... Libraries in Pakistan maintain collections in various formats. Earlier attempts to implement foreign software in Pakistan faced challenges due to the lack of multilingual options during the initial stages of library automation (Siddique and Mahmood, 2016;Siddique, 2011;Siddique et al., 2020;Mahmood et al., 2008;Shafique and Mahmood, 2007;Arshad and Shafique, 2014). ...
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to discover the published information on the subject of “Library Automation Software.”
Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on bibliometric research to analyze the growth of literature on the subject area “Library Automation Software.” The data were retrieved from the leading database Web of Science to analyze the scholarly publications on the topic during 2001–2022. To analyze the bibliometric data on the subject, the VOSviewer, Biblioshiny and MS Excel software were used.
Findings – Results manifest that the topic of “Library Management Systems” has been greatly used by several authors as a title to publish their research work. The USA emerged as the most productive country. The most used keywords to retrieve literature on the topic were “Library Automation,” “Library Management Systems,” “KOHA,” “Integrated Library Systems” and “Open Source Software.”
Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric study in Pakistan that has been conducted tomeasure the productivity of literature at the international level on library automation.
Keywords Library automation, Library management system, Library software, Integrated library systems, Information management software, Bibliometric analysis
... Mahmood (1996) described that library automation at the international level was started in the 1950s, but the history of library automation in Pakistan started in the 1980s, and after that, different libraries started to computerize their library functions. Mahmood (1996) In another study, Siddique and Mahmood (2016) explored the current status of library software and combating problems that hindered to libraries for automation and the solutions of these problems through the opinion of library personnel. The Qualitative research approach was used to get the opinion from three focus groups of library and information science professionals. ...
... As Rafiq and Ameen (2009) Pakistan. In another study, Siddique and Mahmood (2016) tried to explore the problems faced by higher education institutions in Pakistan, data collected through the opinion of experts in the field of library science, and they pointed different barriers of automation confronting by libraries in Pakistan. ...
... Impacts of Automation on Circulation Services by Type of Universities (t-test)Respondents further asked to review the barriers of automation on circulation services that confronting by the librarians. The results were found similar to the studies ofAnas et al. (2014) andSiddique and Mahmood (2016) about the barriers of automation confronting by librarians.Table 14shows the descriptive statistics for responses of the respondents. All the respondents were agreed with statements of barriers of automation on circulation services confronting by the librarians. ...
Background: University libraries are considered as the heart of the university because they perform a central role for both researchers and students. The primary responsibility of university libraries is t to provide a research environment that helps to advance the knowledge of students and researchers. Purpose: The study aimed to examine the automated circulation services and features in the university central/main libraries of Lahore. Method: The quantitative research approach based on the survey method was opted to meet the objectives of this study. Main / Central libraries of universities of Lahore listed on the website of Higher Education Commission (HEC) till February 01, 2019, were selected as the population to conduct the survey. Findings: The study revealed that the majority of the universities had started automated circulation services in their libraries. Koha was the most used integrated library software, followed by LIMS and others. The study found that different barriers of automation are confronted by librarians, such as lack of funds, non-availability of standard software, high cost of proprietary software, and retrospective conversion. Originality/value: This is the pioneer paper that gives insight into the status of automated library circulation services in Pakistan. Library software that was used for circulation services, the impact of automated library circulation services, and barriers confronting by the librarians to automate library circulation services were pointed out.
... Like other technology, integrated library systems are essential in assisting libraries to operate their operations more quickly and efficiently. All traditional library functions can now be completed quickly and efficiently because of an integrated library system (Siddique & Mahmood, 2016). ...
... 101 It is essential to understand the need to deploy and use library software, including, e.g., KOHA, DSpace, e-Prints, and Evergreen. 102 Human resource management, especially effective leadership with a broader vision, boldness, charismatic personality, and knowledge dissemination abilities, is required to lead staff and manage their social relationships. 103 As an information manager of the library, a librarian must be fully aware of Web 3.0, the Semantic Web, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to become expert in the digital landscape. ...
Library and information science has been at an infant stage in Pakistan, primarily in resource management, description, discovery, and access. The reasons are many, including the lack of interest and use of modern tools, techniques, and best practices by librarians in Pakistan. Finding a solution to these challenges requires a comprehensive study that identifies the current state of libraries in Pakistan. This paper fills this gap in the literature by reviewing the relevant literature published between 2015 and 2021 and selected through a rigorous search and selection methodology. It also analyzes the websites of 82 libraries in Pakistan through a theoretical framework based on various aspects. The findings of this study include: Libraries in Pakistan need a transition from traditional and limited solutions to more advanced information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled, user-friendly, and state-of-the-art systems to produce dynamic, consumable, and sharable knowledge space. They must adopt social semantic cataloging to bring all the stakeholders on a single platform. A libraries consortium should be developed to link users to local, multilingual, and multicultural collections for improved knowledge production, recording, sharing, acquisition, and dissemination. These findings benefit Pakistani libraries, librarians, information science professionals, and researchers in other developing countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind providing insights into the current state of libraries in Pakistan through the study of their websites using a rigorous theoretical framework and in the light of the latest relevant literature.
... We need to make more and more E-learning or E-library soft wares. These soft wares should accommodate print and electronic resources and provide a single interface for the students to search for multiple resources (Siddique, N., & Mahmood, K. 2016). Pakistan's government needs to build institutional and public libraries according to the world-class standards and be facilitated with high-tech standards with a wide range of educational and experimental research facilities. ...
Higher education provides opportunities to censoriously reveal the cultural, moral, socio-economic, and spiritual issues faced by the human race. Pakistan's higher education system has many institutional drawbacks includes a lack of quality management, institutional structure, and knowledge gaps between cross-culture educations systems to improve the efficiency of the current higher education system in Pakistan. To make Pakistan an educational center, Pakistan must strengthen the education system by developing modern technology and higher education. This study focuses on low enrolment and dropout gaps, quality and quantity of higher education standards, infrastructure, facilities, and low-quality teaching methods. This study summarizes these problems with suggestions to improve higher education standards and quality through cross-culture developments, performance standards, teaching methods, and examination reforms in Pakistan's higher education system.
... Those studies which have been conducted on library software give a very minor overview of the importance of library automation and also propound the use of library automation to a limited region of the country. There is no literature that may give the current status of library automation in the country (Siddique & Mahmood, 2016). ...
Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure the status of automation, training of staff and level of implementation towards library management systems in public and private university libraries in Lahore, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a quantitative research approach. A Survey was carried out to collect data from the respondents. A structured research instrument was formulated after a review of the literature to collect data from the university libraries of Lahore city. Results: The data analysis of this study revealed that the majority of the libraries are fully automated and only a few libraries are partially automated. Most of the libraries are satisfied with LIMS free based software and KOHA open source software, due to the availability of essential library software modules and facility of customization. The majority of the libraries’ staff got training to use the library management system. A large number of libraries software has Cataloguing, Circulation, Membership, Reports, OPAC, Serials and Acquisition modules and only one library has a Mobile app. Originality/value: The findings of this research might be helpful for libraries in the selection of standard library management systems for their housekeeping functions, evaluation and selection criteria of library software for Pakistani libraries and especially for the libraries of Lahore.
... Also, based on experimental results, we discuss the characteristics of Kafka performance under various configuration settings and working scenarios, which can give users an insight into the appropriate utilization of Apache Kafka. Raza (2017) and Siddique and Mahmood (2016) argue that while there are a number of library management software packages in the market, both proprietary as well as open source; Koha as an integrated LMS has gained much more popularity and acceptability among Indian libraries. Their research study elaborates different phases in data migration process to KOHA from "Alice for Windows" already in use in the Department of Library and Information Science. ...
Purpose
Advancements in open source, free integrated library management system (LMS) for cataloging, circulation, flexible reporting and automated library services especially in academic communities has gained extreme importance. The purpose of this study is to provide solution to a distinct problem about automatic generation of multiple copies for unique titles leading to title mismatch and duplication in biblio-records related to university collection of books. The aim of this paper is to provide solution to generate the unique titles report in any large size university library using KOHA, without loss of accession history or empirical data. This paper also demonstrates the smooth transition from one library software to KOHA.
Design/methodology/approach
The case university is considered here as a giant entity having huge collection of reading material, along with multiple institutes affiliations. The study demonstrates a step-by-step trial-and-error method involving several iterations detecting root cause, implementing corrective actions and finally resolving the problem of data redundancy and duplication of records. Currently, KOHA’s user manual does not provide any solution to this problem. The authors believe that this paper will enable various practitioners of KOHA-LMS toward understanding and appreciating the quality of library information/records being managed in delivering quality services to all its users and stakeholders. The methodology used in this work is KOHA’s open access platform, and the existing LMS, for generating unique titles report. The Microsoft’s Excel format, pivot table approach, Libsuite software, SQL queries for KOHA, databases, cloud-based system platform, etc. approaches are used to successfully achieve the unique title report of print books in the university library.
Findings
This paper provides the solution about how to generate a complete and correct unique title report for all print books of the university. The preventive measures related to generation of unique titles when influx of new books or adding new institute(s) under the university are required.
Research limitations/implications
The focus of the work discussed here is limited to generating correct report of unique titles using KOHA related to only print books of a university having multiple institutes affiliated to it.
Practical implications
This paper gives a constructive solution for generation of the unique titles report using KOHA, practically useful for any university or to the institute who wish to use KOHA, one of the open source software used worldwide for libraries.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study how to generate unique titles report related to print books of the university library. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there exists no such case study from available knowledge base/literature on the topic of interest and particularly focusing on the multiple copies data redundancy problem of KOHA-LMS.
... The presence of electronic resources is seen in every field in today's world but their status in terms of development is still in its embryonic phase in In another study (Idrees, 1995 as cited in Siddique & Mahmood, 2016) explored the status of library automation in 40 libraries of Lahore and revealed that computerization of cataloguing was the leading activity and it was found that the most commonly used software was computerized documentation system/integrated set for information systems(CDS/ISIS). ...
Information sources and in turn electronic resources form the basis of all the sectors of society especially healthcare. They represent a framework to describe the wide spread management of health science information across the globe via computerized systems and its secured and scrutinized exchange between the health science professionals and various associated personals. The overall worth, security and competence of the health research and health services are known to be well determined by means of quality health information sources. Electronic resources in health sciences play a vital role by enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of the information. It is evident that Information is the energy that drives health science (healthcare) decision making. The healthcare field is information intensive, because quality healthcare depends on quality information. Information is intrinsically inseparable from the operations and decisions made in healthcare.Electronic resources are the primary source of information in health science libraries & act as the backbone in every sector of the modern ICT (Information communication technology) based environment. Number of libraries throughout world have incorporated the electronic resources in their collection. The present review paper investigates the status of these electronic resources in various libraries.
The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of how academic librarians perceive open-source and proprietary library software. The researchers used a survey research approach and a self-constructed questionnaire as data collection tool. The study targeted 103 library professionals working at HEC-recognized degree awarding institutions (DAIs) and universities in Lahore, both public and private sectors, yielding an 84% response rate. To meet research objectives, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Study findings explored that library software should have the facility of advanced searching, library standards, and a user-friendly interface. Comparative analysis revealed that open-source library software contains more modules and requires highly skilled employees. On the other hand, human resources with minor skills can use proprietary software. Factors that prevent adopting OSS for academic libraries include a lack of technical support, skilled and motivated library professionals, inadequate cooperation between supervisors and subordinates, and insufficient training opportunities. Experienced library professionals should guide and offer full cooperation in the selection and implementation of software. Library schools and associations should play a decisive role through school curriculum and professional development programs in preparing graduates and practitioners for embracing modern technologies. Open-source software developers should also organize training programs for software users to work independently in libraries.
This study has been conducted for literature review on Impact of ICT on learning activities of users by Academic library services. The study focuses on the technology utilized in Academic libraries and impact on discovering how ICT keeps on advancing, and as it does it is turning out to be increasingly more incorporated with students and researcher learning. Brilliant machines and voice-controlled aides are only two instances of how technology is developing to make students' careers simpler. This study explains how technology changes the manner in which library services work and it additionally influences the way learning exercises of users.
Purpose
The automation of library acquisition is a balancing act which involves dealing with institutional procurement policies, administration, vendors, finance, books, internal audit, reporting and, above all, tracking. Very few studies have dealt with the operational difficulties of the transition from manual to automated acquisition using Koha. The objective of this paper is to investigate the self-reliance of Koha in handling all stages of procurement, starting from suggestions to receiving an ordered title, and to discuss the constraints and difficulties faced during the process.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on internal documentation spanning a period of four years, the paper provides a first-hand account of the experience of the transition from manual to automated acquisition using Koha at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) Library, Bangalore.
Findings
The study reveals that Koha is partially self-reliant in an academic setup where acquisition is dynamic in nature; however, customizations can be made to make Koha self-reliant to a certain extent.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to the procurement of printed books using the acquisition module of Koha.
Practical implications
The paper provides an insight into the acquisition module of Koha while also exploring how acquisition workflows and functions are interconnected and interdependent, which could help acquisition librarians to set up a basic framework and policies before transitioning from manual acquisition to Koha acquisition module.
Originality/value
Automated workflow cannot be tested in a short period of time. This case study is an output of observations of about four years, along with possible limitations, features and customization capabilities of Koha for acquiring printed books. This will help librarian to better understand the Koha acquisition module workflow.
Describes the current status of the use of computers in Pakistani libraries. Discusses the problems faced by librarians and information specialists in automating their libraries. Reviews internationally accepted database management systems mostly used in library housekeeping routines in Pakistan. Also introduces locally developed library packages. Gives a brief account of training facilities in library software offered by library schools and professional associations in the country, particularly the Pakistan Library Association.
The use of computers in libraries in Pakistan is expected to increase as the government realizes the possibilities of new information technology. Outlines the basic elements of the computerization of library operations and discusses the problems of using and developing library software in Pakistan. Libraries have automated individually without exchanging experience; most libraries cannot afford library automation, and librarians are not trained in library automation. Although foreign software is not suitable for Pakistan's libraries, some foreign software is being used, including: dBase III+ and IV; Foxpro; INMAGIC; Mini-micro CDS/ISIS; MINISIS; and Sci-Mate. Attempts have been made to develop library applications software in Pakistan. The most successful has been the Library Automation and Management Program (LAMP), developed by the Netherlands Library Development Project-Pakistan using CDS/ISIS. Recommends that a National Centre for Library Software Development be established and a MARC format for Pakistan should be developed. Library software should be developed to deal with materials in local languages.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the most used library software in Lahore using a checklist and seek librarians' opinions about them. It also aims to seek librarians' opinions about the most desired and needed features of Integrated Library Software (ILS).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on questionnaire survey, interview, document analysis and personal communication. The questionnaire survey was conducted within automated libraries of Lahore, while interviews were conducted with selected librarians from Lahore. Collected data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to reach conclusions.
Findings
A variety of software is being used by the libraries of Lahore. Nor is there available, any standard tool or directory for the selection and evaluation of the software. Evaluation of the software against a checklist reveals the better functionality of Library Information Management System and Library Automation and Management Program than INMAGIC and WINISIS, but librarians were found to be more satisfied with INMAGIC. All the respondents agreed that before selecting any ILS, librarys' actual and perceived needs, available resources and funds should be kept in mind. They also proposed many features of ILS.
Research limitations/implications
The questionnaire survey is limited to the automated libraries of Lahore and focuses on the comparison and evaluation of the most used software only, while selected librarians with good IT skills were chosen for seeking opinions about the most desired ILS features.
Practical implications
The survey results can be helpful to foreign and local vendors of ILS, librarians, higher authorities and other developing countries in selecting and maintaining required software.
Originality/value
It is the first comprehensive study conducted on ILS not only in Lahore, but in Pakistan.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss key issues related to the adoption of open source software (OSS) in Pakistani libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
Literature review and principal author's first‐hand experience of Koha (OSS) implementation in Provincial Assembly Libraries of Pakistan under Pakistan Legislative Strengthen Project of United States Agency for International Development provide the information and insight for this paper.
Findings
Adoption of OSS in libraries is just at a beginning stage in Pakistan, and only a few organizations have so far made their first move in this direction. The major identified issues affecting OSS adoption in Pakistani libraries are: social (cultural) disparity, conceptual confusions, digital divide, lack of technological, financial, and human development.
Practical implications
The paper will help decision makers plan OSS applications in their libraries.
Originality/value
This is the first paper on the topic in Pakistan and explores the issues involved in OSS adoption in a comprehensive manner. The paper can provide understanding regarding adoption of OSS to professionals in Pakistani and other developing countries with similar environment.
The paper presents the extent of information technology (IT) utilization in libraries in Pakistan together with librarians’ level of knowledge in IT and their attitudes toward IT in libraries. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 244 librarians working in libraries in Pakistan. The study revealed not only a low level of IT usage, but also a low level of IT knowledge among librarians. Analysis of relationships revealed that IT utilization in libraries, librarians’ awareness of the potential of IT, recency of attaining professional qualifications, and knowledge in IT had a significant relationship with librarians’ attitudes. The findings of the study also revealed that the level of IT utilization and the librarians’ level of knowledge in technology are good predictors of librarians’ attitudes toward application of IT in their libraries.
Purpose
The paper seeks to reveal the current status of software used in the libraries of Lahore, to explore the satisfaction level of the software users, and to find out their problems and suggestions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reports a survey of automated libraries of Lahore comprising academic (university, college, and school libraries), public and special libraries. Opinions were acquired from the whole population. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, and conclusions were drawn along with recommendations.
Findings
Most libraries purchased or developed software without any exchange of experience with each other. A variety of software was being used by the libraries of Lahore. No standard tool or directory was available for the selection and evaluation of software, nor was comprehensive literature written and published in a Pakistani scenario discussing the technical and practical aspects of library software. The Pakistani literature available on the topic is not up to date.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to the automated libraries of Lahore and focuses on the comparison of software and determining librarians' opinions.
Practical implications
The comparative analysis of software used in various libraries of Lahore made in this study and the opinions of the software users studied will be helpful for foreign and local vendors of library software. It will also provide guidelines for libraries in developing countries, which are planning to automate their services, in selecting and maintaining software that is most suitable to their needs.
Originality/value
No comprehensive survey has been conducted at national or local level to reveal the current status of the software and related problems faced by Pakistani libraries. The current study, although focussing only on libraries in the city of Lahore, can be extrapolated to the country as a whole and should prove useful as an indication of how issues with library software can arise and be handled.
The utilisation of information technology (IT) has become an indicator of a country's wealth level. Countries, which fail to prepare for information technology and do not use it properly, are likely to lose their global competitiveness. Muslim countries have paid little attention to leverage the benefits offered by the IT use in their library and information centres. The first part of this paper reports the status of information technology applications in libraries and information centres of Muslim countries. The second part of the paper reports the level of hardware, software, and IT-based resources available in libraries and information centres in Pakistan. The third part of this paper discusses the problems hindering the wider use of information technology in libraries and information centres in Pakistan. Based on the findings of the survey and documentary research the final part of this paper puts forward overall suggestions to solve the problems hindering the wider use of information technology in libraries and information centres in general, and in Muslim countries in particular.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate and determine the levels of information technology (IT) in Pakistani libraries. More specifically, the paper focuses on the status of computers and other commonly used hardware, e‐mail, internet, library software, automated user services, expenditure on IT and online resources available in academic libraries of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The data are collected through a questionnaire survey of 288 (sample of 682) academic libraries across Pakistan. A total of 219 (76 per cent) valid responses are used for data analysis and interpretation using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).
Findings
The paper finds a low level of IT availability, especially the absence of computers, e‐mail and internet in few libraries. Similarly, the libraries are far behind to achieve excellent IT levels. It is found that libraries need to be fully automated using standard library software/management systems. However, access to online resources through the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is found extensive and comprehensive. The data indicate the need to enhance libraries' IT expenditure.
Practical implications
The findings can be utilized to evaluate the status of different IT tools and applications. The statistical data are very useful and authentic source for planning to improve the libraries' IT infrastructure, library automation and in reducing the gap in levels of IT application in different type of libraries.
Originality/value
This is a first comprehensive study that provides a complete picture along with statistical data regarding IT applications (computers and other common hardware, software, e‐mail, internet, other information access technologies, applications and online resources available) in academic libraries of Pakistan.
We were slow to explore the automation world as the custom software development entails substantial investment and the off the shelf software packages are either too costly or do not meet all the requirements. However, the several library automation projects have been embarked in recent years, as the librarians could not ignore the power of the library automation in order to meet up with the rest of the world in the trend of information management and dissemination. This paper reviews the success of the automation project of the library of the Open University of Sri Lanka with special focus on the automating the circulation of library materials using Alice for Windows - the integrated library management software package. doi: 10.4038/jula.v9i0.311 Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka (Vol. 9) 2005 p.12-22
The University of Calabar Library is set up and organized in such a way that a local area network (LAN) could be developed to take care of library activities. This could be enlarged to include the Computer Centre, the different departments, faculties, institutes and the central administration. It could further be widened to include bibliographic utilities and databases within the city of Calabar and its environs. The Federal Government of Nigeria could go further in developing a National Library Network linking all thirty three universities of the country for maximum utilization of resources.
The automation of technical service functions has led to many changes in workflows and culture. Recent enhancements have leveraged systems developed by materials vendors of books and serials to further enhance library efficiency, resulting in adjustments to how work is assigned both inside and outside the library. Future developments are expected in technical service functions following the same trends, as well as changes that will provide ways to manage the emerging electronic products.
The Integrated Library System (ILS) is a minicomputer-based system in which all automated library functions are processed against a single master bibliographic file. This report describes the functions which the system supports and outlines the system design from a technical viewpoint. ILS consists of five major subsystems: -Bibliographic control (to load and edit MARC-format records), -Catalog access (an online public catalog), -Circulation (to track item location and status), -Serials control (to check in serial issues), and -Administrative (to produce management reports and set system parameters). The ILS software will run on any of three types of minicomputer equipment: Data General Eclipse series, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), PDP-11 series (11/23 to 11/70), or IBM series 1. (Author)
The automated library system (ALS) has undergone significant changes since its inception in the 1970s. It is no longer simply a database to house and retrieve a library's holdings. It has become an integrated library system (ILS) comprised of robust clusters of systems involving every process and module related to libraries.
The Internet, open source, the increase in electronic resources, and the rising expectations of library users are changing the nature of the ILS. Library vendors are at times struggling to keep up with the demand for new services while providing support for existing services.
This article details the evolving role of the ILS and discusses where it could and should be headed.
An online survey was sent to academic libraries and consortia with an integrated library system (ILS) migration project, based on review of press releases from major U.S. ILS vendors. This study takes a systematic approach to provide a snapshot of the academic ILS market and key factors affecting the outcome of an ILS migration project. It reveals the challenges and opportunities facing academic libraries and ILS vendors in an environment with rapidly changing technology and increasingly sophisticated academic users.
Library automation, in rudimentary form, began in the late 1960s and since 1990 has been the main focus of Pakistani librarianship. The generous financial assistance provided by the Netherlands Library Development Project (Pakistan) further accelerated the pace in this regard. However, the libraries in Pakistan have not registered any significant progress. Automated systems are lacking in large university libraries, as well as in college and public libraries. The largest group using this technology is specialist libraries. These libraries use automation primarily for a few selected operations. Some private sector universities have taken steps towards the planning and implementation of integrated library systems, but these are still in the trial stages. The National Library in Pakistan has also just made similar steps. The UNESCO sponsored CDS/ISIS is the most commonly used software; other popular packages used include ORACLE and INMAGIC. Some indigenous systems have also been developed, but without much success. IBM 386 and IBM 486 compatibles are used by the vast majority of libraries. Computer application education is yet to be introduced to schools by the country's library. The major constraints on library automation include: absence of planning, non-availability of software, import restriction on choice of hardware, lack of competent manpower, non existence of standard, absence of co-operation etc.
Purpose
– The study was undertaken to find out which library processes have been automated in Ghana's three older public university libraries namely, the Balme Library, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Library and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Library.
Design/methodology/approach
– Using data obtained through the use of questionnaires, the study examined areas of general automation, automation of specific library processes, networking, internet connectivity, training, and major constraints to library automation.
Findings
– The study found out that even though the university libraries realize the importance of library automation, they are hampered by lack of funds, lack of support from the university administrations, and lack of skilled staff to embark on automation of all library processes. It was also revealed that none of the libraries have on OPAC (online public access catalogue).
Originality/value
– The study concludes with recommendations that would enhance the university libraries drive towards automation of their library processes and ensure effective and efficient use of the new technology to raise the image of the libraries and give their library clients more services.
Library automation: Survey of computerized library services in federal area (Islamabad/Rawalpindi)
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