Abstract
INTRODUCTIONDuring the last fifty years, the world has witnessedimportant changes; in particular, information and com-munication technology (ICT) has brought a revolutionin every sphere of life. Using ICT, libraries have notonly observed remarkable changes in their dailyoperations and services, but also identified a new andactive role for librarians. Automation or computeriza-tion is an important application of ICT in libraries. Itfacilitates speedy library operations, services, and ac-cess to and delivery of information.The current study is the first of its kind to examinethe current status of ICT applications in medical li-braries in Pakistan. It evaluatesthe statusof automationand the availability of Internet, Higher EducationCommission (HEC) Digital Library resources, andwebsites in medical libraries in Lahore, which is thecapital of Punjab province and second largest city ofPakistan, with a population of nine million people. As ahistorical, cultural, and educational city, it is regardedas the heart of Pakistan. Medical libraries in Lahorewere, therefore, selected as a case to examine theprevailing status of ICT applications.LITERATURE REVIEWLibraries in developed countries computerized theiroperations two decades ago. However, the pace of ICTapplications in libraries in developing countries has beenvery slow. Studies conducted by Hopkinson [1], Senevir-atne and Amaraweera [2], Singh [3], and Vasishta [4]provide a good basis from which to grasp the status ofICT applications in the libraries of developing countries.The computer was first used in 1968 in Pakistan toprovide a union catalog of scientific periodicals atthe Pakistan Scientific and Technological InformationCentre, but automation in libraries did not really beginuntil the 1980s. Prior to that, librarians in Pakistanwere reluctant to introduce automation, fearing thatit would minimize their role. However, soon theyrealized its advantages, and now there is a growingtrend of applying ICT in Pakistani libraries [5, 6].International agencies and organizations like the AsiaFoundation, government of the Netherlands, Interna-
Highlights
How many staff members are employed in your library? Professional ____ Nonprofessional ____ 7
What types of hardware equipment is available in your library
Which software is being used for automation in your library?
Summary
Applications of information and communication technologies in libraries in Pakistan Muhammad Ijaz Mairaj, MLIS; Widad Mustafa El-Hadi, PhD Information and communication technologies applications in libraries in developing countries survey 5. Type of library: Academic Special Other Information and communication technologies (ICT) level of staff
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