Library And Information Science Departments Research Articles

Post-COVID-19 assessment of the use of Open Educational Resources at five European Library and Information Science higher education institutions

This article presents an analysis of the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their potential use in the post-pandemic, in Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education institutions. The research explored how OER were used and created, what were the main barriers and drivers in practice and some main lessons learned that can help to improve the quality and increase the use of OER beyond times of crisis. The research was based on fieldwork carried out in the LIS departments of the universities of Barcelona (Spain), Hildesheim (Germany), Osijek and Zagreb (Croatia) and the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies in Sofia (Bulgaria). The methodology approach was qualitative and was based on interviews with faculty and focus groups with students. Results show that faculty members were still hesitant to adopt OER since they generally did not consider them. Moreover, those who did use them did so on their own initiative and as additional resources. We discuss the different speeds of OER implementation that have been observed depending on the faculty’s prior level of knowledge, and on whether their institutions and countries are prepared to support the use of OER. The promotion of post-pandemic OER involves greater capacity building, as well as collaboration and institutional support. Students’ attitudes about the usefulness of OER focus on their availability. The large number of teachers and students who participated in the study, as well as the international scope of the study, constitute a strength in the treatment of a topic such as the use of OER where the user perspectives and LIS context have been little addressed in the literature.

Use and Acceptance of Open Educational Resources in Library and Information Science Departments in South African Higher Education Institutions

Technology advancement has caused various changes in education, a phenomenon which demands academics to keep up with these changes. Covid-19 caused multiple educational challenges, as online teaching had to be adopted and implemented quickly. The scarcity of online teaching and learning resources has been one of the major problems in South African education. The establishment of open educational resources (OERs) came with some solutions during the trying times of the pandemic, where direct contact with other people was significantly reduced. OERs are educational materials in the public domain introduced with an open licence, such as digital textbooks, research papers, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audios, videos, and animations. It emerged in this study that library and information science (LIS) departments have some awareness of OER. LIS staff employ OERs in their work. However, LIS students rarely utilise them in their studies. It was discovered that LIS departments experience challenges regarding the awareness of copyright, technological problems, quality assurance, and a lack of understanding OER. It can be concluded, based on the findings, that LIS departments were not fully prepared for the changes (moving to online learning) implemented in response to the pandemic. Thus, the study recommends that there should be improved OER awareness, academic staff training, workshops, adequate ICT infrastructure, and improvement of technical skills to increase the utilisation of these resources in LIS departments. This paper depicts an overview of OER and the involvement and opportunity it holds for library and LIS professionals.

Knowledge of library and information science undergraduates on plagiarism in federal universities in South-East Nigeria

This study examined the knowledge of Library and Information Science (LIS) undergraduates towards plagiarism in Federal Universities in South-East Nigeria. The study determined LIS undergraduates’ level of knowledge on plagiarism, and explored their level of knowledge based on their year of study. Two research questions guided the study and one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive research survey design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 868 undergraduates which included 2021/2022 undergraduates of LIS departments in Federal Universities in South-East Nigeria. The sample size of 274 was selected using the Taro Yamane formula and proportionate stratified random sampling technique. A validated instrument titled Cognitive Test on Students Knowledge of Plagiarism (CTSKP) adapted from Gharedaghi et al (2013) was used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was established through the Kudder-Richardson (K-R20) formula, yielding a high reliability coefficient of 0.88. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to answer research questions and test hypothesis. The findings of the study among others revealed a moderate knowledge of plagiarism among LIS undergraduates with knowledge variations across academic years. It was recommended among others that LIS educators should augment the curriculum with focused courses on plagiarism, fostering academic integrity.

Research collaboration among library and information science professionals in Nigerian universities

PurposeThe necessity for continuous advancement in library education and practice requires research collaboration among library professionals. This study aims to investigate research collaboration among lecturers in the department of library and information science (LIS) and librarians in university libraries in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The quantitative study employed a close-ended questionnaire for data collection. The study covered all the librarians in academic libraries and lecturers in the department of LIS (LIS professionals) in public universities in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun States, Nigeria. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The criterion mean of 2.50–2.99 was used for the research questions.FindingsIt was found that librarians in academic libraries and lecturers in Nigeria rarely engage in research collaboration. The reasons for the research collaboration are to increase the quality of research in the library profession, make research in the library profession more in-depth and cross-fertilize ideas for generating novel insights.Practical implicationsIt is the engagement of librarians in academic libraries and the lecturers in the LIS department in the exchange of knowledge at national and international levels through research collaboration that can enhance the quality of research that emanates from the library profession.Social implicationsPromotion of the library profession requires the integrated effort of library professionals in academic libraries and lecturers in the department of LIS through research collaboration.Originality/valuePromotion of the library profession requires the integrated effort of library professionals in academic libraries and lecturers in the department of LIS through research collaboration.

Redesigning Library and Information Science Curriculum for Sustainable Environmental Transformation Among Students of the Department of Library and Information Science, Lead City University

The core tool for measuring the sustainability of the Library and Information Science (LIS) discipline is the curriculum which has always been a source of concern within the Nigerian space. It was on this premise that the study systematically investigated the redesigning of LIS curriculum for sustainable environmental transformation among students of the Department of LIS, Lead City University (LCU). Findings of the study showed that the majority of students opined that the redesigned curriculum is promoting sustainable environmental transformation as it is equipping the ideal 21st-century librarian with the requisite skill set (70%); redefined curriculum promotes a socially oriented librarian (53.2%); curriculum emphasizes the economic implications of the library for sustainable environmental transformation (43.3%); curriculum broadens the horizon of students further into meeting the information needs of the present clienteles without compromising the future generations (55.7%). The outcome of the study is expected to inform policy in adopting the redefined LIS LCU curriculum in Nigeria.

An investigation into information literacy education in library schools in Nigeria

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate information literacy (IL) education in library schools in Nigeria, to establish whether they are in line with international and national library and information science (LIS) standards (“library schools” here indicates departments offering LIS qualifications within higher education institutions). The study used document analysis and qualitative methods. First, departmental documents from heads of department and students’ handbooks containing the LIS curriculum were collected from thirty (30) library schools in Nigeria and analyzed. Secondly, lecturers in the department of LIS from the thirteen (13) library schools offering an IL course were engaged in an interview. The study revealed a significant improvement compared to previous studies as 13 out of the 30 Nigerian universities surveyed offered the course “information literacy” as a stand-alone course in the department of LIS. Unfortunately, the study found that majority of the LIS departments do not have IL laboratories for students to acquire practical skills. These findings will provide useful data for stakeholders in the university system such as supervising bodies, university management, heads of department, and library associations and regulatory bodies, assisting them in the creation of policies related to the integration of IL courses into the school system and in enforcing the implementation of these policies.

Statistics Training in Library Science: Comparing Approaches in Library and Information Science to Sociology Graduate Programs

Library and information science (LIS) research is becoming more quantitative. However, statistics is not extensively taught within LIS research methods courses, and statistics courses are uncommon within LIS programs. Previous research on statistics in LIS revealed that researchers have mainly relied on descriptive statistics in publications. This article argues that LIS’s partner disciplines, such as sociology, emphasize statistical training more so than do LIS programs at the master’s level. Sociology serves as an appropriate comparison to LIS because of its central status in the development of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and its relevance for library science. The author analyzed the curricular requirements of 109 master’s degree programs (47 sociology and 62 LIS programs) and 81 research methods syllabi (60 in sociology and 21 in LIS). The analysis of master’s in LIS (MLIS) and sociology MA curricula revealed that MLIS students took 0.6 research methods courses while sociology MA students took 2.7 methods courses. LIS programs typically required one methods course, whereas sociology MA programs required three. LIS methods courses spent on average 19% of instructional time on statistics, whereas 64% of sociology MA programs’ instruction in methods focused on statistical analysis. 86% of LIS research methods courses covered descriptive statistics and only 38% of LIS courses discussed inferential statistics. Statistical training in LIS programs remains limited. LIS departments could approach statistical training as sociology has done by teaching inferential statistics and other advanced techniques. Thereafter, information professionals can publish more widely and provide improved research support.

Infodemic surrounding COVID-19: Can LIS students recognize and categorize “problematic information” types on social media?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of infodemic and related terminologies and their ability to categorize COVID-19-related problematic information types using examples from social media platforms.Design/methodology/approachThe participants of this study were LIS students from a public-funded university located at the south coast of Bangladesh. An online survey was conducted which, in addition to demographic and study information, asked students to identify the correct definition of infodemic and related terminologies and to categorize the COVID-related problematic social media posts based on their inherent problem characteristics. The correct answer for each definition and task question was assigned a score of “1”, whereas the wrong answer was coded as “0”. The percentages of correctness score for total and each category of definition and task-specific questions were computed. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were run to examine the differences in total and category-specific scores between student groups.FindingsThe findings revealed that students’ knowledge concerning the definition of infodemic and related terminologies and the categorization of COVID-19-related problematic social media posts was poor. There was no significant difference in correctness scores between student groups in terms of gender, age and study levels.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an effort was made to understand LIS students’ recognition and classification of problematic information. The findings can assist LIS departments in revising and improving the existing information literacy curriculum for students.

Sharing of Misinformation during COVID-19 Pandemic: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior with the Integration of Perceived Severity

ABSTRACT This study investigates the behavioral intention to verify information before sharing during COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 210 Library and Information Science (LIS) students from three LIS departments. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs and the perceived severity construct were used to check respondents’ behavior. The results of the data analysis revealed that respondents showed high levels of perceived behavioral control and attitude toward intention to verify information before sharing. However, Subjective norms and perceived severity appeared to have insignificant effect on respondents’ information sharing behavior. The findings of the study highlights the importance of information literacy skills to overcome chaos of misinformation spreading on social media platforms.

Bibliometric Study of Scholarly Productivity of Library and Information Science Research in Bangladesh from 1971 2020

This paper aims to measure the extent to which Bangladesh-based Library and Information Science (LIS) researchers have published in leading LIS journals indexed by Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS. To answer this question, bibliographic information from LIS publications published in leading bibliographic databases from 1971 to 2020 were examined. Data from 266 LIS publication were collected, compiled and cleaned. VOSviewer software was used to carry out the science mapping of bibliometric networks. From the data it was evidenced that joint authorship and international collaboration have been increasing during this time frame. Authors from 20 countries have published in collaboration with Bangladeshi LIS researchers. Faculty members and the Department of Information Science and Library Management (ISLM) of Dhaka University became the most prolific authors and LIS Department in Bangladesh. The data compiled and findings will benefit current Bangladeshi LIS researchers and practitioners to assess areas of focus by highlighting, what they have, what they lack, and how they could grow to get direction for future research.

Digital Library Education in Tertiary Institutions: Roadmap to Revolutionizing Nigerian University Library Services

The purpose of the paper is to bring to light the state of education in Digital Libraries (DLs) in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, and the readiness of library schools to produce future digital librarians in Nigeria. The study covered 31 universities offering Library and Information Science (LIS) approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria. The main data collection method for the study was analysis of departmental documents containing the LIS curriculum. Second, six Library and Information Science educators in universities that are yet to integrate digital libraries course in their LIS curricula were interviewed. The study revealed that majority of the library schools offer a course in digital libraries or related areas as a core course in their curricula. However, only a few library schools have computer laboratories for students to enhance their digital library skills. Some LIS educators identified challenges such as lack of qualified ICT staff to handle the course and a lack of computer laboratories equipped with modern computers and stable Internet facilities in the LIS departments. Findings from the study will inform library educators on the need to redesign curricula to integrate digital libraries course, in order to produce future digital librarians in this digital era and thus overcome the frequently mentioned challenge of lack of ICT staff to manage digital libraries in Nigeria. The project will enable library schools in Nigeria to provide a world class library education that is in line with the standard recommended by international and national LIS professional bodies.

The Library and Information Science educator: nurturing for strategic learning experiences

Ziel: Das Ziel dieses Beitrags ist, die Erfahrungen der Lehrer/innen im Fach Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information in Bezug auf die Strategieintegration in den Bibliotheksschulen hervorzuheben, die Ergebnisse der Erfahrungen zu untersuchen, die Schlussfolgerungen zu bestimmen und die Implikationen der Ergebnisse festzulegen.Forschungsmethode: Es geht um einen Bericht der Lehrer/innen im Fach Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information in den nigerianischen Bibliotheksschulen. Die Untersuchung wurde an der Madonna-Universität in Nigeria sowie an der Pädagogische Ignatius-Ajuru-Universität in Port Harcourt in Nigeria durchgeführt. Daran waren fünfzehn Pädagogen, d.i. Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaftler/innen, beteiligt. Zur angewandten Methode gehörten die Gespräche, Diskussionen in Gruppen, Talkshows und Präsentationen. Die Strategien realisierte man in den Jahren 2017–2019.Ergebnisse: Man stellte fest, dass die Lehrer/innen im Fach Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information die folgenden Elemente in ihr Lehrprogramm einbezogen: den Welttag des Buches, den Welttag des Lesens und Schreibens, den Welttag der Sprache, den Jahrestag der Menschenrechte, die globale Vorstellung der IFLA, die Schulungen aus dem Bereich der Motivierung und der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien. Die Einteilung der Studenten in Gruppen und das Initiieren von den besagten Aufgaben motivierten die an der Karriere interessierten Studenten und gewannen Ansehen der Mitarbeiter der Fakultäten für Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information. Die Schlussfolgerungen bestätigten die Bereitschaft der Studenten und der Mitarbeiter dazu, an Programmen häufiger teilzunehmen, die Bewunderung vonseiten anderer Fakultäten und die Bewusstseinsbildung zu aktivierenden Lehrprogrammen.Schlussfolgerungen: Man nimmt die Notwendigkeit wahr, die Strategie der Schulungen und des Lehrprogramms in den Bibliotheksschulen zu ändern, damit sie mit den globalen Trends in den Informationsdiensten übereinstimmen. Aus diesem Grund ist die Aktualisierung von Schulungen und der Bildung im Fach Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information so wichtig, und zwar wegen der Ausbildung von dynamischen und auf Karriere eingestellten Profis. Die Bibliothekswissenschaft und Wissenschaftliche Information sind von Bedeutung, und die Lehrer/innen müssen die treibende Kraft des Wandels durch das Stimulieren vom Dialog und von Praktiken beibehalten. Dies ermöglicht, neue Profis auszubilden, die in die Informationsgesellschaft mit ihrer Berufsbereitschaft gehören werden.

An evaluation of digital library education in library and information science curriculum in Nigerian universities

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the library school’s curriculum in Nigeria with the aim of comparing it with international and national library and information science (LIS) guidelines regarding provision of “digital libraries” course. Design/methodology/approach This study covered 31 universities offering LIS approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The main instrument for data collection for the study was analysis of departmental documents containing the LIS curriculum. Second, some library and information science educators from universities that were yet to integrate the course digital libraries in their LIS curriculum were interviewed. Findings This study revealed that majority of the library schools offer the course “digital libraries” or related areas as core course in their curricula. However, only few library schools have computer laboratories for students to enhance digital library skills. Some LIS educators in the library schools identified challenges such as lack of qualified information and communication technology (ICT) staff to handle the course coupled with lack of computer laboratories equipped with modern computers with stable internet facilities in the LIS departments in Nigeria. Practical implications The findings from this study may inform curriculum revision and updating efforts to make it more relevant by incorporating a stand-alone course on “digital libraries” and provision of computer laboratories in the LIS departments to produce future ICT/digital librarians. Originality/value If university administrators, decision-making body in the departments and LIS educators understand the factors that are currently standing in the way of integrating a course on digital libraries, then those barriers can be removed or lowered. If the enabling factors are appreciated, then actions can be taken to stimulate the implementation of the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN)/NUC recommendations in all library schools in Nigerian universities.

Perceived Gaps in Infopreneurship Education and Research in the Faculty of Communication and Information Science at the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, in the Period 2011–2018

Infopreneurship education at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe is a course designed to provide students with the requisite skills and knowledge to identify a potential business idea centred on information- or knowledge-related services. Besides a few studies that have been done to date by academics and students, the infopreneurship content offered at NUST seems to be thin and excludes key topics. This study sought to investigate the perceived gaps in infopreneurship education and research in the Faculty of Communication and Information Science (CIS) at NUST in the period 2011–2018. A descriptive survey research design was employed and data were collected using content and document analysis, questionnaires, and interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select 46 undergraduate students from the departments of Library and Information Science (LIS) and Records and Archives Management (RAM) who had just completed a course on infopreneurship. The findings reveal that very few studies on infopreneurship have been conducted by undergraduate and postgraduate students in the RAM and LIS departments from 2011 to 2018, let alone academics in the same faculty. The findings indicate that although the infopreneurship curriculum has undergone some changes over the years, it still lacks content on business aspects. This study recommends that students be encouraged to undertake research on infopreneurship, and that the infopreneurship course be reviewed to include topics on business analysis, innovation and idea generation, market research, technology entrepreneurship, and financial management and planning. The study also recommends that the CIS Faculty engage in field trips to established infopreneurship businesses to facilitate practical learning orientation for infopreneurship education.

Cross-disciplinary collaboration versus coexistence in LIS serials: analysis of authorship affiliations in four European countries

The interdisciplinary nature of library and information science (LIS) research has been highlighted for some time now. The term “interdisciplinary” is used primarily in the LIS literature as a general concept with different meanings that refer either to the coexistence of researchers from different scientific fields or to cross-disciplinary collaboration expressed in the form of coauthorship. This study analyses the disciplinary profile of LIS researchers with a view to ascertaining the actual level of cross-disciplinary collaboration and identifying all fields involved. Because of the complexity of identifying accurate affiliations at knowledge area level, the study was limited to authors from France, Germany, Spain and the UK. This analysis of authorship affiliation was performed based on research published in LIS serial titles indexed in Scopus during the 2010–2017 period. A rigorous and laborious process of identifying author affiliations was carried out. This involved checking the authorship of each paper and complementing this with information from websites, scientific social networks and other research endeavours whenever ambiguous situations arose. We observed that LIS departments produce barely a third of the research published in serial titles in the LIS subject category. Cross-disciplinary collaboration among all of the scientific fields involved is low, and even lower in LIS than in other fields. The low level of cross-disciplinary collaboration in LIS contradicts the interdisciplinary nature of LIS highlighted in the literature.

The employment landscape and LIS education in Pakistan: challenges and prospects

PurposeThis study aims to explore the current and future employment opportunities for library and information science (LIS) graduates. It identifies future employers and emerging competitors in the information landscape. The strategies that may be used to respond to and capture the future job market are also presented for LIS schools in the light of the study findings.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative approach coupled with the interview technique was used for collecting insight into the phenomena. Face-to-face and telephonic semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 faculty members (professors, associate professors and assistant professors) from 8 LIS departments. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data to present the participants’ opinions regarding various aspects of the job market in the country.FindingsIt was found that the job market was still traditional (library) and would continue to be so for the next five to seven years. However, the findings also indicated the emergence of a non-traditional job market in the country. New job titles and functions relevant to the emerging job sector other than libraries in the information environment were noted.Originality/valueFindings may have a direct impact on the future orientation, survival and sustainability of LIS programs in the country. The study may inform curriculum revision and updating efforts to make it more relevant and responsive to future needs.

Relationship Between Information Literacy Skills Acquisition and Research Self-Efficacy of Library and Information Science Postgraduate Students in Southeast Nigerian Universities

The study investigated the relationship between information literacy skills acquisition and research self-efficacy of Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students in Southeast Nigerian Universities. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 326 postgraduate students which included all 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 Ph.D. and Masters Degree students from the Departments of LIS in Southeast Nigerian universities that offer the postgraduate programme in LIS. The entire population was studied. Two validated instruments which included cognitive ability test for Information Literacy Skills (ILST) and Research Self-Efficacy Scale (RSES) adopted from Buyukozturk, Atalay, Sozgunc, and Kebapci were used for data collection. The internal consistency of ILST and RSES were established using Kudder-Richardson and Cronbach's alpha coefficient which yielded 0.85 for ILST and 0.86 for RSES. Data collected were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (r). The study found out that there is a negative relationship between information literacy skills and research self-efficacy scores of LIS postgraduate students. Also, no significant relationship exists between information literacy skills and research self-efficacy scores of LIS postgraduate students. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the assessment of students’ information literacy skills by the LIS Department, LIS educators, and LIS professionals should be employed frequently. This will help determine their strength and weakness and with that, the students will be able to know their stand which will encourage them to acquire these skills where it is lacking as well as instill confidence in their ability to conduct research.

Informetrics Education in Library and Information Science (LIS) Departments at Universities in South Africa

This study sought to explore informetrics education in Library and Information Science (LIS) departments at universities in South Africa. We adopted the pragmatic epistemology and pluralistic ontology for our study. The mixed research methods we employed were survey and content analysis. The survey comprised a questionnaire by means of which we collected data from the LIS heads of department (HODs) and informetrics lecturers, and we employed content analysis to analyse the content of course outlines. The study’s population was the LIS departments at the surveyed tertiary education institutions in South Africa. Nine LIS departments were targeted, and eight of them responded. At the time of the study, five of the nine LIS departments were found to offer informetrics education, namely those at the University of Cape Town, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Limpopo, University of the Western Cape, and University of Zululand. We established that the LIS department at the University of Zululand was the only department that offered informetrics education as an autonomous module/course as part of the full LIS programme. Other LIS departments offered it as a chapter or a unit in a module, and the University of Limpopo offered it at an undergraduate level. We found that the institutions surveyed offered informetrics education at different study levels and notches and that there was no uniformity in the content of the informetrics courses across the institutions’ LIS departments. Our findings indicated that the blended learning method was widely used, comprising case studies, group discussions, and online teaching and learning methods. We found that the various LIS departments experienced challenges (e.g. teaching capacity, student preparedness, and ICT support), and we suggested solutions to meet these challenges. We noted that informetrics education in South Africa was limited and we recommended more awareness creation, curricula development, short courses and awareness of global trends.

Cataloging Skills of the 21st Century: A Mapping of Cataloging Education in LIS Departments Across India

Cataloging is a core skill taught and practiced by Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals. This study was done with a purpose of gauging the cataloging skills required to be incorporated for cataloging education in India. This article presents a content analysis of select syllabi of cataloging courses taught in the Library and Information Departments of India. The syllabi were analyzed to identify and note the core cataloging components taught in the LIS departments and schools in India. Core components viz. Cataloging Codes, Standard Subject Headings, MARC 21 Formats, and Metadata Standard Dublin Core were selected based on topics in the cataloging paper taught in theory and practice. A mapping of the skills required for cataloging work is presented. The study findings indicate that updated components need to be introduced in practice and theory. Indian cataloging syllabi studied show disparity with the essential skills needed to prepare 21st century catalogers.

Library and information science collaboration in Pakistan: challenges and prospects

PurposeThis study aims to explore the nature and extent of collaboration among library and information science (LIS) departments, faculty members and practitioners. It also intends to identify the challenges and future prospects of collaboration in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachFace-to-face and telephonic semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 faculty members (professors, associate professors and assistant professors) from eight LIS departments. A thematic analysis approach was used to answer the research questions.FindingsA thematic analysis of the participants’ opinions reveals a weak and informal collaboration among LIS stakeholders. However, high level of awareness among faculty members regarding the potential benefits of collaborative activities was observed. Their urge for developing liaison and collaboration with stakeholders is a positive indication that requires visionary leadership and committed efforts to ensure long term success.Practical implicationsThe study aspects discussed may provide guidelines for creating future planning and growth of professional collaboration in Pakistan. The scope of this study may be extended to groom national, regional and international collaborative activities in other countries with same conditions. Though this study is conducted in Pakistan, the findings may be extended to other parts of developing countries with similar context.Originality/valueIt will serve as a guideline for further research, as it has addressed an untouched area and reports original research.