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Muhammad Younus
Date of Start of Studies:May 2010
Country: Pakistan
Supervisor:Professor Graham Matthews & Dr. Anne Goulding
E-mail: M.Younus@lboro.ac.uk
Title: Digital Reference Services in the University Libraries of Pakistan.
Information and communication technology (ICT) has revolutionized all phases of human life. Libraries are no exception to it. ICT has tremendously changed the traditional set up, and functions and services of all types of libraries throughout the world. The conventional set up of brick and mortar libraries that store information within a constrained physical space have given way to data centres that integrate data sources around the globe by the means of networking. With the development of ICT, it is now possible to retrieve information independently of time zones and geographical location, and to obtain the current information from the form of library without walls or the virtual library.
The flood of information, expansion of knowledge and research, changing concepts regarding information sources and library services and financial constraints have obliged all types of libraries to use ICT. All libraries are challenged to provide greatest information access and improved level of service coping with pace of technological changes. ICT has also greatly changed the information seeking behaviour of the users and created sense of urgency in the users as well as the library professionals themselves.
It is an accepted fact that ICT has influenced all the components of a library system: library functions; library services; information sources; human resources; and users. It is more in case of academic libraries where emphasis is more on the currency and urgent delivery of information. The role the academic institutions play in imparting higher education and conducting research requires academic libraries to be more responsive to changing information needs of their users by keeping pace with technological innovations. Today, all modern academic libraries are providing different library services including reference service with the help of ICT. Reference service provided through ICT or digital reference service brings many benefits to the students and helps them greatly in conducting their research and studies. It provides an opportunity to the patrons to have access to the service from anywhere at any time. In this way it also facilitates distance education which is most popular in academic institutions nowadays.
The aim of this study is to examine the existing ICT infrastructure and technologies being used for provision of digital reference services, assess the nature and level of digital reference services and give suggestions for improvement and effective provision of digital reference services in the university libraries of Pakistan.
Background: After obtaining Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science with distinction from the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan I joined the National Library of Pakistan where I worked on different positions mainly as editor/compiler of Pakistan National Bibliography (PNB). After that I joined the Pakistan Navy where I served as Officer In charge of Naval library for about five years. Thereafter, I worked sometime in college education sector and finally joined my alma mater the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan as lecturer in Library & Information Science. My field of interest is management of library and information services.
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