Search results

This 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.

The 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.

It 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.

Findings 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.

This study investigated the impact of conspiracy beliefs on fear of Covid-19 and health protective behavior of university students in Pakistan.

A cross-sectional survey using an online questionnaire was conducted at three universities in Punjab (e.g. two public sectors and one private sector) with permission from concerned authorities for data collection. A total of 374 responses were received that were analyzed by applying both descriptive and inferential statistics.

The results indicated the prevalence of conspiracy beliefs and fear of Covid-19 among university students of two public sector universities and one private sector university. Furthermore, the conspiracy beliefs of university students predicted their fear of Covid-19. However, conspiracy beliefs did not predict the health protective behavior of university students.

These results had serious implications for public health in Pakistan demonstrating the critical need for health education and promotion as individual preparedness along with system preparedness is essential to combat Covid-19 pandemic and infodemic. These results are useful for policymakers, healthcare professionals, university administration and library staff for making evidence-based decisions toward health education and promotion related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is hoped that the present study would make an invaluable contribution to existing research on promotional health in general and the role of conspiracy beliefs in putting public health at risk in particular as limited studies have been published so far.

This multi-method study is aimed at assessing the quality and alignment of 11 Pakistani library and information science (LIS) master’s programs’ orientation, curricula and course contents, by comparing them with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Guidelines for Professional Library/Information Programs (2012).

The study is based on a documentary analysis and telephonic interviews with master’s programs’ coordinators of all LIS departments. The data were collected on the 11 master’s programs from three sources: programs’ web pages, prospectuses and curricula with detailed course contents. The principal researcher also conducted 11 structured telephonic and face-to-face interviews with master’s programs’ coordinators.

Findings of the study show that while there is some compliance with IFLA core elements, the courses are largely inclined toward the management and less toward the information communication technologies (ICTs) components. Generally, the courses are traditional in nature, indicating a problem of widespread reliance on outdated and some irrelevant contents that do not reflect the current needs of the changing environment.

The findings highlight the need of increased efforts for seeking alignment with international standards by redesigning and reorienting LIS curricula. Mission and vision statement, planning and evaluation are the areas that need to be focused on to ensure the future survival of academic programs.

This is the first study of its nature in Pakistan that will be beneficial for Pakistan and other developing countries in their curriculum review and development process and future programs orientation.

Open access (OA) has emerged as a modern academic publishing paradigm that strives to provide all members of society with free access to scholarly knowledge. This study aims to assess the behavior of faculty members to publish in OA journals from the perspective of the decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB).

A quantitative survey research design based on a cross-sectional survey approach was applied to investigate the phenomenon. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 338 faculty members of two large universities in Pakistan.

The findings of the study indicate that behavioral intentions (β = 0.664, p < 0.01), subjective norms (β = 0.159, p < 0.01) and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.238, p < 0.01) positively while attitude toward behavior negatively affected the actual behavior of the university faculty members to publish in OA journals.

The study offers theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for educational authorities, policymakers and funding agencies.

The study fills the literature gap and offers insight into the OA publishing behavior of academicians from the perspective of DTPB.

Modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming reference service (RS) from physical to virtual. The paper aims to explore the current status of ICT infrastructure necessary for delivering effective digital reference service (DRS) in university libraries of the Punjab.

This exploratory study used questionnaire survey method to probe the current status. The questionnaire was worded to achieve an official organizational response. For ensuring the content validity, comments from some well‐known LIS professionals were sought. In the light of experts' opinions, necessary modifications were made to the instrument. University libraries of the Punjab province (n=40) recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) were identified as targeted population. The questionnaire was distributed through post and e‐mail. The researchers were able to get questionnaires filled from 38 universities.

The findings reveal that the ICT infrastructure needed for designing and implementing an effective DRS in libraries is better than before but it needs further improvement. Many libraries also own general and reference collection in electronic format. Only a few libraries have started DRS while most of them are still using face to face channel for reference transactions.

This study is an attempt to fill a gap in the local literature on the topic and provides baseline information to design and implement DRS in academic libraries.

The findings will be helpful in designing better and more effective DRS systems in Pakistan as well as in other developing countries.

Library practicum is a supervised, hands‐on practice in various library functions. This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of library practicum in learning various professional skills through the perception of library information science (LIS) graduates.

Since this is a case study, multiple data collection techniques, i.e. a questionnaire survey (having both closed and open ended questions), and discussions with senior faculty members and observation (as a participant observer) are used to probe the real status. LIS graduates of PU sessions 2002‐2006 are identified as the population. The total number of the population is 367 and targeted sample is 118 graduates. Snowball sampling technique is used to reach them.

The findings reveal that well designed and well managed practicum plays a vital role in improving professional skills. Insufficient practicum duration, communication gap among three parties (students, external and internal supervisor), loose supervision and lack of focus on professional skills are the problems reported by LIS graduates.

As a study of the practical elements of studying library science, the paper should be of interest to practitioners.

This paper is the only evaluation of library practicum in Pakistan. The findings will be helpful in designing better and more effective library practicum programs in Pakistan as well as in other developing countries.

In this chapter, I argue that the activism of Muslims in France is complex and diverse and illustrates the equally diverse politics and life experiences of these Muslims. For all the disagreement among French activists who are Muslim, they are united in their opposition to an elite frame of failed citizenship and their efforts to project a new image of French Muslims that is thoroughly French. In this sense, we cannot understand French Muslim activism without considering French elites, particularly the government, and their role in shaping Muslim identity in France.

Based on the socio-technical systems theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of management innovation (MI) on organisational performance (OP), as well as the mediating role of technology (TEC) use and service innovation (SI) in linking MI and OP.

The research data was derived from 163 knowledge-intensive business services firms and analysed through structural equation modelling using SmartPLS software.

This study found a significant impact of MI on OP. The analysis also revealed that TEC use and SI influence OP and that MI influences performance indirectly through TEC use and SI.

This research reinforces the role of MI in firms aiming at improving their performance. The findings of this study suggest that managers’ regular initiatives in management practices, processes and structures influence the enabling role of TEC use and SI on OP.

Since not every MI lead to the planned performance, this research contributes to the literature on the influence of MI on OP by providing empirical evidence on the role of TEC use and SI on OP. TEC use and SI serve as complementary mediators. Higher levels of MI directly increase OP but also increase TEC use and SI, leading to OP.