Search results

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived role of the mosque library in Upper Egypt as an Islamic information institution.

This study used a qualitative approach in the form of a structured interview, which was carried out between July and August of 2020. As possible, the researcher surveyed all mosques in Upper Egypt equipped with libraries (n = 57).

The most important collections of the mosque library were found to be books, rare books, Qur’anic interpretations, jurisprudential volumes, hadiths of the Prophet, biographies, orientalist books, references, manuscripts and bibliographies. The services provided are developing awareness, lending, indexing and abstracting. The activities practiced are hosting school students to visit the library, holding educational seminars and hosting scholars and thinkers. The lack of specialized classification schemes in organizing Islamic subjects, lack of financial allocations, failure to update collections and lack of digital technology were found to be significant challenges faced by mosque libraries in Upper Egypt.

The role of the mosque library extended to enhance the religious background of the worshipers and provide them with different and appropriate sources of information, not only regarding the Islamic religion but also regarding knowledge and other topics.

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the cover of research regarding Mosque Speechmakers (MSs) in the Arabic environment. The researcher tries to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of MSs in the State of Kuwait in terms of their thoughts, approaches, habits, preferences, tools and problems met when using of and accessing information.

The author employed a questionnaire, with a response rate 70.6 per cent (561/795).

The findings of the study revealed that most of MSs in Kuwait tend to be older (aged over 35 years), educated (mostly with BA degrees) and with an average monthly income over 300 KD ($1000 = 282 KD). The study showed that MSs were significantly seeking information to make a specific/general research, to collect necessary statistics, to make a speech/sermon and to present religious sermons/lectures. They preferred to use the home/personal library as well as the special library, specifically the Mosque library. The information-seeking behaviour of a large number of them indicated a preference for printed sources over electronic sources, and a good number preferred to access information through the audio-visual materials as well as the web. A very small number of them were looking for information for the purpose of making a speech (Friday speech/sermon). The study also showed that the most important sources of information MSs were seeking for were biographies, specialised books, particularly Islamic books, mass media (press, TV, videos, etc.). The study also showed that a large number of MSs were poor in the usage of foreign languages, and this in turn has negatively affected to take advantage of the vast information available in these languages. The unpretentious role of the library to deliver requested information, the use of foreign languages as well as the high cost of information were the most significant problems met by MSs when using of and accessing information.

This paper investigates the topic of MSs’ use of and access to information. This topic, unfortunately, has limited previous research, especially in the Arabic and Islamic environment.

The paper provides valuable insight into the information behaviour of a very important client group, namely, MSs.

Being the second one of its type throughout the Arab world, this study is characterised to be a distinguishing one among several studies conducted in the area of the information-seeking behaviour, especially with such a significant group of information users/seekers. Any findings resulted from this study may help in a better understanding of the MSs’ information-seeking behaviour, and may also help policy and decision-makers (Mosques and Islamic institutions) as well as religious information service providers to understand well the nature of these beneficiaries of information sources and to enrich the awareness of researchers and professionals on the topic of information-seeking behaviour of Mosque speechmakers.

One of the largest floods in Iran happened in Nowruz in 2019, during which torrents of rain, flooding of rivers, landslides and the destruction of dams caused floods and led to financial losses and loss of life in 25 provinces of Iran. During and after the flood, 39 public libraries were closed, three libraries were evacuated and one was completely destroyed.

Despite the damage that occurred in the libraries, the preventive measures had been taken by many of them to reduce the whole damage. In addition, after the flood, responsible organizations including Iran Public Libraries Institution, the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults and the Cultural and Art Organization of Municipality and the Mosques and Cultural Center, as well as other relief and social teams, and even people performed activities to reduce the negative impacts caused by the flood.

This article reviews these activities and their effectiveness. In the end, “the development of a plan for public libraries in natural and social crises” is proposed and the reasons for its necessity are discussed.

This article reviews these activities and their effectiveness. In the end, “the development of a plan for public libraries in natural and social crises” is proposed and the reasons for its necessity are discussed.

This paper aims to determine the adequacy of the public library system with respect to the total population as well as the viable population of different regions of Tehran city, the capital of Iran, especially pertaining to book collections in accordance with the IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines.

A survey was conducted through a questionnaire distributed to librarians of the public libraries under study. The other resources of data used for this study are annual reports and official records of the libraries at the provincial and national level.

The findings reveal the ratio of book collections with respect to the viable population of different regions of Tehran. Only one of 22 regions has a book collection as per IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines.

This paper highlights how public libraries in Tehran are providing access to information resources and whether the book collections of the libraries are adequate as per international standards. It also suggests certain improvements for the existing system.

The purpose of this paper is to develop understanding of the problems of classification, to discover the classification practices of libraries with rich collections on Islam cited in the literature, to find the gaps, and to determine the point from which to start work on further development.

Published and unpublished literature, both print and electronic, that is relevant to the problem was reviewed objectively in the compilation of this paper.

Standard classification systems lack proper space for materials on Islam for two reasons: less awareness on the part of devisers of the depth and variety of Islamic topics; and their bias and lack of interest in Islam. Different indigenous classification systems and expansions have been developed, using either the original notation or alternative notations. Some systems have been developed without following any standards or logic. This study has revealed a need for empirical study of libraries with rich collections on Islam in order to gain a better understanding of the problem and find an optimal solution.

No empirical field data are included in this study. This is a review of the literature.

The author indicates the current situation of the problem and a potential framework for its solution.

Discusses issues relating to professional development and manpower training in Kenya. Provides background information on the libraries and information sciences training programmes situation. Gives attention to issues and trends affecting the information profession in training, curricula development, application of information technology, cost of information materials and the crisis in supply and demand in regard to manpower development in the information profession. Suggests that institutions for training information professionals need to observe the supply and demand trends in their environment and to adjust both the curricula and intake of trainees to the national situation. The training institutions also need to broaden the courses offered in their programmes to include computer skills, communication studies, economics of information, marketing, research methodologies, management, publishing and booktrade, resource sharing and continuing education. The market for information professionals needs to be provided with products with diversified knowledge and skills. Concludes with observations on how the problems of manpower development and training in information sciences in Kenya may be handled.

The paper aims to: assess the situation of rural population in Pakistan and information facilities available to them including telecommunications, computers and public libraries; document the community information initiatives in terms of objectives, institutional framework, staff, services, use, finance, technology and lessons learned; understand challenges and opportunities regarding the establishment of multipurpose community telecenters (MCTs) in rural areas of Pakistan; and to propose a model for the establishment of MCTs in Pakistan in terms of policy formulation, planning, management, funding, building, equipment, technology, services, target groups, marketing and sustainability.

The study is based on literature review and interviews of persons involved in activities of providing information to the rural community in Pakistan selected from the telecommunications sector, libraries and national and local non‐governmental organizations.

The paper highlights the role of MCTs in rural development. It assesses the situation of the rural population in Pakistan and information facilities available to them including telecommunications, computers and public libraries. The paper documents existing community information initiatives in terms of objectives, institutional framework, staff, services, use, finance, technology and lessons learned. It presents challenges and opportunities regarding MCTs in rural areas of Pakistan. A model is proposed for the establishment of MCTs in Pakistan in terms of policy formulation, planning, management, funding, building, equipment, technology, services, target groups, marketing and sustainability. The paper also discusses how MCTs can be an alternative to rural public libraries.

The paper presents a model for the establishment of MCTs in Pakistan in terms of policy formulation, planning, management, funding, building, equipment, technology, services, target groups, marketing and sustainability.

The Library and Information Science (LIS) discipline face challenges such as technology applications and information overload in its effort to remain relevant in the challenging job market. This study aims to determine the skills and knowledge needed for LIS professionals in the job market to rethink the current syllabus and offer better future employability.

The research used a survey method to collect data concerning personal information, LIS employment opportunities, job titles and skills needed. Content analysis followed to determine librarianship job listings and the need for LIS graduate jobs in Kuwait.

The findings suggested difficulties and challenges; they also compiled a comprehensive list of skills needed and recommended courses and institutions hiring LIS graduates. The research improves decision-making in syllabus development and experiences recommended by employers.

Academic departments can follow this research to develop and update their syllabuses according to the requirements of the job market, thus offering better future job opportunities.

As LIS graduates are provided with better education, the updating of their employability skills will help them socially by recognising their employment status and economically by raising their pay.

The research is the first in Kuwait to collect LIS job titles and analyse employability needs.

The purpose of this paper is attracting attention to the use of information by mosque speechmakers (MSs) in the Islamic and Arabic world, specifically in Upper Egypt.

This study used a survey, which was conducted from September to November 2019. A structured questionnaire was designed in Arabic and distributed to the mosques that were chosen as a sample to represent all the mosques of Upper Egypt. The researcher sampled 5% (n = 421) of the total of 8,421 mosques in Upper Egypt.

The findings showed the majority of the MSs in Upper Egypt are to be older (from 36 to 60 years, educated [mostly with BA degrees]), married and with an average monthly income over LE 3,500. Almost all MSs were strongly looking for information to make specific/general research, to make a religious lecture and be aware of contemporary events. The most frequently used sources of information by MSs were biographies, books, mass media, references and the Web. Most of the MSs had been using information heavily. The highest percentage of them spent from 7 to 12 h a week searching for information. MSs preferred the use of printed sources of information to those non-print sources. Mobile apps, followed by the Web and information databases were the most significant technological tools used by MSs. MSs’ efficiency level of using English was good and a reasonable number of them indicated that they were not good at speaking other languages, such as French. The home/personal library and the special library were the most important types of libraries used by MSs. The unaffected role of the library to access information, followed by the use of foreign languages to access some sources of information, as well as the use of technology, were the most significant problems faced by MSs when searching for information.

This paper investigates the topic of MSs’ use of and access to information. This topic, unfortunately, has limited previous research, particularly in the Arabic and Islamic environment.

This paper provides valuable insight into the information behavior of a very significant client group, namely, MSs.

Being one of the very few studies conducted on these beneficiaries of information in the Arab and Islamic environment, this study is considered a unique one among several studies conducted in the area of the information-seeking behavior, especially with such a significant group of information users/seekers in such influencing environment in the world. The findings of this study may help in a better understanding of the information-seeking behavior of the MSs.

Discusses the management of different types of libraries in Saudi Arabia with reference to the existing practices in the country. Indicates various problems faced by these libraries, such as absence of library legislation, absence of a library association, lack of funding, scarcity of native librarians, etc. Suggests how to overcome these constraints.