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The paper gives an account of the implementation of DOBIS/LIBIS at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Library in Saudi Arabia during the period from 1981 to 1991. The local modifications and enhancements made to DOBIS programs to improve the functioning of various subsystems are described, as well as details of how DOBIS/LIBIS processes Arabic information.

With the availability of some innovative second generation systems in the Arabian Gulf marketplace, several libraries in the region are considering system migration. However, they are faced with a number of challenges some of which have continued from the time of implementation of the first generation systems. The paper aims to highlight those challenges and emphasises the need to address them in the planning stage so that the process of changing systems does not turn into a futile exercise.

The paper aims to review major developments in the MARC format, including a brief description of metadata schemes and cross‐walks. It also offers an assessment of how well MARC works for Arabic script materials, a description of the degree to which MARC is used in Saudi Arabia, and the prospects for the use of XML versions of MARC in the Arab world.

Discusses the possible application of various TQM tools in cataloguing operations. Focuses on the methods libraries have adopted to identify user needs and to improve services to meet user needs. Many of these methods either are based on the TQM philosophy or can be adapted to it.

The cataloger’s job and work environment have changed considerably during the last three decades. One of the major factors contributing to these changes is the transformation of the cataloger’s workstation from dumb terminals (OCLC M100) to multipurpose workstations (new generation of PCs). The evolving technologies of microcomputers, CD‐ROMs, networks (LAN, Intranet, and Internet) are the major attributes of today’s cataloging workstation. Intel chips, Pentium processors, and Microsoft Windows have provided a higher level of computing platform to the cataloger’s workstation enabling catalogers to perform multiple tasks on their desktops, such as accessing the local system, bibliographic utilities, online cataloging documentation and publications, authority work, and OPACs of other libraries, and communicating with colleagues, etc. This article discusses the general principle of the cataloger’s workstation, its configuration, the electronic versions of cataloging tools, the workstation’s impact on productivity, and the difficulties in implementing or maximizing the use of the workstation technology in the Arabian Gulf libraries.

BiblioFile marked the beginning of the availability of cataloging tools in electronic format based on microcomputer technology. During the last 17 years, some of these tools have evolved from CD‐ROM‐based to Web‐based versions. The ease of use, updated files, and lower cost of electronic tools have made them all the more popular among catalogers. This paper reviews electronic versions of various cataloging tools and discusses their salient features.

The paper begins with a brief history of library automation and the implementation of DOBIS/LIBIS at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Library. It also discusses the management aspects of the automation project including the composition of the project management teams, the roles of the Project Manager and the Library Systems Analyst and the relationship between the Library and the Data Processing Center as two major partners of the project. The paper also highlights the limitation of the Systems Office in the absence of full‐time staff and suggests that library automation must be managed just as other activities are managed.

In addition to quantitative analysis, the purpose of this paper is to measure the quality of articles published in foreign LIS journals by Pakistani authors based on their Impact Factor (IF) scores reported in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) of 2010; also to discuss the significance and implications of this study for the current and potential authors in Pakistan and other developing countries.

The data for this study were collected from two sets of sources: first, online sources of Google Scholar, LISA, LISTA, an online 50‐year cumulative index of Pakistani LIS literature, and web pages of several authors; and second, printed indexes and bibliographies. The data collected were manually entered into MS Excel for tabulation and created nine tables, which formed the basis of discussion in the paper.

The contribution of Pakistani authors to foreign LIS journals is reasonable in number and below average in quality, according to the JCR IF scores. The authorship patterns show that there is a shift from single‐authorship to collaborative authorship. The contribution of academics is several times higher than that of library practitioners. Likewise the non‐resident Pakistani authors' share in the global LIS literature is much larger as compared to their counterparts living in Pakistan.

This is the first study that evaluates the quality of Pakistani LIS literature using the more popular journal ranking method, JCR IF. The results of this study are expected to have a positive impact on Pakistani authors as they start preparing articles according to the quality requirements of JCR‐ranked journals in the future.

The paper describes various database maintenance functions of Dobis/Libis. In addition, two authority control components: (1) adding cross‐references to provide linkage between headings, and (2) adding authority notes as local decisions about the use of series, both name and title, are discussed.

Presents results of a survey of the Arabian Gulf region marketplace for library automation systems. The paper provides a market review and evaluates the vendors' standing and discusses the various criteria that underpin relative success or failure in this specific marketplace. The paper begins with a short history of library automation systems in the region and the changes arising in the mid‐1990s as major European and North American vendors began to recognise its potential as a territory for growth opportunities in sales and support services. A market share analysis section in which vendors' varying success in fulfilling key local requirements as well as more widely applicable criteria are analysed in relation to their marketplace success. The Horizon system from Dynix emerges as the clear market leader in the principal states of the Arabian Gulf region, due mainly to its strong Arabic and local support capabilities. Finally, two tables list the market share and the relative shares in responsibility between parent company and local vendor for each major system aspect.