KARACHI: Libraries in line with modern needs urged
KARACHI, Nov 11: There is a need to integrate libraries especially with the academic programmes offered at the academic institutions. This was stated at a seminar on “More than books: New directions for academic libraries”, organized by the Aga Khan University at its premises here on Friday.
In her presentation, Lorin Ritchie, librarian of American University in Sharjah, pointed out that as academic institutions were evolving and adopting new approaches to delivering programmes, students were more actively involved in learning. Moreover, the students were more sophisticated and mobile than they had ever been, she said.
She said that libraries were responding by ensuring that students and researchers had access to a great variety of information resources from a variety of types of communication tools addressing their increasingly complex academic needs and their evolving tendencies.
Lorin Ritchie was of the view that library collections had always assured researchers of good access to research material but with developments both in information formats and information technology could do this beyond any researcher’s expectations.
She said books were important and would hopefully always be so but new information formats like e-journals, data files and media clips were also becoming important.
It was pointed out that in the past decade ‘information literacy’ had become an accepted term in libraries and institutions. She said information literacy could be defined as a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information.
Ms Ritchie was of the view that information literacy was vital to all disciplines and to effective teaching and learning in any institution. She stressed that the institutions of higher learning needed to provide students and instructors with the knowledge, skills and tools to obtain information in many formats and media in order to identify, retrieve and apply relevant and valid knowledge and information resources to their study, teaching or research.
She said that e-learning courses could take advantage of online tutorials to ensure that students develop and enhance their information skills as they proceed through their studies.
Referring to the concept of ‘information commons’ and reference or information desk, she pointed out that libraries had incorporated several new concepts in library space to meet the emerging needs of their students.
She said that academic librarians had always worked closely with faculty to ensure that collections and services met their needs and those of their students.
She pointed out that librarians in the world were developing websites, online tutorials, self-assessment tools like SAILS for the use in information literacy programmes, web evaluation guides and online subject resource guides. “We as librarians are honing our own evolutionary and adaptive skills and with our focus ever sharply aligned with the educational aims of our institutions, we are ensuring that libraries remain a central and vibrant part of the teaching and learning experience,” she concluded.
Ernie Ingles, Vice-provost of the University of Alberta, Canada, gave presentation on the importance of libraries for the academic institutions.
Describing libraries at present in a state of transition, he said that the whole notion of library was in fact the notion of sharing for which collaboration was very important. He stressed that more robust library services should be developed in Pakistan.
AKU President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha said that in the wake of significant enhancement in electronic capability in our country, libraries were going through huge transformation.
He appreciated the support extended by the Higher Education Commission to the universities to connect to worldwide web and described this as an important move to improve the quality of learning resources.
Mr Kassim-Lakha also highlighted the significance of human resource development to improve the quality of learning resources. Dr Marcia Grant and Dr David Taylor of Aga Khan University also spoke on the occasion.—APP
