KARACHI, Oct 19: The National Curriculum Revision Committee of the UGC has decided to include the discipline of information technology and information society in the library and information science curricula.

A meeting of the curricula committee on library and information science was held recently here at the UGC’s regional office. The meeting comprising five sessions was attended, among others, by advisor to UGC, Dr Altaf G Sheikh, Dr Nasim Fatima, chairperson of KU L&IS department and chairpersons of different L&IS departments of universities,

While considering the library science course for BA, the committee identified basic core courses and redesigned 18 optional courses to develop specialised skills in students.

The committee also observed that in order to maintain uniformity, the nomenclature of each library school would be department of library and information science.

According to minutes of the meeting, BLIS degree of Allama Iqbal Open University was not at par with BLIS of other universities. The committee also recommended the change in the name and suggested to prepare a two-year postgraduate course for MLIS.

The revised courses would be applicable to departments having annual system of examinations, while another meeting of library scientists was recommended to review courses of studies for institutions having the semester system. The committee expressed the view that introduction of a course “use of information technology in libraries” was also a must in view of the modern-day requirement and future development of library and information science education in the country.

The committee also underscored the need of teachers’ training library automation, automated management and conservation and preservation. It was also noted by the committee that revised curriculum demanded practical education, which could not be implemented until and unless the computer laboratories and audio-visual laboratories were established properly.