Library and information science education as ignition source for services in non-academic special libraries

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the number, difference and ratio of professionals and non-professionals heading toward non-academic special libraries (NASL). This study also explored the difference of provision of services based on educational qualifications.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative survey research method and questionnaire as a data collection tool was used to conduct the study. The questionnaire contained four educational levels against the 18 services variables. No list or directory being available, 71 special libraries were assured to be there in Lahore through snowball-sampling technique. Out of 71 questionnaires, 41 were returned and analyzed using Chi-Square test in Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

Findings

Findings indicated that 56 per cent of the libraries were headed by LIS professionals, while rest of 44 per cent of the libraries was headed by persons with no professional education. Chi-Square test’s p value indicated the significant difference in the orientation, reference service and document reservation service. The professionally qualified library managers were found better at providing librarians’ end services.

Originality/value

The present study is the first of its kind in Pakistan, which marked the vacant positions and indicated the differences of services based on level of education. It depicted the electronic, librarians end, and technical knowledge and multi-factor services and measured its variation on the educational grounds.

Citation

Ahmed, W. and Soroya, M.S. (2016), "Library and information science education as ignition source for services in non-academic special libraries", Library Review, Vol. 65 No. 4/5, pp. 350-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/LR-08-2015-0083