Recruitment and retention of information professionals: library leaders’ perspectives in Pakistan
| Pages | 568-580 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-01-2019-0003 |
| Published date | 02 September 2019 |
| Date | 02 September 2019 |
| Author | Nosheen Fatima Warraich,Kanwal Ameen,Amara Malik |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
Recruitment and retention of
information professionals: library
leaders’perspectives in Pakistan
Nosheen Fatima Warraich,Kanwal Ameen and Amara Malik
Department of Information Management, University of the Punjab,
Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to highlightthe issues and concerns specific to information professionals(IPs)
in academic libraries of Pakistan. It identifies the problems that academic libraries face in attracting and
hiring competent IPs along with the strategies to be used to recruit and retain them in the dynamic
environment of academia.Moreover, it provides a list of required skills that employerswould look for while
hiring IPs in academicsettings.
Design/methodology/approach –Semi-structured interviews of 20 library leaders involved in hiring
process wereconducted from 16 public and private sector universities.
Findings –Findings identified interpersonal skills as the most desired followed by the subject knowledge and
IT orientation while hiring IPs for the present and foreseeable future. Good salary package, conducive work
environment with opportunities for learning and continuing professional developmentandspeedypromotion
were significant perceived factors to attract and retain the talented professionals in university library settings.
Practical implications –The study would be helpful for policymakers and administrators to hire and
retain the IPs capableof developinguser-centered services in academic libraries.
Originality/value –Practical suggestions made for hiring, retaining and developing IPs in academic
libraries would be beneficial for otherdeveloping countries with similar context. It addressedan unexplored
area in the context of a developingcountry and reported original research that will assist policy and decision-
makers to hireand retain competent human resources.
Keywords Pakistan, Retention, University libraries, Human resources,
Hiring-information professionals, Library leaders
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Employing and retaining competent human resources (HR) is an expensive option, but critical
for meeting organizational objectives. As White (1999) noted, “We cannot have good libraries
until we first have good librarians –properly educated, professionally recognized, and fairly
rewarded”(p. 30). Recruitment of a competent and aspiring information professionals (IPs) is a
wonderful investment both for the library and community as quality of work and services
largely depends on the qualities of those hired (Mech, 1989). The increased expectations of users
in dynamice-environment created a growing demand for competent HR in university libraries to
be innovative in their service offerings. Fitz-enz (2000) states the critical role of HR as:
People are the only element with the inert power to generate value. All the other variables offer
nothing but inert potential. By their nature, they add nothing, and they can’t add anything until
some human being leverages that potential by putting it into play. (p. xii)
Hiring decisions once madeare difficult to reverse or undo and prove costly in terms of time,
resources and service quality. Academic libraries usually take too long to recruit librarians
GKMC
68,6/7
568
Received8 January 2019
Revised5 March 2019
Accepted4 April 2019
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.68 No. 6/7, 2019
pp. 568-580
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-01-2019-0003
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9342.htm
To continue reading
Request your trial