Status of school libraries and developmental issues in Pakistan. A case study of public high schools
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-08-2018-0070 |
| Published date | 01 July 2019 |
| Pages | 377-391 |
| Date | 01 July 2019 |
| Author | Faiza Tabassum,Syeda Hina Batool,Kanwal Ameen,Mehreen Hassan |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
Status of school libraries and
developmental issues in Pakistan
A case study of public high schools
Faiza Tabassum
University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan, and
Syeda Hina Batool,Kanwal Ameen and Mehreen Hassan
University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paperis to highlight the status(information services, infrastructure, budget,
collectionand staffing) of public girls’high school libraries of the Lahore city.Lahore is the second largest and
hub of educational institutions in Pakistan.Resource-based learning is the basic right of all citizens. School
libraries support teaching and learningwith best available information resources. In Pakistan, fewer studies
have reported the status of school libraries, and keeping in view the significance of early education, the
presentstudy highlights the situation through a qualitative lens.
Design/methodology/approach –For an in-depth analysis of the situation, qualitative research
approach was used. The data were collected through interviews and observation technique.
Additionally, focus groups were conductedwiththestudentsofgradeIXandXtofind their school
libraries’perceptions.
Findings –The findings revealed that the overall status of school libraries was unsatisfactory. Libraries
were facing many problems such as lack of staff, budget, place and poor infrastructure issues. It was also
found that economic geographical location of schools was not the factor affecting the status of libraries;
rather,the schools’head was mainly responsible for the better condition of the libraries.
Research limitations/implications –The study has implications foreducationists, librarians, library
schools and library professional organizations to make effective policies. However, the findings cannot be
generalizedand can be applicable in a similar context.
Originality/value –The study is based on MPhil thesis and is significant to be added in global school
librarianshipliterature.
Keywords Pakistan, Development, School libraries, Lahore, School library services,
Secondary school
Paper type Research paper
Background of the study
Libraries play an important role in the development of a society through transmission of
social norms and beliefs. Blair (1998) describeslibrary as a place that is imperative for self-
development and learning of students.The school library is crucial for any nation to deliver
literacy, education and information provision (Kleijnen et al.,2015). According to the
International Federation of Library Association IFLA/UNESCO (1999),itis
the responsibility of local, regional and national authorities to support the libraries by
specific legislation and policies. School libraries must haveadequate and sustained funding
for trained staff, materials, technologies and facilities. The research team of International
Association of School Librarianship presented a report that recognized the need to
distinguish between defining a school library and suggested ways to set standards or
A case study
of public high
school libraries
377
Received31 August 2018
Revised16 October 2018
Accepted9 November 2018
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.68 No. 4/5, 2019
pp. 377-391
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-08-2018-0070
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