January 2, 2024
Empowering tomorrow: Libraries in the digital age’
By Abid Hussain
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/01/01/empowering-tomorrow-libraries-in-the-digital-age/
Keeping in mind the evolving needs of the users, library services have grown significantly in the
changing landscape of technology. Libraries of today’s era are experimenting with new and
innovative services that abreast faculty, staff, and students, and a diverse society. Libraries in
advanced countries are rich with resources and services; however, developing countries like
Pakistan are doing more with fewer resources. One prominent service offered by libraries in
Pakistan is the Online Public Access Catalogue; the purpose of this service is to allow users to
search and access material remotely. Users have been granted access to check the availability of
books, reserve materials, and manage their accounts online via the Internet. The other service
offered by Pakistani libraries is Online Digital collection. In the age of information technology,
librarians provide access to a vast array of digital resources like e-books, magazines, academic
journals, and audiobooks to quench their research thirst. People can access these resources via login
and password from anywhere, anytime, via the Internet.
The most prominent services offered by Pakistani libraries are rich resources of Higher Education
Commission Digital Library services; under these services, Librarians provide access to users via a
Virtual Private Network (VPN) wherefrom users can access these rich resources using the VPN
services from Home at anywhere and anytime basis. Some prominent databases are Taylor &
Francis, JSTOR, Emerald Database, Science Direct, Project Muse, and much more. Libraries
subscribe to these electronic databases and provide users with access to scholarly articles, journals,
and other academic resources. Multimedia resources are yet another opportunity offered by
academic libraries; these include streaming services, online video collections, and other sources of
audiovisual materials. Similarly, the present-day library offers virtual reference services (VRS),
which allow users to get assistance from library staff via email, video conferencing, chat, and other
social networking websites like Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.
The most incredible services offered by today’s libraries are Interlibrary Loan services. The library
that lacks current resources sends requests to other libraries to provide their help for short periods;
these services are called Interlibrary Loan services. As information increases in a wide range, it has
become difficult for libraries in advanced countries even to purchase every document; in this case,
libraries borrow material from other libraries to fulfill the needs of their patrons. It is an injustice to
forget the role of information literacy programs offered by libraries in contemporary society; under
these programs, librarians in academic settings organize training programs to enhance the
information literacy skills of their patrons. The users are trained to critically evaluate and use
information effectively.
The prime purpose of libraries in the current era is to provide users with computer workstations,
software to support their research activities, and internet access in order to explore academic
resources that exist in libraries and beyond. Many libraries in advanced, as well as developing
countries, offer the services of collaborative spaces; the purpose of these spaces is to provide a hall,
room, or discussion forum where people from diverse communities share their information through
meetings, events, workshops, and seminars. Libraries are hubs of collaborative space. Many
libraries charge very nominal amounts for external users, and the majority of libraries offer these
opportunities free of cost to their registered members. Libraries of today’s age provide online
courses, seminars, workshops, and webinars on various topics that are useful for the academic and
personal development of the patrons. Libraries of contemporary society offer community
engagement programs like book clubs; author talks com, community outreach initiatives, etc. These
forums bring together intellectuals from different spheres. Libraries also provide specialized
services to individuals in the surrounding area, like traffic awareness programs, health literacy
programs, scholarship opportunities in foreign countries, and children’s programs, in order to
enhance their awareness about issues of concern.
In the changing information landscape of technology, the library offers a wide range of services to
meet the diverse needs of the community. Libraries play a crucial role in fostering education,
literacy, and community engagement. The community as a whole must utilize these services for
maximal benefits.
The write is Deputy Director Library at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.