EXPLORING THE EMERGING TRENDS IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH IN PAKISTAN: AN EVOLUTIONARY ANALYSIS

Abstract

Purpose: Not only in Pakistan but also internationally, the discipline of library and information science (LIS) has experienced major changes in recent years. A move in the emphasis of LIS study towards subjects related to digital resources, information management, and information literacy has resulted from the development of digital technologies and the internet, which have drastically changed how we access, use, and spread information. This study was designed and conducted to assess the new trends in the LIS research work in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: To collect relevant data and to obtain the set objectives, a literature review and questionnaire-based surveys were carried out across different universities in Pakistan. Surveys involved professional librarians and faculty members of different cadres from 17 universities in Pakistan that are offering LIS educational and research programs. The collected data was then analyzed to understand different trends in LIS education in Pakistan. Findings: The findings of our study revealed that the use of social media for information exchange and dissemination is one of the most recent developments in LIS study in Pakistan. Libraries and information workers are increasingly utilizing social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to market their offerings, interact with users, and create professional groups. Social media can be used to increase information literacy, encourage lifelong learning, and better information availability, according to researchers who are looking into this possibility. The creation and acceptance of open access (OA) publishing is another significant movement in LIS study in Pakistan. The goal of open-access publication is to make research results readily accessible and usable online. This is regarded as a significant move in the direction of democratizing knowledge and fostering fair access to information. Researchers in Pakistan are looking into how open-access publication affects academic communication and how it can help create a more available and equitable information environment. In addition to these trends, there is also an increasing interest in subjects such as digital archiving, data administration, and information security. Pakistani researchers are looking into the best practices to follow, the tools and technologies that can be used to guarantee data protection, and how digital preservation can be accomplished. Originality/value: previously, different studies have been conducted about different aspects of LIS education in Pakistan. Most of those studies used the secondary data for their research. Here in this study we not only made a deep dive into the literature archives about the current trends of LIS education in Pakistan but also conducted questionnaire and interview surveys across 17 different universities of Pakistan that are offering LIS educational and research programs. Based on our findings we presented some recommendations. Besides this, we also gave new insights and directions for LIS research in Pakistan.