IBA and Pakistan Library Automation Group (PAKLAG) organizes a workshop for Librarians

October 2, 2010: Librarians are the backbones of academic institutions like faculty. Keeping in view the advancements in the field of library science especially with reference to IT skills, there is a need for creating and providing ongoing professional development programs and opportunities for librarians. Internationally, there are online library consortiums of public and private universities, which enable users to search the catalogue and request for information resources or books using interlibrary loan system. Pakistani libraries have yet to reach this stage. Standardizing catalogues using international standard MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) is another endeavor to be achieved.  Keeping this in view, IBA in collaboration with PAKLAG Sindh chapter organized a workshop on MARC conversion and uploading catalogue on Library of Congress (LOC) gateway. The workshop provided hands on activities to librarians for understanding how to use MARC Edit software for converting their library catalogues and then uploading the information on LOC gateway. The uploading will enable librarians of Pakistani academic institutions and universities to share information about the resources available at their libraries and creating possibilities for sharing resources through interlibrary loan system. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Ajmal Khan, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU), Lahore and PAKLAG General Secretary. The chief guest the event was Professor Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, Chairperson Department of Library Science University of Karachi. The workshop was coordinated by Mr.  Muhammad Ghufran, Head Librarian IBA. Total 30 participants from various universities and academic institutions including IBA, Mehran University, Quaid-e-Awam University Nawabshah, Information Resource Centre of American Embassy in Karachi, Habib University Foundation (H.U.F.) and Beaconhouse school system participated in the session. Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Dean and Director of IBA distributed certificates amongst the participants.

M.Ghufran