Digital Libraries : Perception of LIS Professionals in Pakistan

The purpose of this study was to know the perceptions of LIS professionals regarding advantages, disadvantages, problems, needs, requirements and suggestions about the digital libraries in Pakistan. To attain this objective the researchers adopted a multi-phase research process. In the first phase, a literature review was conducted. In the second phase, data were collected from the LIS professionals through interviews. Participants were selected based on their professional knowledge, skills and work regarding library automation and the use of digital libraries. Data were collected from 20 experts. The interviews were recorded with the help of MP3 player. The data collected through the interviews was analyzed in the next phase. This study found that digital libraries had a lot of advantages. Digital libraries were very useful especially for researchers. But in Pakistan it was still a complex entity and there was need of training, orientation and guidance to LIS professionals in this regard.