Information Specialist in the University Library and Their Role in Modern Information Management

Abstract

The transition from an information society to a knowledge society must go hand in hand with the evolving role of the university library. This raises critical questions: What is the new role of the university library in providing information services? How can the academic librarian define their professional role when readers perform functions that were traditionally the responsibility of the librarian? The library must evolve from being merely a provider of informational knowledge to a multifaceted center for knowledge production, storage, and retrieval, in collaboration with other stakeholders in the academic community. The primary goal of a university is to advance scientific research and support all educational and learning programs. Accordingly, the objectives of university libraries are to maintain their status as research libraries and create an integrated educational environment. Achieving these goals relies heavily on integrating information technology into all university operations and libraries, placing significant demands on administrative and technical staff responsible for planning, managing, and executing library activities to provide efficient and effective services. The libraries at the University of Tripoli, the focus of this study, face challenges typical of libraries in developing countries. These libraries are striving to move from traditional operational models to electronic and digital service environments to contribute to a knowledge society. This study focuses on: 1. The current services of these libraries and their nature. 2. Efforts made to improve library performance. 3. Human resource development and training for providing advanced information services. 4. Budgets allocated for these purposes and their relationship to knowledge economy objectives. 5. The connection between curricula, teaching methods, and library resources. The study identifies a problem in the underdevelopment of these libraries relative to global university library standards. Based on over thirty years of professional interaction with the University of Tripoli’s libraries, it is evident that these libraries have not adequately met the needs of students, faculty, and researchers, which impacts the overall quality of higher education and community development. The concept of the knowledge society, emerging in the mid-1990s, emphasizes transforming raw information into usable knowledge to achieve development. Key elements of a knowledge society include: an ICT infrastructure, information content accessibility, an enabling physical environment, and human development through education and training. University libraries play a crucial role in this transformation, as recognized by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). The study outlines the evolution of university library services from traditional models to modern, electronic, and virtual models. Key changes include: 1. Increased electronic resources and topic diversity. 2. Expanded services covering all forms of knowledge. 3. Organizational and administrative transformations. 4. Complexities in information management. 5. Changes in resource management, funding, and human resources. 6. Emphasis on performance evaluation, outcome-based management, and resource contribution assessment. In conclusion, modern university libraries are central to the development of a knowledge society, requiring strategic planning, technological integration, and continuous human resource development to meet the growing demands of research, education, and societal advancement.