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Two-Day International Conference Organized by the Department of
Library and Information Science, University of Karachi, and Pakistan
Library Club. 22nd -23rd Aug. 2024
An international conference was held on August 22 and 23, 2024, in
collaboration with the Pakistan Library Club. Researchers,
librarians, and faculty from library schools across the country
presented papers at this two-day conference. International delegates
participated online. Based on the number of participants, the
research presented, and media coverage, it was one of the most
successful conferences.
The development of any nation depends on its trends. The secret to
national development lies in promoting libraries and modern reading
habits. Through a culture of books and modern librarianship, the
Department of Library and Information Science at the University of
Karachi organized a two-day international conference titled "Digital
Horizon: Information Society and Future Landscape of Librarianship"
on August 22 and 23, 2024, at the Chinese Teacher Memorial
Auditorium, University of Karachi. This conference was held in
collaboration with the Department of Library and Information
Science, Pakistan Library Club, and the Koha Community Pakistan. The
inaugural ceremony was chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr.
Khalid Mahmood Iraqi. Present at the event were Dean of Arts and
Social Sciences, Professor Dr. Shaista Tabassum, Director of the
Library at Hamdard University, Professor Malahat Kaleem Sherwani,
and Director of the Institute of Information Management at the
University of Punjab, Lahore, Professor Dr. Nosheen Fatima Waraich,
who delivered the keynote address. Loyda Garcia Fibbo represented
the American Library Association and participated online. On the first day, the session coordinator, Rashid Ali, a lecturer at the Department of Library and Information Science, welcomed the guests and officially opened the program with a recitation of the Holy Quran. The active Joint Media Secretary of the Pakistan Library Club, Mr. Zubair Jameel, was invited to recite the Quran, while the Naat (poetry in praise of the Prophet) was recited by Rabia Ali Fareedi, the Media and Marketing Secretary of the Pakistan Library Club. The program began with the national anthem, during which all participants stood in respect. After the anthem, the Chairperson of the Department of Library and Information Science, Dr. Rifat Parveen Siddiqui, welcomed participants and delegates from across the country. She described the conference as a promising start in librarianship and thanked representatives from the Pakistan Library Club and the Koha Community Pakistan, Arshad Mahmood Abbasi and Zeeshanullah Khattak, along with all the organizers. She expressed gratitude for the participation and encouragement of Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi and thanked Dr. Shaista Tabassum for her arrival and support. She acknowledged the presence of library professionals from all corners of Pakistan and dedicated the conference to the late Sher Afzal Khan, who was instrumental in establishing Koha and whose fourth conference was being held today.
The Director of the Pakistan Library Club expressed gratitude to all
conference participants, researchers, and distinguished guests from
other cities.
Zeeshanullah Khattak thanked all the organizers in his speech, referring to the late Sher Afzal Khan while highlighting the conference as a commendable initiative in the library profession, praising the collaborative efforts of the Pakistan Library Club and the department.
Following Zeeshanullah Khattak, Professor Dr. Nosheen Fatima Waraich
delivered the keynote address, stating that technology is now an
integral part of the minds and thoughts of 21st-century individuals,
necessitating technology for optimal performance. She emphasized
that digital technology has revolutionized how we live, work, and
learn. Today's students have grown up with digital technology,
making life challenging without it. One of the key reasons to teach
students digital citizenship is to help them understand ways to
improve their digital safety and engage with it. The world is
rapidly connecting, with 85% of Americans online daily, over 50%
going online multiple times a day, and 31% almost constantly online.
Loyda Garcia Fibbo, representing the American Library Association, joined the conference online and stated that libraries could be instrumental in navigating the challenges of artificial intelligence, enhancing social benefits, and improving the cataloging and functions of libraries through AI. Professor Dr. Shaista Tabassum, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Karachi, remarked that libraries and books play a crucial role in the rise and fall of nations. Unfortunately, the culture of libraries is declining in our society, and it seems that libraries are now perceived as places solely for the elderly and retired individuals who spend their time there. Libraries are knowledge hubs, yet our younger generation is distancing itself from them. She commended the initiative of the conference. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, stated that research in any field is only possible through access to available information. Studying is essential for a knowledge-based society and economy, and libraries are the best medium for this. In the West, books are still highly valued, and people prefer to read during travel, in waiting areas, and in their free time.
In this age of technology and digitalization, the internet saves us
considerable time. Although libraries have transformed in the
current era, their role has not changed; they provide the essential
infrastructure for the educational system, which is fundamentally
based on libraries. Unfortunately, our students prioritize
cut-and-paste methods over genuine research, which is a concerning
trend.
At the conclusion of the inaugural session, bouquets and shields were presented to Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, Professor Dr. Shaista Tabassum, and Professor Dr. Nosheen Fatima Waraich. After the successful inaugural session, the presentation of research papers commenced. The first session began on time, with papers presented by Dr. Mudar Allah, Dr. Aliya Arshad, and Afifa Iqbal. The session was chaired by Professor Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, who provided a comprehensive commentary on the papers and appreciated the work of new researchers. The first session concluded successfully, and immediately after a break for prayers and lunch, the second session began, chaired by Professor Dr. Nosheen Fatima Waraich. In this session, three papers were presented by Huma Manan Butt, Dr. Nazeer Sakhar, Khushbakht Tauseef, and Dr. Muhammad Waseem Zia, as well as Dr. Ammara Malik. At the end of the session, Dr. Nosheen Fatima offered some suggestions. The first day ended successfully, with guests being well treated. The second day of the conference began with a video tribute to the late Sher Afzal Khan, created by Rabia Ali Fareedi, Zia Ahmed Awan, and Zeeshanullah Khattak, highlighting previous conferences and their successes. Dr. Mumtaz Memon shared his efforts with the audience. In the first formal session of the second day, Dr. Mudar Allah, Senior Librarian at Aga Khan University, Karachi, chaired the session. Six papers were presented, including contributions from Dr. Saima Qutub, who participated online as a guest speaker from New Zealand, along with papers from Dr. Liaquat Ali Raho, Saadia Arshad, and Zahid Hussain Shehto, Dr. Muhammad Khurram Shafique, Rashid Ahmed, Naveen Ali, and Tadeeb Anwar, Faiz Ahmed and Dr. Muhammad Waseem Zia, Farukh Hussain Zai, Nida Farooq, and Ali Shan, and Sadaf Shahid, and Dr. Rifat Parveen Siddiqui. At the end of the session, Dr. Mudar Allah expressed his thoughts in a detailed manner, congratulating both the participants and the organizers. Immediately after this informative session, the second session of the day began, chaired by Dr. Noshaad Ghaznfar. Papers presented included those by Fozia Bano, Dr. Nazeer Sakhar, Dr. Muhammad Yusuf Ali, Nasrat Shaheen, Dr. Rifat Parveen Siddiqui, Rabia Ali Fareedi, and Ikram-ul-Haq. Dr. Noshaad Ghaznfar provided comments on all the papers and praised the research work of all the researchers. After the Friday prayers and lunch break, the concluding session of the conference started. Four papers were presented by Umm Habibah and Dr. Waseem Zia, Sameem Kardar and Syed Faraz, Shehzad Khan, Nazia Asfarin, Amtal Aziz Shazia, and the third paper by Shahzadi Hanbhi and Shabeer Tareen. This session was chaired by Professor Dr. Salman bin Naeem. At the end of the session, he provided comments on the presented papers and offered valuable advice to the participants. He congratulated all conference participants and described the organization of a large program by the department as a positive step after a long hiatus, assuring mutual cooperation for future collaborative programs. He conveyed best wishes from Professor Dr. Rubina Bhatti to the attendees. At the conclusion of the conference, the results were presented in the following points:
In the end, the chief guest, General Manager of Pakistan Television, Arshad Mahmood Abbasi thanked everyone, especially those who traveled from other cities, acknowledging attendees from all corners of the country. He expressed gratitude to all speakers and session chairs, volunteers, and all committees for their support and hard work. He thanked Allah for this successful conference. He stated that everything he is today is because of Madam Malahat, who has always guided us. We are pleased to have come from here and stand here today. Dr. Rifat Parveen Siddiqui also thanked everyone involved in organizing the conference, her team, and the Pakistan Library Club, expressing gratitude to all partners and sponsors. She thanked Professor Dr. Nosheen Fatima Waraich, Director of the Institute of Information Management at the University of Punjab, Lahore, and the conference concluded with shields and certificates, along with bouquets, the aroma of tea, and smiling faces. The camera captured these moments, and the echoes of the conference's success were heard for days in print and social media. In closing, Dr. Naseem Fatima, who could not attend due to health issues, shared her message through a recorded message, emphasizing the importance of the event. The message is as follow. Dear Esteemed Guests, I am pleased that this conference has been organized in accordance with modern requirements, featuring selected topics that align with scientific and technological demands. It is commendable that an excellent effort has been made to promote information through mutual collaboration. I hope this initiative continues in the future. The Department of Library Science, the Library Club, and the members of Kohat, along with our distinguished guests, have added great value to this conference. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to all of them. Furthermore, I hope that the publication of the conference proceedings will strengthen the evolutionary process of librarianship in Pakistan. May Allah be your supporter and helper.
Dr. Rafat Take charge of The Department as Chairperson In January 2023, Dr. Farhat Hussain, a senior faculty member of the department, retired. He had been serving as the department Incharge. After him, Dr. Naveed Sahar took over as the Incharge of the department. On May 9, 2023, Dr. Rifat Parveen Siddiqui assumed her responsibilities as the department chairperson.
MPhil/ PhD Addmissions 2024 According to the university's announcement, admissions to the MPhil and PhD programs in the department were granted after tests and interviews conducted in July 2023, March 2024, and July 2024.
PLISJ In April 2024, after several meetings with the officials of the Library Promotion Bureau, the bureau entrusted the responsibility of publishing the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal to the department. The department also obtained approval for its publication from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi.
World book and Copyright day 2024 This year, the department celebrated World Book Day with great enthusiasm. Both students and professionals from across the city participated. On this occasion, Dr. Nigar Sajjad Zaheer, Dr. Fayyaz Waheed, Dr. Shaista Tabassum, and several other dignitaries addressed the gathering
. Runner up in Women football inter departmental games In the
last semester, students participated in inter-departmental sports
competitions at the university, securing second place in the
football event. The graduating batch showcased their talents in
various ways during the farewell ceremony and presented an engaging
program.
Mrs. Nuzhat Yasmeen Retired On August 8, 2024, the department's librarian, Ms. Nazhat Yasmeen, retired after 17 years of service. In her honor, a farewell ceremony was held, attended by current students as well as alumni from previous years and seminar librarians. Her contributions were celebrated, and the head of the department presented her with an honorary shield.
Students Week During the Student Week of 2024, students actively participated in various activities, including Naat recitation, quizzes, fairs, and a cooking competition called "One Dish." They enthusiastically took part in important activities like tree planting and worked diligently to clean and maintain the department's lawn. They planted different plants and decorated the department's corridors with pots, adding beauty to the space.
Publishing of PLISJ and Baada-e-ilm
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He
thanked the Department of Library and Information Science and
acknowledged Sher Afzal Khan's contributions to the success of Koha,
expressing thanks to Zeeshanullah Khattak. Dr. Nosheen Fatima
Waraich and her faculty members were also acknowledged.
Dr.
Nosheen noted that 48% of Americans aged 18 to 29 are nearly always
online, indicating that students are entering a world where they can
regularly face situations that could compromise their personal
information and expose them to countless risks. She congratulated
all organizers and stressed the need for such conferences to
continue.
He
congratulated the Department of Library and Information Science, the
Pakistan Library Club, and the Koha Community.
syed Amjad Hussain Shah, engaged the participants in an interesting
discussion. He expressed that with such a wonderful audience, he
felt compelled to attend. He thanked all the organizers,
congratulated them, and noted the significance of organizing such a
large conference, emphasizing that he felt he missed out and wished
he could have participated and learned. He appreciated Professor
Malahat's speech, indicating that there was much to learn here.
Conferences like these help preserve our cultural, educational, and
intellectual heritage, opening new avenues for research. PTV is also
working to preserve its national heritage through our media library.
I hope that those present have fond memories of PTV from their
childhood. I am very happy for the warmth and affection shown by
everyone. Today, people from various parts of the country attended
this conference, and such collaborations lead to successes. The joy
and smiles on your faces reflect how successful this conference was.
Thank you once again.
