Status of Customer Relationship Management Activities in University Libraries of Pakistan

The study purpose is to assess the current status of customer relationship management (CRM) activities (customer satisfaction activities and communications strategies & practices) in academic libraries in Pakistan and also focused on CRM activities that correlate with universities\u27 demographic variables (types, locations, and category). This study adopted a correlational research design with a survey method based on quantitative data collection. A structured questionnaire was distributed among all head/in-charge librarians of universities/DAIs in Pakistan. This study found that majority of the customer satisfaction activities were in the “planning” stage while few activities were “currently doing” by the libraries. Similarly, the majority of communication strategies and practices were “currently in practice” by the academic libraries.The overall mean of customer satisfaction activities were not correlated with types, locations, and categories of academic libraries in Pakistan but few facets were found significant. Furthermore, communication strategies and practices have no statistically significant mean variation with university demographic variables (types, locations, and categories) except for a few statements. This study is a helpful and positive approach for academic libraries, especially those engaged in customer relationship management execution. These findings will boost customer pleasure, loyalty, and positive image of the library. The findings will also make a substantial contribution to current knowledge and serve as a source for library professionals in establishing customer-friendly and customer-centered approaches in Pakistani academic libraries

Use of Electronic Resources among Users of Medical College Libraries in Multan Division, Pakistan

The rationale of this report was to evaluate the current use of electronic resources among users of medical college libraries in Multan division. Moreover, mean variation about medical e-resources in respect of awareness, satisfaction, utilization and barriers with respondents’ gender trait were also explored. This study used a questionnaire to conduct a cross-sectional survey research design. The survey questionnaire was send to the target population of medical college libraries users in Multan division of Pakistan and response rate was 88 per cent. The findings of the study shows that users of the medical libraries were slightly aware about the medical e-resources and majority of the participants were used medical e-resources for education, learning and to update knowledge purposes. In addition, Medical e-resources that are MEDLINE, PubMed, Springer Link, Science Direct, Black-Well Synergy and ProQuest Database were utilized rarely by the respondents. Users are partially satisfied with medical e-resources of libraries. Lack of training/ orientation, low speed of internet, energy crisis/load shedding, lack of printing facility, non-availability of full text access to the most of Journals, lack of awareness, information overload and inadequate IT infrastructure were the major problems faced to medical colleges library users while using e-resources. There is no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of awareness, utilization, satisfaction and barriers about the medical e-resources with respect to male and female. The findings allow library professionals to be more effective, proactive, and successful in achieving digitize library services and resources. This study also made a significant contribution to the existing literature on medical e-resources and services. The findings could contribute in the promotion of digital library services and products, as well as virtual culture, in Pakistani medical college libraries, particularly in the Multan Division

Customer Relationship Management Practices in University Libraries of Pakistan

The purpose of this study was to appraise the prevailing status of customer relationship management (CRM) practices in university libraries of Pakistan to increase strong and mutual beneficial relationship with user. Moreover, correlates of CRM practices with types, categories, and geographical locations of university libraries were also explored. This study adopted cross-sectional survey research design using a questionnaire. The survey questionnaire was emailed to the in-charge/head librarians of all 193 university libraries in Pakistan and response rate was 74%. The results were consolidated at the analysis stage. The results have demonstrated that current status of CRM practices (customer focus, organizational focus, customer feedback management) is in the adolescence phase, while information technology infrastructure is inadequate for absolute implantation of CRM programmes and strategies. The data indicate that CRM practices are linked with university libraries types and geographical locations private sector university libraries are concentrating more on organizational focus as compared to public sector while university libraries of Islamabad Capital Territory are having good IT Infrastructure from KPK Province and AJK region respectively. The study suggests that all academic institutions should formulate a clearly specified user care and satisfaction policy. In Pakistan, Information Management / Library & Information Sciences schools and library associations should conduct ongoing training, workshops, seminars, and conferences on CRM strategies, practices, programs, tactics and mechanism, defined in this study. University top management must encourage, provide financial resources and train staff for smooth running and implementation of CRM. Complete IT infrastructure, CRM software and models should be adopted as per market demand. CRM models may be developed for Pakistani university libraries or such models may be opted with some amendments from other pure business CRM models

Library Leaders’ Attitude towards User Care in University Libraries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad

The goal of this research was to look at the attitudes of library leaders’ towards user care in university libraries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad. This study was conducted utilizing a quantitative research methodology that included a survey approach and a questionnaire. The data were collected from all library leaders’ working in the universities/ degree awarding institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad recognized by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Both descriptive as wells as inferential statistics were applied to analyze data using SPSS. The results revealed that the library leaders had an overall positive attitude towards user care. There were no statistically significant differences in the library leaders’ attitude based on types of university, number of employees in libraries, year of establishment of university, library working days in a week, and library timing respectively. Conversely, there were statistically significant mean differences in library leaders’ attitude towards user care based on geographical locations of university and gender of the respondents. The results provided a pragmatic insight into the user-centred approaches for managing customer (user) relationship for marketing of library resources and services. This research also had an important contribution to the existing literature on relationship marketing in general and user relationship management in particular as only a few such studies appeared so far

A Case Study of Information Resources and Services at Central Library of University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

This paper intends to outline the historical background, infrastructure, information resources and services of central library at University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The data were collected through review of related literature, communications with retired and present seniors, peers, university administrations and the writer’s have more than 20 years’ working experience, observation and research in this library as well as in librarianship. It was found that central library university of Peshawar is the oldest academic library in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This library is well equipped with different sections, variety of old and updated rich collection & resources, series of user services, richest collection of manuscripts on oriental languages and literatures. To meet the current challenges faced to librarianship in Pakistan, this library arranged different training and workshop individually and with collaboration of others organization as well. Central library university of Peshawar encounters numerous challenges. As a result, users\u27 requirements are not being met efficiently. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is actively working to develop university libraries in Pakistan.Currently, the HEC has created programs to fund central library university of Peshawar. As a result, the condition at Peshawar’s university central library has improved to some extent