{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,2]],"date-time":"2025-08-02T17:54:39Z","timestamp":1754157279394,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,20]],"date-time":"2007-11-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1195516800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,20]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper seeks to reveal the current status of software used in the libraries of Lahore, to explore the satisfaction level of the software users, and to find out their problems and suggestions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The paper reports a survey of automated libraries of Lahore comprising academic (university, college, and school libraries), public and special libraries. Opinions were acquired from the whole population. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, and conclusions were drawn along with recommendations.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Most libraries purchased or developed software without any exchange of experience with each other. A variety of software was being used by the libraries of Lahore. No standard tool or directory was available for the selection and evaluation of software, nor was comprehensive literature written and published in a Pakistani scenario discussing the technical and practical aspects of library software. The Pakistani literature available on the topic is not up to date.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The research is limited to the automated libraries of Lahore and focuses on the comparison of software and determining librarians' opinions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The comparative analysis of software used in various libraries of Lahore made in this study and the opinions of the software users studied will be helpful for foreign and local vendors of library software. It will also provide guidelines for libraries in developing countries, which are planning to automate their services, in selecting and maintaining software that is most suitable to their needs.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>No comprehensive survey has been conducted at national or local level to reveal the current status of the software and related problems faced by Pakistani libraries. The current study, although focussing only on libraries in the city of Lahore, can be extrapolated to the country as a whole and should prove useful as an indication of how issues with library software can arise and be handled.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/02640470710837182","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,24]],"date-time":"2007-11-24T07:02:13Z","timestamp":1195887733000},"page":"766-777","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Librarians' opinions about library software: a survey of libraries in Lahore"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Farzana","family":"Shafique","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Khalid","family":"Mahmood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b1","unstructured":"Bazirjian, R. (2004), \u201cThe administration and management of integrated library systems: a survey and results\u201d, Library Resources and Technical Services, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 254\u201067."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b2","unstructured":"Bilal, S. (1993), \u201cNESPAK Central Library\u201d, in Asghar, M., Qarshi, A.H. and Rizvi, S.J.A. (Eds), Hallmarks of Library and Information Services in Pakistan, PULSAA, Lahore, pp. 103\u20107."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b3","unstructured":"Farooq, M.U. (1997), \u201cAnalysis, evaluation, and future of LAMP in Pakistan\u201d, unpublished Master's thesis, Islamia University, Bahawalpur."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Haider, S.J. (1998), \u201cLibrary automation in Pakistan\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 30, pp. 51\u201069.","DOI":"10.1080\/10572317.1998.10762465"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b5","unstructured":"Idrees, H. (1995), \u201cThe library automation in Lahore\u201d, unpublished Master's thesis, University of the Punjab, Lahore."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1995), \u201cLibrary software in Pakistan\u201d, Information Development, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 165\u20107.","DOI":"10.1177\/026666699509110310"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1996a), \u201cPromoting information technology in Pakistan: the Netherlands Library Development Project\u201d, Information Development, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 96\u2010100.","DOI":"10.1177\/026666699601200209"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1996b), \u201cStatus of library automation in Pakistan\u201d, Library Review, Vol. 45 No. 6, pp. 36\u201042.","DOI":"10.1108\/00242539610125668"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b9","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1997), \u201cThe best library software for developing countries: more than 30 plus points of Micro CDS\/ISIS\u201d, Library Software Review, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 12\u201016."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1998), \u201cUse of Micro CDS\/ISIS in Pakistan: a survey\u201d, INSPEL, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 23\u201039.","DOI":"10.1108\/EUM0000000006896"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mahmood, K. (1999), \u201cThe development of computerized library services in Pakistan: a review of the literature\u201d, Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 9, pp. 307\u201028.","DOI":"10.1108\/10176749910293803"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b12","unstructured":"Maqsood, A. (1993), \u201cLibrary automation: survey of computerised library services in the Federal Area (Islamabad\/Rawalpindi)\u201d, in Fida, M. (Ed.), Challenges in Automating the Library Services, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, pp. 47\u20109."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b13","unstructured":"Mustafa, G. (2000), \u201cComparative study of LAMP & INMAGIC software\u201d, unpublished Master's thesis, Islamia University, Bahawalpur."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b14","unstructured":"Ramzan, M. (2002), \u201cUtilization levels and librarians' attitudes toward information technology (IT) applications in academic and research libraries in Pakistan\u201d, unpublished PhD thesis, St George University International, London."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b15","unstructured":"Riaz, B.A. (1990), \u201cLUMS library experience with automation\u201d, PULSAA News, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 92\u20105."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b16","unstructured":"Riaz, B.A. (1993), \u201cLibrary automation problems in Pakistan\u201d, in Fida, M. (Ed.), Challenges in Automating the Library Services, Department of Library & Information Science, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, pp. 27\u201034."},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Saarti, J. (2003), \u201cThe acquisition and maintenance costs associated with library automation systems in Finnish public libraries\u201d, Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 25\u201030.","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330310460563"},{"key":"key2022013120165300800_b18","unstructured":"Sattar, A. and Rehman, S.U. (1992), \u201cAssessment of Pakistan Library Information Management System (PLIMS)\u201d, Pakistan Library Bulletin, Vol. 23 Nos 2\/3, pp. 1\u201010."}],"container-title":["The Electronic Library"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/02640470710837182","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/02640470710837182\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/02640470710837182\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:42:05Z","timestamp":1753400525000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/el\/article\/25\/6\/766-777\/37029"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,20]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,20]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/02640470710837182"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/02640470710837182","relation":{},"ISSN":["0264-0473"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0264-0473"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2007,11,20]]}}}