Not financial issues alone: moving towards better resource sharing in Pakistan

Awareness of resource sharing in Pakistan in its present day form is a phenomenon of the 1980s. This is primarily attributed to problems encountered by libraries with regard to the paucity of resources, lack of funds and absence of bibliographic and physical accessibility to limited resources. Projects directed towards resource sharing were planned and directed in the areas of business and economics (LABELNET), legislative information (Parliamentary Development Project) and agriculture (MART). But none could be implemented owing to the absence of proper planning, lack of competent human resources, non‐availability of standards, non‐existence of bibliographic apparatus and absence of leadership. Suggestions include: formation of a task force for development of standards; need for an active role on the part of the Pakistan Library Association and National Library of Pakistan for the development of awareness of computers in library operations to accelerate cooperative activities; and revision of the curriculum and improving the quality of library school faculty.