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The purpose of this study is to investigate the current situation of the library and information services of the Arab National Commissions for Unesco. Based on a desired image anticipated by the respective Organisations and the Commissions, and in consideration of the requirements of a specialised library to support the mission of its parent commission, a theoretical framework to act as a guide through this investigation was developed. Within the context of this framework, the relevant components and factors were identified. The focus was placed on input and output factors, and the interaction made by users with these components. For this purpose, a survey of the libraries, and two parallel surveys of both internal and external users were carried out. Relevant data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, visits and observation. Hypotheses to examine the level of use by internal users and how their characteristics influenced the frequency of use were designed and tested. Being interested in certain topics, and seeking information to perform certain tasks were the main significative factors influencing the level of use of internal users. The distance, external users travelled to the library, was the main factor influencing their use. The study also intended to identify the problems inherent in these libraries, and to detect the causes of these problems. A hypothesis designed to examine the relationships among personal attributes and their frequency of encountering the problems was tested. Another hypothesis to test the relationship between some input elements and the frequency of encountering problems was also tested: The main problems relating to availability and accessibility of information, originated from the libraries rather than from the users. In addition, the study considered the needs of internal users, and their level of use, their methods of getting information from the libraries, and what action they took to solve the problem of availability. A general assessment of the effectiveness of the services was discussed, and the main problems hindering the effective role of the libraries were identified. In the light of the analysis of the literature, and the findings of the study, the desired image became more apparent, and an action plan for the development and improvement of the services was formulated.

The thesis concerns the library formed by the abbe ttienne Pages at Lyons in the early 19th century. Just as Pages's life straddled the Revolution, so the study follows the body of books that he assembled in its passage from the 18th to the 19th century at Lyons, a city conscious of a long secular and Christian cultural tradition. The varieties of institutional, public and private libraries in 18th century Lyons are considered, in particular the private collections formed by priests. The Revolution at Lyons is outlined in its effect upon local libraries, together with the salient features of library reconstruction. Into this context is set the life and career of the Pages, who after a decade as an emigre, settled at Lyons in the early years of the 19th century, and from 1809 was professor in the state faculty of theology. The study examines in detail his building up of a library quarried in large part from pre-Revolutionary Lyons book resources, the methods employed, and books acquired, and the uses made of them. It then recounts how the library passed to the Society of Mary, and traces the scale and focus of the Marists' aims and enterprises. Their interest in studies is assessed, and the usefulness to them of the resource represented by the Pages library. The thesis concludes by relating their general purposes and book needs to a particular case: the mission to Western Oceania which they launched from a city with,a deeply ingrained tradition of international and missionary interest.

In Nigeria library services are developing rapidly as part of a fast developing economy and social infra-structures. This rapid expansion calls for trained manpower to manage the services. It is assumed that a thorough knowledge of existing personnel is essential for adequate planning and implementation of an effective strategy to supply the professional personnel required, both now and in the future, to meet the growing demand. Consequently this study has been undertaken in order to discover the personal characteristics (sex, age, marital status, etc.), social origins, educational backgrounds, and career and mobility patterns of librarians in Nigeria. Factors associated with career advancement and mobility are examined. Why, in the first place, individuals choose librarianship as a career and the contributions they are making to the professional literature and the professional associations are also investigated. Running through this study of a sample of librarians in a developing country is an attempt to relate the findings to those of similar studies in developed countries. The sample consists of 267 librarians (179 men and 88 women) selected from various types of libraries and the library schools in the country. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Among other findings, the results show that, unlike in developed countries, male librarians in Nigeria outnumber the female by about two to one. The librarians are relatively young, half not above 35. There are few expatriate librarians. Most librarians come from ordinary working class families and their parents have little or no formal education. About 90% of the librarians are graduates while 99% have professional qualifications. They choose the profession mainly for reasons similar to those of librarians in developed countries; Many have previously tried their hands at other occupations or professions, especially teaching, and they tend to join the profession rather late in life. Most have yet had short professional careers, not exceeding ten years. About 60% are mobile. The majority are satisfied with their professional careers.

This thesis focuses on the relationship between public libraries, that is, those library services provided by local authorities under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act for use by the general public, and research conducted in such services by professional library staff - 'practitioner-researchers'- within the local government context. The aims of the study are: • To examine the relationships between local authorities, public library services, and research activities. • To review and evaluate contemporary research activities in public library services carried out by practitioner-researchers. • To identify and investigate the use of particular research methods and techniques used by practitioner-researchers. • To analyse, and provide a clear understanding of, limitations in current practice. Chapter One introduces the study and states the parameters and constraints of the research. The time period covered by this thesis is from the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act until April 1998. Chapter Two argues that as local government moves from a traditional model of service provision to a model of activities in support of strategic policy objectives, more attention will need to be given to 'deep' research in order to address cross-cutting issues. Chapter Three reviews the public library research scene from three perspectives, historical, thematic and current, and demonstrates the emergence of a more coherent approach with co-ordination and funding at a national level. It also shows that research methods remain undeveloped in the public library service as a whole. Research activity is largely confined to simpler issues of service development and does not extend to research addressing the impact of the service. Chapter Four outlines and explains the methodology used for the fieldwork. It demonstrates the rigour incorporated in the naturalistic inquiry approach, verifies the sample, and describes the process of data analysis. Chapter Five examines current practice in public library services through a series of twenty interviews with Chief Librarians. An overview of the findings is followed by a more detailed analysis which draws from the qualitative data. The analysis is set in context, making links with the earlier literature reviews. The closing section broadens the discussion to consider the influence of research on policy. Chapter Six synthesises the themes of the thesis. A description of the new agenda, and an analysis of its implications for research and organisational structures, enables a reconsideration of the rationale for research in local government. It is argued that simply demonstrating the relevance of the service is not enough; the real contribution of research must be in terms of policy development. Approaches to research, and in particular research methods, are reviewed to assess their suitability and a way forward is identified.

This study aims to construct a historical model of library provision in Scotland from the 16th century to the present day. It falls naturally into three parts: A first section covering the period 1560-1850 which discusses the origin and development of library provision and use in Scotland and identifies its main characteristics. A second section 'Sectoral Analysis' which is an analysis of the LIBSCOT file, a microcomputer held directory of library provision in Scotland in the 1890s. After an overview chapter each type of library in Scotland, derived from a classification devised by the author, is described in turn and its main characteristics, statistical and factual, are identified. A third section, Evaluation, which analyses the LIBSCOT file data in general terms, examines the development of policy for library provision in Scotland and considers how contemporary librarianship in Scotland has been shaped by the historical model. A final chapter considers the study's importance for library historiography. The historical model, briefly stated, suggests that library provision in Scotland has traditionally been based on small administrative, local community centred roots which originated in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These traditions originated in small market towns and villages and although they spread to large towns and cities the small population unit remained the essential base for library provision. By the end of the 18th century a structure of library provision had emerged, based on small units which were amateur but not amateurish in character and were hostile to large bureaucratic units and an ideology of professionalism. The evidence of the LIBSCOT file shows that this picture was largely unchanged by the late 19th century. In the 20th century slow progress was made towards a new model of library provision, based on large administrative units and an ideology of professionalism was slow to develop. Attitudes did not change until the 1960s.

Although subscription libraries have existed in Malaysia since 1817, it was only in 1968, about ten years after independence that the Government adopted the Blueprint for Public Library Development in Malaysia. Since then, all but one of the States in Peninsular Malaysia have adopted public library legislation and have established State Public Library Corporations. Despite this, overall provisions are patchy and uneven and the greater bulk of the population still do not have access to public library services. Government authorities are quite concerned over this state of affairs as it is increasingly being realized that libraries can be an important instrument for economic and social upliftment, particularly of the country's largely rural population. The main purpose of the thesis therefore has been to identify the major constraints to overall development, to suggest measures to the Malaysian Government likely to place public library services on a firm foundation and to offer particularly to the developing countries some useful insights, based on Malaysia's experience in the field. Particularly significant is the fact that a Public Library Policy for the country endorsed at the highest levels of Government, does not exist. Legislative provisions too are not only inadequate but are conflicting in some respects. While both the Federal and State Governments have legislative competence for public libraries, the question of executive responsibility has never been clearly determined. Existing financial provisions place too heavy a burden on State Governments, whose sources of revenue, in most cases are strictly limited. The absence of long term development plans is a further inhibiting factor while manpower provisions, especially at the professional level are grossly inadequate. It is suggested that a Federal Act for Public Libraries is of cardinal importance. The Act should enshrine the public library policy for the country, place the subject of public libraries within the portfolio of a Federal Minister, equip the National Library with the required authority and make adequate provisions for finance and manpower.

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