SPECIAL LIBRARIES Reham Al-Issa 1. INTRODUCTION

Reham Al-Issa

1. INTRODUCTION

This chapter examines the state of special libraries and information centers in selected nations of the Asian Arab world including six countries of the Gulf Coop- eration Council (GCC) namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emir- ates, Oman and Qatar will be reviewed. Special libraries in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine have also been examined. The approach used is that the country’s special libraries have been examined for selected variables of overview and history, resources, human resources, automation and IT use, and other pertinent aspects of marketing and quality management.

1.1 Definition and Scope A special library is a library that is not classified as an academic, school or a public library. Some examples of special libraries include medical libraries, corporate libraries, and museum libraries. The term information centers is also used inter- changeably with special library. The special library deals with specific patrons, and a specialized type of information. Special libraries have existed in the Arab world for quite a while and have continued developing both gradually and pro- gressively. They are usually part of corporate organizations, ministries and governmental agencies, and other public or private enterprises.

1.2 Overview Generally speaking, special libraries in the region have not flourished as gener- ously as other types of libraries and the funding in many cases has been limited. Very few of them have been patterned along the standards and norms of special libraries in the West. Human resource polices have also greatly varied from one library to another. One common denominator found among these libraries is an emphasis on English language in their resource development and service policies and practices. Iraqi occupation of Kuwait stalled the development and growth of special libraries in Kuwait and other libraries in the neighboring countries. Salem (1992) examined the state of eight special libraries in Kuwait and their situation after the Iraqi occupation and reported that the estimated cost of damage to these eight libraries was two million Kuwaiti Dinars. The library that was hit the hardest was the Na- tional Scientific and Technological Information Center (NSTIC); also know to be the most technologically advanced and rich in terms of its collection in the region. There are a number of special libraries in various sectors of finance and invest- ment, trade, industry, research and health and law libraries that have been developed. Notable examples of these include NSTIC of KISR, health and law libraries 458 Reham Al-Issa of Kuwait University, Central bank of Kuwait library, and libraries in petroleum companies. Al-Babtain Library is the latest addition and it is dedicated to Arabic poetry and related arts. This library is the world’s first library specializing in Ara- bic poetry. Its uniqueness stems from the interests of its founder and owner, poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain, who wanted the library to be a unique resource on the subject. In Saudi Arabia, the majority of special libraries belong to governmental agencies. They are expected to provide crucial support to their parent organizations (Siddiqi 1995). Special libraries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have extensive collections in respective areas of specialization. Additionally, they are well equipped electronically with the latest technology and databases. The libraries are well funded and are most often staffed by a professional librarian. According to Young and Ali (1992), there are around 65 special libraries in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and 24 of these libraries are part of governmental agencies and ministries. Bahrain also has 12 special libraries that are Embassy libraries. Specialized information centers such as the Bait al Qur’an for Quranic research, Bahrain Center for Studies and Research (BCSR), and the Bahrain Historical Document Center (BHDC) are among the well-known special libraries in Bahrain. International information centers such as the United Nations Information Center (UNIC), and the British Council Library (BLDSC), and the American Embassy USIS and Commercial Library are also based in Bahrain. The management of these centers is usually done by expatriates due to a lack of nationals who have a professional degree in librarianship. Qatar is a country encountering a boom in all aspects of education and economy. The infrastructural development has been immense during the recent years. It is estimated that Qatar is the home of about 150 special libraries. Khalifa (1992) examined these libraries and found their state rather discouraging. They are mostly lacking in substance and quality and are considered a place to house small collections. The overall organization and management of these information centers was also found to be poor. Most of the special libraries in Qatar are part of Ministries or government organizations. Some of the best special libraries in Qatar include the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consultations, Al Diwan Al Amiri, the Minis- try of Foreign Affairs, just to name a few. The Gulf Organization for Industrial Consultations was founded in 1976 and is regarded as the best information center in Qatar because of its rich collection. Al-Mufaraji (1992) reported that there are four major special libraries in Oman. He also mentioned that 22 of such libraries existed in government departments and ministries. He found that these libraries generally lacked in organization and management. The deficiencies were attrib- uted to the absence of professional librarians. Libraries located within corporate setup included the Central Bank of Oman Library, the Oman Mining Company

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Library, the Oman Institute of Bankers, and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Library. Little information was available in literature about special libraries in Syria, Amman, Palestine and Lebanon. The earliest special libraries in Syria were founded in during 1950’s. A number of such libraries are located in government departments. Primary purpose of these libraries is reported to be supporting offi- cial work and academic and research activities. These are also reported to support cultural activities, typical of the nature of Syrian government and society. (Al- Laham 1992) In Jordan as well, early special libraries were instituted back in 1950s. Subeihi (2001) reported the development of ten special libraries during this phase. It is reported that by the end of the 20th century, Jordan had a total of 104 special libraries out of a total of 1527 libraries. A main motivator for the progress in Amman is the Jordanian Library Association (JLA), which was established in 1963. The association has contributed toward cultivating professionalism “in these libraries. The association has been conducting training courses, issuing a quarterly newslet- ter (Risalat Al-Maktaba), hosting conferences and seminars, and cooperating with sister agencies in the region. Thus has contributed to the development of special libraries as well. Bergan (2000) conducted a survey in 1996 and reported the existence of 295 libraries in Palestine, one third of which are supposed to be special in nature. Of these 295 over 100 are special libraries (Bergan 2000). It was maintained that majority of these libraries are rich in their collection and usually have a high number of users from the organization they serve. According to the researcher these institutions also have a symbolic expression of the will of the people in these countries. Some notable examples of these institutions include Women’s Studies Center Li- brary, Human Right Organization Library, and the Arab Studies Society in Orient House (Bergan 2000).

2. RESOURCES

The collections in the special libraries of this region vary in size and scope according to the role and status of the library itself and its parent organization. In Kuwait, (Al-Ansari, 2008) surveyed 14 special libraries and reported that each of them had a collection of less than 15,000 volumes. Many of the special libraries in Kuwait have small monographic collections, typical about this type of libraries. In terms of journal subscriptions, majority of these libraries subscribed to less than 100 pe- riodical. The library with the richest collection in Kuwait and the GCC is the Health Center Library; it has the largest number of subscriptions to periodicals be- tween 750-1599.

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As a result of the Gulf war, many of the libraries were looted and burned; the total loss to special libraries was calculated to be about 2 million items at a cost of about 1.3 Kuwaiti Dinars. The center that was hit the hardest was National Scien- tific and Technological Center (NSTIC), another information center in Kuwait with an extensive collection. This center suffered great losses during the Gulf war, but the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research has formulated a strategic plan to rebuild and develop their collection, and they have been keeping in line with their strategic plan. (Salem, 1992) In Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco has a collection of over 55,000 volumes and 1,600 journal subscriptions. The average collection of 25 special libraries in Saudi Arabia is less than 10,000 volumes. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Tech- nology has a strong collection in research management, solar energy, nuclear energy and related fields. In 1992 they had over 11,100 books, over 350,000 techni- cal reports (Microfiche) and over 60,000 source documents. At that time the library subscribed to over 340 periodicals. They have also developed several databases to promote resource sharing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Al-Tasan 1992). In Bahrain, according to Young and Ali (1992) the College of Health Science, Al-Farsi Library (AFL) has the largest collection in the group of special libraries. Other sizable collections are reported in the Arabian Gulf University Medicine and Medical Science Library. Al- Mufaraji (1992) stated that the Central Bank of Oman had a total of 5,000 books and 20 periodicals, the Oman Mining Company had 2,500 books and 18 periodicals and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and In- dustry Library had 3,110 books and 25 periodicals. Special libraries in Qatar are reported to be dynamic and thriving. According to Khalifa (1992), two good examples of special libraries in Qatar are Hamad Central Hospital library that was established in 1981, and the Qatari General Petroleum Corporation Library which was also established during the early 80’s. Moving away from the GCC to Syria and it neighbors; Al-Laham (1992) reported that in Syria the collections of special libraries varied, depending upon the size of the library and its mission. Majority of special libraries in Syria are report- edly contributing to research and cultural activities and events. In Palestine the collections vary depending on the size of the library. Censorship in Palestine hin- ders the collection development of their libraries. The Israeli military has banned specific books over the years. In Beirut one of the high talked about libraries is the Imam Ouzal College of Islamic Studies Library, which was founded in 1979 and has over 40,000 volumes in its collection. (Al-Laham 1992) From this review, it is apparent that health sciences libraries are always the richest in resources. They are technologically advanced and use electronic resources heavily. In the CGG region specifically in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, special libraries in the area of petroleum studies and research are also hav-

Middle East: Special Libraries 461 ing substantial resources. Concurrently, rich mosque libraries abound and flourish in Syria, Lebanon, Amman, and Palestine. Valuable manuscript collections and rare books are found in these libraries. In their literary treasures, these libraries are like rich museums of history religion and culture.

3. HUMAN RESOURCES

No library can grow without having competent workforce, irrespective of its type, nature, resources, and location. This is the most crucial resource for all libraries and special libraries are no exception to this norm. When we find that a number of special libraries do not have a single professional on their roll, it becomes their most serious handicap. Special libraries require subject expertise on the top of professional qualifications. It is observed that special libraries in this region lack in these respects seriously. With the continuing increase in special libraries in this region, demand for professional librarians is more pressing. One of the major obstacles that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman are faced with is the shortage of professional librarians. In a clear majority of the private enterprise libraries, professional staff is generally expatriates who are usually paid lesser salaries and do not have the same career prospect as their local counterparts. In the case of Bahrain, according to Young and Ali (1992) the number of Bahraini’s who hold a Master’s degree in Library Science from a library school was nine. Efforts have been made in producing librarians with a bachelor’s degree who can assist in the operation and running of these information centers. In 1992 the only library in Bahrain with more than one professional librarian was the University of Bahrain and BCSR. Oman is con- fronted with many problems in librarianship and foremost of them is the lack of professional librarians, equipment and management support. The number of special libraries in Kuwait was not determined, but according to Al Hassan and Meadow (1994) thirty such libraries existed prior to the Gulf war. Before the war there were about 33 information specialists working in them and NSTIC was considered the largest information center in Kuwait. NSTIC had the tradition of employing professionals with a Master’s degree and they have the largest number of these professionals. The Health Center library is the library, equipped with professional librarians. Other special libraries in Kuwait have few staff members. The average number of staff is reported to be 1-3 persons. Almost every special library has one professional staff member on the team. It is clear that these libraries heavily depend on professional staff for day-to-day operations. There is a lesser need for non-professional and support staff. In Of all the special libraries in Kuwait, NSTIC offered the best packages in terms of compensation, training, development and appraisal of their staff.

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In Jordan, the situation is not much different from other countries in the region. In a 2000 survey, it was reported that there were 14 doctorates in librarianship and about 35 Master’s degree holders in Jordan. They are facing the same problems of lack of professional staff and resources. (Subeihi, 2001) The situation in Palestine is also pretty much similar. Political and social uncer- tainties do not permit stability in situation. In Syria, it was noted that professional manpower was not available for services. Some of those who were managing these services had been allowed opportunities of overseas exposure and engagement with external agencies. The Syrian Libraries and Documents Society was founded in Damascus in 1972. The Ministry of Education has been trying to organize training courses in library science and systems. A number of Syrian professionals are working in richer Arabian nations that provide them better financial packages. That is an additional factor behind the non availability of professionals in this country (Al-Laham,1992).

4. AUTOMATION

One common problem impeding library automation in this region has been that a large part of the collection of each library is in Arabic, and the system does not have the capability to cater to the needs of Arabic script. However, a number of systems have not used multi-lingual features. Special libraries in the region have also followed suit in automating their libraries and using information technology. Khurshid (2006) claims that one of the first institutions that was automated in the region is the King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals in Dahran. Back in the 1970’s they acquired a system and made modifications so that it satisfies the needs of the resources of the library. Currently they use Horizon Information Por- tal (HIP) and they are focused on developing their collection digitally. Another pioneering information center in Saudi Arabia is King Abdulaziz City for Science (KACST), administered by the Directorate of Information Services. KACST’s OPAC is also searchable through GULFNET and KACSTNET, providing crucial support for resource sharing in this country. Some other special libraries In Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco in Dahran and the Institute of Public Administration in Ri- yadh have been working with DOBIS/LIBIS system. The Ministry of Finance and National Economy in Riyadh is using the bilingual system of VTLS and it has been subscribing to OCLC for their cataloging. The MINISIS system is used at King Faisal Center for Islamic Research and Studies in Riyadh. Special libraries in Saudi Arabia have been using the latest IT applications and telecommunications systems such as Internet, fax and phone (Khurshid 2006). Al-Ansari (2008) examined the state of automation in 32 special libraries in Kuwait. He found that 18 of the 25 respondent libraries were automated, 8 used

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Horizon, and other libraries used other systems or those they had developed in- house. Seven of the 25 libraries reported that they had not automated. Al-Ansari also provided information about automated modules, hardware platforms, network configuration, number of workstations and other related aspects. He found that all the 18 libraries had automated their catalog, 7 had automated acquisitions, 7 had automated their circulation, and 7 had automated their serials. In Bahrain, Qatar and Oman automation has been used in special libraries. Large operations are automated while this might not be the case with small libraries. In Jordan’s libraries, computers were first introduced around late 80’s. Major libraries have succeeded in the automation of their operations such as the Abdel Hameed Shoman Library. Subeihi (2001) reported that two major software packages used in Jordan are as follows:

• CDS/ISIS developed by UNESCO • MINISIS a product of IDRC- Canada.

Both have been Arabized by the Arab League Documentation Center. Other libraries in Amman have developed their own in-house systems. Additionally, all libraries have access to the internet. In Palestine the automation initiative is slower than it is in Amman, but the need to automate has been established. A system called LibSys has been developed locally in Ramallah and has a wide spread use among the libraries in Palestine. In the case of Lebanon, all the major academic libraries have been, automated, but we do not have enough information about automation initiatives in is special libraries (Subeihi 2001).

5. CONCLUSION

We have noted a great deal of diversity among special libraries in this region. Some libraries are well developed, advanced in their use of IT, resourceful, and vital within their organizations. At the same time, we find a large number of them weak, low on resources, and backward in their outlook and vitality within their organizations. Consistent with the roles and status of the parent organizations, this diversity seems to be natural and commonplace. These differences are evident in user community, budgeting, staffing, and other physical and intellectual resources. In terms of development, it has been noted that special libraries, especially those in the GCC, started growing in number and in their resources around early 1980’s. All available literature indicates that the Iraqi occupation not only im- peded the growth of the libraries in Kuwait, but its impact reverberated throughout the GCC, encompassing all countries of the GCC. In particular special libraries in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were most affected since they had established coopera- tion with their counterpart special libraries in Kuwait. Ties were also cut with Iraqi

464 Reham Al-Issa libraries as a result of the war. Since then Iraqi special libraries had little interac- tion or collaboration with sister libraries in the region, hampering their growth drastically. It is obvious that the most developed special libraries are the health sector libraries. These are usually rich in their collections and they have the latest technology and best selection of databases. These are followed by libraries specializing in petroleum, and science and research. This also reflects the significance of these two fields to the socio-political-economic fabric of the Gulf community. The first field is healthcare, its development and the well being of the people. The second field, petroleum and science and technology provide major economic drive to the GCC countries. Both are equally important, and almost all countries need them for their well being and development. When it comes to automation and information technology, it has been noted that while some of them are rich and advanced, others have not made any significant progress in this area. Organization strategies, staffing situation, leadership, and budget are the primary factors behind slow applications in this area. Large and resourceful libraries are automated and most promising among them are health, S&T and research libraries. Smaller special libraries are usually part of small organizations and organizational needs and finances do not allow major investments in IT applications. Many of them have thus developed in house systems with little ap- plication potential, primarily due to financial and human considerations. Some special libraries that had implemented automation early in the 1980’s are at the forefront of IT use in the regions such as KACST and KFUPM library in Saudi Arabia and KISR in Kuwait. Additional important considerations have been the needs of Arabization of software and creation of bilingual systems. The most serious problem in the regional special libraries is the availability of professional staff. Human resources are the most valuable asset for managing these libraries. An additional difficulty is that many of those who hold professional degrees in librarianship are opting for jobs outside the world of librarianship. In many countries they have to count on expatriate professionals to fill-in these positions. There is a need for these nations to be investing in the education of professionals and their continued development so that these libraries and information centers are run effectively and efficiently. Finding the right person to run a special library in the Arab world is somewhat of a challenge, and this needs to be strategically addressed. With regard to resources, it is evident that majority of libraries, specifically health and S&T libraries, are well stocked and contain valuable resources in their respective fields. It is also clear that in some organizations, special libraries are given the task to house organizational archives, reports and other similar resources Also some of them are meant for satisfying the needs of selected few in the organization. Because of the nature of special libraries, they are often quiet places

Middle East: Special Libraries 465 with little traffic, as they support their community and the public have limited access to them. Almost all of them are using Internet. Those libraries that lag behind in their use of electronic resources might be constrained in this aspect. Overall, it can be generalized that many of these libraries are playing a vital role for providing information support in their organizations. Those libraries in the public sector have definite sources of funding while this may not be the case with those located in the private sector. The new trend of marketing has become popular amongst all kinds of libraries. The image a library has along with the services it provides need to be marketed positively. Librarians over the years have not really succeeded in marketing the libraries and the services they offer. Special libraries need to exert more effort in their marketing, because unlike public or academic libraries where patrons come to the library for pleasure, assignments, etc. special libraries have a specific focus and they serve a dedicated community. Thus, marketing their resources and services to their direct users is needed in order for the library to thrive. Quality management goes hand in hand with marketing and special libraries need to attend to that positively. The future of special libraries in this region appears to hold some promise. Spe- cial libraries of the region will continue to evolve and grow to support their imme- diate institutions and ultimately their communities. Emphasis should be given to the education and training of the nationals of these countries in order to ensure that these libraries/information centers continue to operate and prosper. The efforts of the Special Libraries Association (Arabian Gulf Chapter) have really helped librarians in this region through their annual conference, training activities, publica- tions and other activities. This has also provided a sense of collegiality and frater- nity among the professionals of the region. There is a need to conduct systematic research about special libraries in the region and various aspects of their management, resources and services. There appears to be a dearth of pertinent literature in this area. Most of the works cited in this chapter were published during the 1990’s, and there is a strong need to have more current treatment of this vital sector of librarianship in this region.

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