Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) inaugurated a 5-day National Workshop titled "Total Library Solution in Present Era" at Pakistan Scientific & Technological Information Centre (PASTIC) National Centre, QAU here on Monday.
PASTIC, a subsidiary organisation of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Ministry of Science and Technology, organised the workshop to train the Library and Information Science professionals in information handling and management techniques using Total Library Solution - a combination of many free and open source software. Librarians from different scientific organisations and higher educational institutions are participating in the workshop.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the workshop, Dr Yasinzai said the information technology revolution has totally changed the library system and it is a good sign that PASTIC is keeping pace with this change to make information available to everyone through online services. He said it is imperative for librarians to remain abreast with latest changes in information technology to handle information for their efficient delivery to researchers, students and other information seekers through internet, mobiles and other modes of information communication technology.
He said such workshops will prove very useful in information handling and management for development of the country. PSF Chairman Professor Dr Manzoor H. Soomro said the Foundation and its subsidiary organisations Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and PASTIC through their different programmes are making all-out efforts to promote science and technology for self-reliance and development. He said in present era no progress could be made with efficient information handling and management according to the modern needs.
He said PSF's active role in promotion of S&T can be judged from the fact that PASTIC National Centre is the focal point of South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) and PMNH for UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. Earlier, Professor Dr Muhammad Akram Shaikh, Director General PASTIC National Centre highlighted the aims and objectives of the workshop.