Znt. L&r. Rev. (1979) 11, 245-257

The Factors which Effect the Development of Librarianship and Library Education in the Arab Countries A. SHARIF*

(A) THE POSITIVE FACTORS

(1) The Arabic and Islamic Culture The Arab world has had a long tradition of scholarship and a proud

record of contribution to literature, philosophy, medicine and sciences. Amid the diversity of a vast area, containing some of the most arid as well as the most fertile regions of the globe and inheriting the history of some of the world’s most ancient and culturally most significant civili- zations, Islam and the Arabic language have been the important unifying factors and cultural influences. The greatest library of antiquity was at Alexandria. Libraries existed in Assyria and Babylonia, and there is evidence that some of them were thrown open to the public.1

“Historical records show that considerable attention was paid to books and libraries by Muslim Caliphs. The Caliph Al-Mamun (813- 833 AD) gathered around him a great number of Syrian translators and scribes, who translated into Arabic the Greek, Syrian and Persian works which the Arabs had found. Due to this cultural movement, the mass production of books dominated the Arabian scene. Scribes, translators, and booksellers spread throughout the Arabian Empire. It is only natural that libraries of all sizes were soon being collected. Many of them were private collections intended only for the use of their owners and their immediate friends. But the libraries of the Caliphs and other officials soon took on a public or a semi-public character.” “In the Moslem colleges, and in the mosques were founded libraries of great extent and price.” Large libraries which housed vast collections were

* P.O. Box 13065, University of El-Fatah, Tripoli, Libya. 1 F. Kent (1960). Professional training for libraries. UMWCO Bulletin for Libraries XIV

N3, 157.

OOZO-7837/79/020245+13 $02.00/O CjCJ 1979 Academic Press Inc. (London) Limited

246 A. SHARIF

scattered throughout the Arabian Empire. Al Maimun’s “House of Wisdom” was founded about 813 AD. The “House of Learning” was established by the Vizier-Ardashir about 991 AD. These and many other large libraries employed scribes and translators.1

“Until the beginning of the ninth century the common writing material was parchment or papyrus. Paper was manufactured in Samarkand in the year 751 AD by Chinese prisoners captured by the Arabs. Soon this industry passed westward to Baghdad, where the first paper mill was established in the year 793-794 AD. Paper was manu- factured in Egypt in 900 AD or earlier. Finally, paper was introduced into Moslem Spain in 1150 AD. Thus, roughly by the end of the 10th century, paper had succeeded entirely in displacing papyrus and parchment throughout the Arab world. The introduction of this cheap writing material helped much in the wide use of the Arabic book.“2

The list of thinkers and scientists who created the Arabian civilization and passed a great deal of it on to the rest of the world includes many names for which there is no space in this very brief summary. “Among the most distinguished figures in the Arabian world of learning were such names as Ibn Rushd (1126-1198 AD), Ibn Sina (980-1034), Ibn Bajjah (-1138), Alghazali (1058-1111 AD), Ibn Al-Arabi (1165- 1240 AD) and Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406 AD) .“s

In the first half of the ninth century AD Arab scholars had compiled bibliographies of all sciences in encyclopedic treatment. The first classification of Arabic knowledge was drawn by Al-Kindi and by Al- Farabi (D950-5 1). The idea of subject approach to information and the classification of knowledge is traditionally rooted in the Arabic culture, influenced by Aristotle’s formal logic and his classification of knowledge. The first comprehensive Arabic rational bibliography was compiled by Ibn-Alnadim in 1528. He assembled the Arabic literature of the first four centuries.

(2) The ALECSO Activities The Arab League was founded in 1945 and there are sixteen Commit-

tees attached to the Council of the League. In 1971 the Arab League set up a special organization called the Arab Organization for Culture, Education and Science. The organization prepared a plan for the improvement of education, culture and science in the Arab world, and

1 Mohamed el-Hadi (1964). Arabic Library Resources in the United States, an invati- gation of their evolution, status and technical problems. Ph.D. thesis, University of Illinois, pp. 24-25.

= Ibid, p. 28. 8 Ibid., p. 29.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 247

UJVESCO sent a group of experts to co-ordinate the plans between UJVESCO and the Arab organization. The activities of ALECSO in the field of librarianship can be summarized as follows:

(a) During the last ten years the ALECSO organized ten professional meetings. Professional library meetings sponsored by The ALECSO: (i) Meeting of experts on publication exchange between Arab

countries, June 22-28, 1957 in Damascus. (ii) Meeting of experts on book development in Arabic

speaking countries, Jan. 25-28, 1967 in Cairo. (iii) Meeting of experts on documentation in the Arab world,

Sept. 20-25, 1969 in Cairo. (iv) Meeting of experts on book development in Arabic speaking

countries, Sept. 4-8, 1961 in Beirut. (v) Seminar on library services, bibliography, documentation,

Arabic manuscripts and National archives, Oct. 5-l 1,197l in Damascus.

(vi) Meeting of experts on book development in Arab countries, May l-6, 1972 in Cairo.

(vii) Meeting of experts on book development in Arabic speaking countries, Dec. 4-10, 1972 in Qatar.

(viii) Seminar on the development of libraries in Arab univer- sities, Mar. 12-15, 1972 in Baghdad.

(ix) Conference on bibliographical control for the Arabic book, Nov. 24-Dec. 1, 1973 in Riynad.

(x) Seminar on using the computer on bibliographic control in the Arab speaking countries, Nov. 29-Dec. 4, 1975 in Khartoum.

(b) The ALECSO organized more than six regional courses in the field of library and information science.

(c) The establishment of Arabic Institute for Manuscripts. (d) The ALECSO publishes original and translated works in the

field of library science and documentation. Also, publishes the proceedings and reports of the workshops and professional meetings.

(3) UNESCO Contribution “The growth and expansion of documentation, library and archives

services as components of national information systems, especially in the developing countries, can only be achieved if there is sufficient qualified

248 A. SHARIF

manpower to organize and maintain these services. Greater harmoni- zation of the methodology and curricula for the training of documenta- lists and librarians is also needed to improve the qualifications and the status of the profession and to enable greater interchange of personnel. UNESCO will, therefore, encourage the establishment of training programs for documentalists, librarians and archivists, as well as the establishment and improvement of training facilities.“1

The UNESCO activities in the Arab countries may be summarized as follows :

(a) "UXESCO has provided almost all the Arab states with expert advice of wide variety of library activities including library buildings, the administration and organization of academic and National libraries, teacher training colleges, school libraries and public libraries. The expert missions have ranged from a few weeks to one year or more in duration, have helped to solve specific problems presented by the requesting member states.

(b) Since the training of library personnel is one of the major problems in library development in the region, UNESCO has been offering help in this field in two ways: first, through a number of fellowships for study visits abroad; and secondly, through short training courses held by UNESCO experts as part of their assignments in the Arab states.“2

(c) The creation of National School of Information Sciences was the subject of a two month consultant mission in Rabat in 1973. The assistance totalled more than $1 000 000. Also, in 1968 UNESCO sent a library expert to advise the government of Iraq on library education in Iraq in general and particularly to draw up a plan for the establishment of an institute of library science and docu- mentation at. the University of Baghdad.

(d) UNESCO library manuals, guides and periodicals have not only provided professional reading for librarians, but have influenced

.a wide circle as well. The few works translated into Arabic have been favorably received.“3

(e) Since 1959, UNESCO has organized regional seminars on library problems in Arabic speaking countries. In all of these seminars the question of professional training for librarians was considered as one of the pressing problems following the development of

1 UJVESCO Information and Documentation Program for 1975-76 (1975). UNEXO Bulletin XXIX, No. 3, 128-129.

s Mohamed She&i (1966). lJNE.SCO and library and related services in Arabic speaking countries. UAGTXO Bulletin fm Libraries 20 (5), 222.

8 Ibid., p. 222.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 249

modern library services in the area, and recommendations were made on the development of the present programs and on the creation of new library schools. Similar recommendations are found in the reports of all the overseas library experts who have served in the region (for details see Table 1).

TABLE I

Missions by exjerts and fellowshi@ awarcis to ARAB States sirue 1946-1975 by UJVESCO

State Expert missions Fellowships

Algeria Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Syria Emt Qatar Tunisia Libya Morocco Sudan Yeman Republic Saudi Arabia Total

4 0 10 11 2 10 2 1 8 5 5 4

14 11 0 1 4 1 3 0 5 1 4 2 1 0 2 1

64 48

Professional library meetings sponsored by UNESCO :

(9 (ii)

(iii)

(iv>

(4

A regional seminar on library development in Arabic speaking countries, Dec. g-9, 1959 in Lebanon. The Regional Seminar on Bibliography, Documentation and exchange of publication in Arabic speaking countries, Oct. 15-27, 1962 in Cairo. Meeting of the experts on the national planning of documenta- tion and library services in Arab countries, Feb. 11-17, 1974 in Cairo. A regional workshop on the improvement of information transfer May, 1976 in Rabat. Meeting of supervisors of library and documentation schools in Arab region, Dec. 5-9, 1976 in Baghdad,

250 A. SHARIF

(4) The Influence of International Associations: IFLA, FID, WHO, ICA International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). IFLA was founded in 1929. The purpose of IFLA is to promote co-operation in the field of librarianship and bibliography, and in particular to carry out investi- gations and make proposals concerning international relations between libraries, library associations, bibliographies and organized groups. The following Arab countries are IFLA members: Libya, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq and Kuwait. International Federation for Documentation (FID). The FID was established in 1895 as the International Institute of Bibliography. Under its new program the primary objectives were adopted in 1965. The following Arab countries are FID members: National members: Syria, Egypt, Morocco; International members : Kuwait, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. The World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has its headquarters in Geneva and is a specialized agency of the United Nations set up “to act as the directing and co-ordinating authority on international health work.“1 “ WHO library activities in the Arab region may be summarized as follows :

(a) The WHO has offered help in this field by granting a number of fellowships for study visits abroad for medical workers in the Arab countries.

(b) The WHO organized short courses on medical librarianship with the assistance of the American University of Beirut in 1964 for selected persons engaged in medical library work.“2

International Couruil OA Archives (ICA). “Constitution of the International Council on Archives was adopted at the inaugural meeting of the Provisional Council convened by U.ESCO on June 9-l 1, 1948. There are many regional branches of the ICA with twelve states being mem- bers in ARBICA, which is the Arab Regional Council of ICA. ARBICA held four general conferences and in all of these conferences the question of professional training for archivists was considered as one of the important problems.”

(5) The contribution of foreign librarians One of the important factors effecting the development of education

for librarianship in the region is the assistance of foreign librarians. 1 Nasser Sharifi (1963). Education for librarianship abroad-United Arab Republic

(Egypt) Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. Library Tena% 12 (2), 229. s M. Istanbouli (1975). Libraries in Syria. Master Thesis, Loughborough University of

Technology, pp. 55-57.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 251

Beside their contribution for the development of library systems in the region, they organize valuable in-service library training courses.1

(6) Library studies abroad During the last twenty years many students from the region have

attended library schools abroad. There are approximately 207 students who get their professional library degree from U.S.A., U.K. and other countries. After they return, they play an important role in the develop- ment of Arabic librarianship (for details see Table 2).

TABLE II Estimated number of Arab student enrollments and Graduates J;om dyerent

library schools all over the world

State United States Britain Europe Other countries

Algeria - Gmt 21 Iraq 21 Jordan 5 Kuwait 8 Lebanon 13 Libya 23 Morocco 1 Saudi Arabia 37 Sudan 2 Syria 3 Tunisia 1 Total 135

- 5 2 9 1

- 5

- -

8 1

- 31

- - 4 2

- - 3 - 1 - 6 -

- - - -

5 6 4 -

23 8

(7) The establishment of libraries Since 1950, the library system in the region has witnessed a period of

growth; national, academic, special, public and school libraries were established throughout the region. These libraries have the first and the most important role of providing library service in the national develop- ment plan concerning their overall role as informational-structure for economic, educational, social and political development.

(8) The expansion of education 90% of the people under fifteen in the region attend school. Develop-

ment planning has become a new dimension of government activity in 1 International Council on Archives (1976). B&tin N(6), p. 13.

252 A. SHARIF

most of the Arab states during the past decade, the primary motive being the desire for accelerated economic and social development. This is shared by all Arab countries despite considerable differences in their stages of development and their political and economic systems.

“The expansion of education at all levels has already brought about a substantial increase in financial allocations. In 1969, $701 800 000 was spent on education as compared to 1967, i.e. an increase of 67%. For 1980-1981 the projection is $2 349 380 000. Along with the quantita- tive efforts exerted towards the financing of education, special attention is being paid to the improvement of its quality. In its final resolutions, the Marrakesh conference stressed the necessity of giving special care to educational planning and educational research. The conference devoted considerable attention to the problems of improving the quality of education, the training of teachers, the access of girls to technical and vocational education, the adoption of new methods and the reinforce- ment of functional literacy programs. Once the universalization of primary education through compulsory education (planned for the end of 1980) and the generalization of possible enrollment in secondary, technical and higher education has been attained, the need for further and permanent edudation will continue to be felt.“1

(9) The growth ofpopulation “The population of the Arab world is increasing at the yearly rate of

2*8%, while the rate for the world as a whole is only 1.8%. The rate for the Arab world is not only one of the highest, but it has been steadily rising and it is expected to reach 3% in the coming decade (1970-1980). The total population, which was 94.1 million in 1960, is at present (1970) 123.2 million and may be 166 million in 1980. Of these totals, more than half are below the age of 20 years. For some of the developed countries, the population under 20 years of age forms only about one third of the total.“z

(10) The Discover_y of Petroleum The discovery of oil is considered a turning point in the social and

economic life of the region. Eight Arab states are the world’s leading exporters of oil. Since 1970, rapid expansion of oil production and sharply rising oil prices have provided ample government revenues and foreign exchange resources for development, defense and aid to other

1 Meeting of Experts on the National Planning of Documentation and Library Services in Arab Countries, Cairo, Feb. 11-12, 1974, pp. 3-4.

s Trends in general technical and vocational education in the Arab states, viewed from Third Regional Conference and ministers of education and ministers responsible for economic planning in the Arab states. UNESCO. Marrakesh, Feb. 12-20, 1970, p. 6.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 253

Arab countries. Government projects have concentrated on the develop- ment of economic and social infrastructure, with the highest priorities being given to the extension and modernization of the transportation and communications network, as well as the improvement and expansion of health, educational and social welfare facilities, the exploration and development of non-petroleum mineral and water resources and the upgrading of public administration have also been major concerns of the Arab states.

(11) Unity of cultural and social factors The official language of the Arab states and the mother tongue of the

majority of its inhabitants is Arabic, which is the language of the Quran. The principal determinant of social and cultural patterns and customs is Islamic Religion. The educational system in all states is almost the same with all the states having national plans and policies that attempt to modernize their societies.

(B) THE NEGATIVE FACTORS

(1) Lack of library national planning “At present there is no national scheme for the development of co-

ordinated library services in the Arab states. Library planning must be regarded as one element of educational planning, just as educational planning is one element of total economic and social development planning. Indicative of an increasing awareness of the importance of including library services in such planning”1 is the UNESCO expert meeting on the National Planning of Documentation and Library Services in the Arab countries, held in Cairo in February, 1974, to the following effect :

(a) “That governments should establish and develop a national information policy, reflecting the information needs of all groups within the community, and of the national community as a whole.

(b) That the preparation of national plans for the development of information infrastructures be carried out by a central body or agency established at an appropriate governmental level and with clear responsibility and authority for planning in this field.

(c) That arrangements be made for such a central planning body to receive the continuing advice of professional information special- ists, representatives of other branches of government and repre- sentatives of users in all sectors and at all levels.

1 U.S. Agency for International Development (1969). Manual on Book and Library Actioities in Deueloping Countries AID, p. 92.

254 A. SHARIF

(d) That a national information policy and the development and operation of this national plan for all components of the national information infrastructure be established under appropriate legislation, and be given the necessary budgetary provisions.“1

(2) Lack of library co-operation Lack of co-operation among libraries in the region can be noticed in

the absences of the following: (i) union catalogs, union lists, and subject catalogs; (ii) bibliographic control, indexing and abstracting services; (iii) library communications, educational meetings, workshops and communication networks; (iv) exchange of information about holdings and acquisitions through union and accessions lists.

(3) Absence of library standards Standards of various types of libraries are still awaited so there is a

need to develop standards for the improvement of library services at various levels.

(4) Dz#culties ofpurchasingforeign materials Since libraries mainly depend on foreign literature to support their

instructional and research programs, acquisition of foreign materials is the most difficult problem which faces the development of libraries in the region. This is because there is a lack of selective materials, lack of a postal system, and lack of communication between the publishers and libraries adding to this problem. There is a great need for centralized acquisition and processing centers in the main libraries. Also, regional seminars or conferences should be held in each country to cite the problems and to recommend a special system of centralized purchasing of foreign materials.

(5) Absence of efictive library legislation Library service cannot be enforced in the absence of library legislation.

At present there is no effective library legislation in most of the states, which would give libraries a legal status on different levels of central, provincial, divisional, district, municipal and local authorities. “Basic- ally, there are two functions of legislation: (i) to make library services possible; (ii) to encourage library development”.2 Also, library legis- lation means that regulations are established to cover: “(i) national

1 Expert Meeting on the National Planning of Documentation and Library Services in Arab countries. Final Report, p. 15.

2 A. Moid (1969). Problems of library development in Pakistan. Pakistan Library Review 1, 7-a.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 255

library and other national governmental libraries; (ii) publicly sup- ported university and public libraries; (iii) national bibliographic services; (iv) national book depositories; (v) proper classification of librarians on the civil-service role; and (vi) the establishment of a national office for library planning.“1

(6) Lack of a national book plan There is no national book plan in any state. The annual production of

the Arab countries comes to about 40 titles for every million inhabitants. So, it is evident that book development programs must be co-ordinated with the many other aspects of an overall national development plan.

(7) The traditional system of education “The curricula of all levels of education are prescribed by the Com-

mittee on Curricula and Textbooks with the Ministry of Education in each state. The curricula that are now in use in the region’s schools are directly and indirectly oriented toward the prescribed textbooks, often excluding important aspects. This is one of the major weaknesses, since it tends to put emphasis on the mental ability of the students to memorize the syllabus in order to pass the examinations. Thus, there is no pro- vision for the differences in the students’ backgrounds or intellectual level”.2 Lester Asheim stressed this point more clearly, when he stated that: “The system of education in most of the developing countries places emphasis upon unquestioning acceptance of professional autho- rity, and that means that books have very little part to play in the process. The lecture notes and the single textbook suffice to see the student through most of his academic career, and everything about the system tends to discourage rather than encourage the habit of reading. The texts are dull and uninviting, outside reading is seldom assigned. Unassigned reading, if it leads to independent ideas or ideas in conflict with the class lectures, will jeopardize the student’s chance to move ahead. Since advancement is based absolutely on examinations along the ladder from elementary school to advanced study in the university, since the examinations are designed to test the student’s rote memory of the lectures rather than his knowledge of the subject . . . it is the unusual student indeed who would be motivated to use the library for any other purpose than a space in which to cram for examination.“s

1 U.S. Agency for International Development, p. 6. 2 A. Haidar. A master plan for the development of school libraries in the state of Kuwait.

Ph.D. Thesis. s Lester Asheim (1966). Librarinnshi~ in the Deueloping Countries. Urbana, Illinois ; University

of Illinois Press, pp. 5041.

256 A. SHARIF

(8) Lack of library associations There are only eight library associations in the region. The establish-

ment of new professional associations and the improvement of existing ones has played an important part in the discussions and recommen- dations of all professional library meetings. The establishment of a regional library association, including all Arabic-speaking states should further improve the status of librarians in the region and thus help in library training. 1 The Beirut Seminar on Library Development in Arabic speaking countries in one of its recommendations stated that “in each country there should be a well organized body of librarians. National library associations should stimulate the growth and effective- ness of library services, improve working standards, publish or encourage the publication of professional journals and technical literature and defend the status and interests of the library profession. National associations should be federated to form a regional body.“2

(9) T’t’ze lack of library literature Another important factor influencing the success of library education

is the lack of professional library journals. There are only a few journals published by the associations and university libraries, while several other journals occasionally publish articles. In the last few years the growth of library literature has been quite promising but a great deal of this literature is unrelated to the specific library needs of the region.

( 10) Illiteracy Illiteracy has been a major plague and one of the greatest obstacles

to the development of the area. Despite the spread of education, there is still high illiteracy in the region today. However, there is a marked decline in the rate of illiteracy among young people between 15 and 26 years of age, which is of considerable importance, although they are certainly not producing the number of qualified workers required. The rapid increase in population, which it is estimated may be doubled in the next 25 years, makes the position considerably worse in these countries where between 46 and 85% of the adult male population and between 85 and 98% of the adult female population, depending on the country, are illiterate.

The conference of ministers of education and ministers responsible for economic planning in the Arab states, held in Tripoli in April 1966, put emphasis upon the importance of literacy work in enhancing the

1 N. Sarifi Op. cit., pp. 235-336. 2 Summary report of the Regional Seminar on Bibliography, Documentation and Exchange

of Publications in Arabic speaking states (1960). UNESCO Bulletin XIV, No. 3.

LIBRARIANSHIP AND LIBRARY EDUCATION 257

value of human resources. Considering that “every investment in the eradication of illiteracy is of benefit to all and help to develop the Arab countries,” “ the conference invited Arab states to give priority to the eradication of illiteracy.” As regards the organization of literacy work, the conference recommended that it be integrated with the educational plan, which should itself be linked to the economic and social develop- ment plan, and that operations be financed from ordinary budgetary resources, earmarked for the national educational budget and from extra-budgetary resources made available by private institutions and bodies”.1

(11) Lack of Recognition Professional librarianship has not yet become a reality in the region.

There is no national program of library development in any state. Not only is there a lack of public awareness about the importance of libraries and library services to support and assist the social, educational and economic progress of the country, but also there is a lack of appreciation and understanding by the authorities. For these reasons, there are few professional librarians in the Arab states. It is urgent that each state should develop a strong comprehensive national library plan, and create good library education programs.

1 Trends in General Technical and Vocational Education in the Arab States, p. 67.