Kabul University Libraries Assessment and Implementation: Challenges and Issues

1
Kabul University LibrariesAssessment and
Implementation Challenges and Issues

• I made two trips since the fall of the Taliban to
  Afghanistan
• 1. April 2002 2 weeks
• 2. October/November 2003 One month
• Purpose of My Trips Library Assessment
• Library
  training
• Support provided by The Asia Foundation and the
  University of Arizona
• April 2002 visit included assessment of Kabul
  University Library, Institute of Technology
  Library, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Institute
  of Diplomacy Library and Kabul Public Library

2
Kabul University Staff, collections, and Services
in April 2002

• Staff 18 staff mostly untrained and unfamiliar
  with library procedures and foreign language
  materials such as English.
• Library Collections Included
• Circulating collection
• Gift books from USAID
• New books, mostly text books donated by the Asia
  Foundation
• Persian books donated by Iran
• Outdated periodical/journals
• Outdated reference collection

3
User Services, Access and Physical Environment

• The Library is strategically located and was open
  from 8-4 six days a week
• No Interlibrary loans and other services
• Lack of lights, electricity, cooling and heating
  system
• Broken windows, damaged and dusty books and
  catalog
• 100 seating spaces available
• Unsuitable work environment for library workers
• Broken furniture and inadequate and improper book
  shelving

4
Institute of Technology Library

• Created in 1964 total collection consisted of
  60,000 general textbooks, journals in areas such
  mining, construction, and electro-mechanics.
• The library was built by the Russians and after
  the Russians left Afghanistan, no new materials
  were added to this collection.
• Physical environment 20 broken shelves, damaged
  materials, broken windows, and untrained staff
• Most books dated back to 1974 and there is no
  cataloging records and no library policy and
  procedures

5
Collection of materials at the Institute of
Technology Broken Windows behind the collection.
6
Institute of Technology Broken walls, windows and
furniture.
7
Institute of Technology Damaged books full of mud
and dust.
8
University of Kabul Campus The only place in town
with trees.
9
University neighborhood homes destroyed.
10
University of Kabul Library workers in front of
card catalog which has many drawers missing.
11
University of Kabul The physical environment of
library is dark and gloomy.
12
University of Kabul Burned books and books with
bullet holes taken off the shelves.
13
University of Kabul Physical environment of the
library. Broken furniture.
14
University of Kabul Reference librarian with no
reference materials.
15
University of Kabul Library Director and library
worker trying to assess the damaged books.
16
University of Kabul More damaged books.
17
University of Kabul Outdated Reference Books
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General Recommendations and Accomplishments

• Accomplishments
• Creating of a collection development policy
• Training of all library staff in library
  procedures and managements
• Meet with Higher Education Officials and
  university administrators
• Recommendations
• Selection responsibility should be shared with
  faculty
• Creation of a library committee including
  teaching faculty
• Creating of specific selection guidelines for
  weeding and accepting of library resources
  donations and gifts
• English language training for library staff
• Creation of a union catalog
• An open stack collection to allow students access
  to materials
• Allocation of library budget and obtaining needed
  equipments and resources
• Creation of current collections such as textbooks
  collections, reference, reserve, non-print
  collections
• Extension of library hours

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2nd Trip October/November 2003

• Libraries visited
• Kabul University Library
• Institute of Medicine Medical Library
• University of Education Library
• Purpose Implementation of recommendations and
  library staff training
• Duration of trip One month in Kabul

20
Progress/Challenges

• Spent 2-3 hours everyday from October 22-Nov. 11
  with the staff of Kabul University library
• Activated computers for staff to process
  materials
• Purchased equipment
• Made contacts with other non-governmental
  agencies
• Met with government officials such as the
  Minister of Higher Education and the chancellor
  of Kabul University in several occasions and
  discussed library issues.
• Met with all deans of faculties at Kabul
  University.
• Submitted a copy of my proposed collection
  development policy of April 2002 to the
  Chancellor of Kabul University for approval.

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Challenges

• Lack of trained staff and lack of interest and
  commitment
• Lack of management
• No job description and appraisals for library
  staff
• The Library physical facility is still without
  heating and cooling system.
• There is insufficient lighting and electricity is
  still a problem.
• The Library does not have connection to the
  Internet
• The Library has no budget
• Lack of coordination with international groups.

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Specific Recommendations

• English language training for the library staff
• Allocate a separate budget for the library
• Need a full-time library director to manage the
  librarys operations and services
• Need to hire energetic and committed staff for
  the library
• Need to restore electricity, heating and cooling
  system in the building
• The library needs to implement and to reinforce a
  collection development policy
• The library needs connection to the Internet
• The library director should posses an MLS degree
  or the equivalent through experience and knowledge

23
Specific Recommendations

• Staff need to receive intensive library training
• Kabul University needs to establish partnerships
  with the US or other countries and academic
  institutions and libraries to provide staff
  training, consultations, and exchange programs
• The library needs to create a library committee
  to create policies and procedures. The membership
  of this committee should include teaching faculty
  and student representatives
• Since most university students, especially
  students in fields of social sciences areas are
  not familiar with English and other foreign
  languages, the library should attempt to acquire
  current books translated into Persian or Pashtu
  languages.

24
Specific Recommendations

• Current collections need to be weeded in
  consultation with the teaching faculty
• The library staff needs to work closely with the
  staff of the Asia Foundation in book selection
  and proposals for library resources and
  equipment.
• The library holdings should include current
  journals and online articles in periodicals. Once
  the library restores its electricity and can
  support Internet connection, purchases of
  full-text databases such as Academic Search
  Premier Ebscohost, JSTOR, Lexis-Nexis, Xrefer,
  and perhaps Literature Online. Print selections
  decision should be made in consultation with
  partners

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Cost of these Databases

• JSTOR 9 all 8 collections
• Archive Capital Fee - 7,838
• Annual Access fee - 3,038
• Xrefer - 8,000 without discount
• ProQuest databases including agriculture,
  literature, etc. - 6,000 annual subscription
  with the possibility of first year for free
• Academic Search Premier - still working on the
  discount subscription
• Lexis-Nexis do not have the discount

26
Specific Recommendations

• Establish a separate facility and develop a
  strong collection of agricultural resources to
  support the needs of the entire agriculture
  section in the College of Agriculture.
• Estimated Gross Budget
• Equipment and Supplies
• Computers and peripherals, Furniture, Cataloging
  Supplies 100,000
• Electronic Collection Development
• TEEAL, Crop Protection Compendium, Animal Health
  and Production Compendium, etc. 50,000
• Agricultural Textbooks and Manuals 50,000
• Short-Term Training and Backstopping for Library
  Management and Information Technology 100,000
• TOTAL for reestablishing quality library services
  at Kabul University with an emphasis on
  agricultural fields 300,000

27
Kabul University Main Campus
28
Kabul University Campus
29
Kabul University Library Building
30
Kabul University Library
31
University Library Main Entrance
32
Kabul University Library Main Entrance
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Kabul University Library Circulation desk 11/03
still lacking heating, cooling and electricity
34
Kabul University Library catalog area October
2003
35
Kabul University Library main service desk
Insufficient lights
36
Instructing Kabul University Library staff
regarding processing of books 11/03
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Kabul Medical Institute Library - Overview

• The Dean of the Institute reports directly to the
  Minister of Higher education
• There are 3 faculties faculty of pediatrics,
  faculty of preventative medicine, and faculty of
  stomatology
• The Library has several hundred books - no
  journal/periodicals and non-print collection.
• Books are relatively current and almost all
  materials are in English language
• The Library staff is not familiar with library
  procedures and practices.
• Staff consists of a head librarian and 5 workers
• The library space is adequate
• There are 4-5 computers in the same floor as part
  of the Loma Linda University project at the
  Institute.
• The Institute has no connection to the Internet

38
Progress/Challenges

• Visited the Institute library at least ten times
  during this trip.
• Provided training for the staff to process and to
  classify library books.
• Since the Institute book collection is relatively
  small, I did not recommend full-cataloging for
  them.
• The library staff is creating an Excel listing of
  their holdings. Fields will include call number,
  author, title, and subject fields.
• Books will be arranged on the shelves by Library
  of Congress Classification system.

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Progress/Challenges

• With a donation from the University of Manitoba
  and a Professor of Surgery, Vancouver, British
  Columbia, I was able to purchase the following
  equipment/supplies for the Institute Library in
  this trip computers, stabilizers, extension
  cord, UPS APC 350,500, electric heathers, vacuum
  cleaner, scanner, book labels and glue and a
  phone/fax machine
• In addition, I obtained 2 new printers (1 for the
  Medical Library and one for Kabul University
  Library) from UNDP.

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Challenges

• Not all staff members are trainable
• English books present problems for the Library
  staff.
• The Library needs to establish collection
  development and other guidelines and policies
• Establish a separate budget for the Library.
• Funding is needed to send one or two staff
  outside of Afghanistan to receive at least 6
  months to one year intensive library and English
  language training
• The Internet connection is highly recommended.
  This is an ideal library to be set up as an all
  electronic library with access to current
  full-text books and journals
• Heating and cooling system needs to be restored
• Periodic follow-up visit (every 6 months ) is
  needed by the consultants

41
Specific Recommendations

• The staff needs to learn the English language in
  addition to library procedures
• The Library needs to establish a collection
  development policy and other guidelines and
  policies in order to function properly
• Need to have a separate budget for the Library.
  It would be ideal to hire medical students in the
  library on a part-time basis. Their computer and
  language skills are more advanced than the
  library staff
• Secure funding to send one or two staff outside
  of Afghanistan to receive at least 6 months to
  one year of intensive library and English
  language training
• The Institute needs Internet connection the
  library system cannot be automated until
  electricity is restored and Internet connections
  become accessible in the Institute.

42
Specific Recommendations

• The library staff and the staff of Loma Linda
  University need to coordinate efforts and
  activities especially to automate the library
  operations
• Heating and cooling system needs to be restored
  in the building.
• Periodic follow-up visit (every 6 months ) is
  needed by the consultants for at least two years
  to make sure the library operation is going
  smoothly and the library staff is receiving
  adequate training
• We can also look at other institutions. For
  example, Cornell is developing a new medical
  school branch in Qatar.  The financial situation
  is quite different nevertheless, it might be
  useful to look at their plan. Their page of
  administrators including a librarian is available
  at         http//med.cornell.edu/qatar/aboutUs/a
  dministration.html

43
Specific Recommendations

• This is an ideal library to be set up as an all
  electronic library with access to current
  full-text books and journals
• Ideal full-text databases to be considered
  include the following
• MD Consult
• Stat!Ref
• Health and Wellness Reference Center
• Ovid Full-text Database
• UpToDate
• Free databases NLM, NIH and Hinari
• Databases cost - 60,000-65,000 per year and
  ongoing

44
Suggested Databases

• Other incidental one time cost such as setting up
  the library and providing training, travel
  expenses, etc. (this would also include the cost
  for bringing one library staff for 6 months
  training to Canada or the United States) -
  30,000 one time cost
• 10 computers with printers 10,000 one-time
  cost
• Grand Total Cost approx. 100,000

45
Kabul Medical Institute librarian learning to use
computer to process library materials
46
Kabul Medical Institute Library Books
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Kabul Medical Institute library staff and me
48
Kabul Medical Institute Library staff
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Kabul Medical Institute Library Staff
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Kabul Medical Institute Library Books
51
University of Education Library

• This university was established established in
  2002. Program include Faculty of languages and
  Letters, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences,
  Health and Physical Education, and Professional
  Studies. This is a four-year postsecondary
  institution training middle and high school
  teachers
• Located approx. 5 miles away from Kabul
  University campus
• Total student population 2,500

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Progress/Challenges

• Provided training to 6 library staff and two
  teaching faculty.
• Currently the library collection is classed in
  Dewey and there is no card catalog system.
• The library has received book shelving, copying
  machines, and catalog card from the Asia
  Foundation.
• After a brief training, now the staff is ready to
  catalog and create records for their library
  holding.
• Most of their books have come from Books for
  Afghanistan, Asia Foundation.
• The library has 3 computers but no Internet
  connection

53
Challenges

• More follow-up with staff in providing training
• Staff need English language training
• Current collection needs to be weeded
• Complete collection development policy and other
  library policies
• Work with others institutions such as Purdue and
  the Japanese Higher Education Group who are
  already working on this campus with distance
  education and computer technology to have
  connection to the Internet

54
Specific Recommendations

• English language training for the library staff
• Allocate a separate budget for the library
• The library needs to develop collection
  development policies and guidelines
• The library needs connection to the Internet
• Staff need to receive more library training in
  Library of Congress cataloging and classification
• The University needs to establish partnerships
  with the US or other countries and academic
  institutions and libraries to provide staff
  training, consultations, and exchange programs

55
Specific Recommendations

• The library needs to create a library committee
  to develop policies and procedures. The
  membership of this committee should include
  teaching faculty and student representatives
• The library staff need to work closely with the
  staff of the Asia Foundation in book selection
  and the proposal for library resources and
  equipment. The Asia Foundation through their
  Books for Asia program is providing Afghanistans
  higher institutions with current and other
  resources in various subject areas - mainly in
  the English language. The Asia Foundation has
  already provided training, shelving, card
  catalog, and other equipment and supplies for
  this University library.

56
Specific Recommendations

• Current collections needs to be weeded in
  consolations with the teaching faculty
• The library holdings should include current
  journals and online full-text periodical
  articles. Once the library restores its
  electricity and can support an Internet
  connection, full-text databases such as ERIC and
  PsychInfo, as well as print selection decisions
  should be made in consultation with the partners.

57
University of Education Campus
58
University of Education Main Building
59
University of Education Administrators
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University of Education faculty Attending Library
training
61
University of Education Library staff receiving
training 11/03
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University of Education Library Staff receiving
T-shirts donated by the UA SIRLS
63
University of Education Library Staff training
session 11/03
64
University of Education Library collection
65
University of Education Library Staff using word
processing no access to Internet 11/03
66
University of Education Library stacks
67
University of Education Library Reading Room
68
Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of
Kabul University 11/03
69
Kabul University Chancellor with a visiting
German Faculty and Student
70
Dr. Fayez, Minister of Higher Education and the
head of a Japanese delegation 11/03
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American University of Afghanistan A private
university initiative Remarks and opening site
by the Minister of Higher Education 11/03
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A Road to Paghman scenic view outside of Kabul
City
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Major needs

• Library coordination
• Staff training
• Library budget
• Library building infrastructure computer and
  internet connections
• Access and subscription to full-text online
  sources

74
Arizona Efforts

• Arizona Universities collected 300-400 boxes of
  college level books, mainly text books, in a
  variety of subject areas and shipped them to the
  Asia Foundation, Books for Afghanistan in Fall
  2003.
• I provided selection consultation to the Asia
  Foundation, Books for Afghanistan. For example,
  at the University of Arizona, a student club
  called Books for Hope, sent mainly books in
  science and medicine
• I continue to provide selection consultation and
  I am a resource person to other groups such
  Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers
  (AMSE), and other institutions

75
Efforts Cont.

• UA provided a one year ESL scholarship to a
  female Afghani student last year. She is now back
  at Kabul University as a faculty member teaching
  English. Another female undergraduate is coming
  to the University for the same program next week.
• We are currently seeking funding for a 3-year
  partnership between the UA and Kabul University.
  The goal is to develop academic librarianship. At
  the UA, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, The
  Library Scholl, the Center for the Studies of
  English as a 2nd Language (CESL) and the UA
  Libraries are very interested in participating in
  this project.
• The University of Arizona now has received 7
  Afghan students for the ESL program, the program
  is funded by the State Department (Humphrey
  grantees)
• The UA is offering graduate degree programs for 3
  Afghan students next academic semester

76
Efforts Cont.

• The School of Library and Information Science is
  working with the CMES and the Library to create
  an area librarianship program. Afghanistan is
  included in this program
• The University of Arizona invited the Minister of
  Higher Education and the Minister of Irrigation
  and Environment to Tucson and awarded them
  honorary degrees in December 2003. They both now
  have PhDs from the University of Arizona

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Efforts and Next Steps

• I have provided and will continue to provide
  assessment, training and consultations for Kabul
  academic libraries
• As part of my sabbatical, I plan to return to
  Afghanistan in late Spring
• to set up library cataloging system, and to work
  further on their collection development policies
  and guidelines
• Continue contacting various vendors and
  negotiating to get free and/or discount full-text
  resources
• Continue contacting various library organizations
  in the US to receive support
• Submitted mini proposals such as agricultural
  resources from USAID and equipments from the Asia
  Foundation and US Embassy in Kabul and pursuing
  further possibilities