Rusnah Johare

The Required Competencies of Para- Professionals in Library Services of Sarawak State Libraries

Para-professionals in the library services are library associates, library technicians, or library assistants who assist the professional librarians in library-related task. Mining the literature unveiled that studies investigating the required competencies on para-professional are still very limited. To address this gap, this paper reports a study that was conducted with the purpose to identify the required competencies of para-professionals in the library services. Adopting the survey research methodology, data were collected using questionnaires from 502 para-professional librarians working with the Sarawak State Library in Sarawak, Malaysia. The findings suggest that all the seven sets of competencies, namely general competencies; Agency and Organizational Knowledge; Reference and Research; Collection Management; Content Organization and Structure and Library Technology Management are either moderately or highly required by the para-professionals. Based on these findings, the appropriate training needs could be identified.

Exploring the Relationship between Job Design and Knowledge Productivity: A Conceptual Framework in the Context of Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Officers

To sustain its knowledge economic growth, Malaysian government had launched the K-Economy Master Plan in 2010; outlining the knowledge economy policy initiatives in supporting the knowledge based economy. The transition to knowledge based-economy, knowledge plays a governing role in leading the productivity and maintaining the economic performance growth. Equally important would be the factors that would contribute towards the knowledge creation. However, the literature indicates that very little attempts have been conducted to investigate factors that influence knowledge productivity. In Malaysia, the Administrative and Diplomatic Officers or PTD, are heavily involved in the development and implementation of the main policy makers of the federal government. However as to date, there are no mentions of any study exploring knowledge productivity of PTD. Against this background, this study intends to investigate the contributions of job characteristics towards knowledge productivity. In the process, it will propose a framework linking job characteristics and knowledge productivity. The proposed research method that will be employed will be a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative approach will use interview as the main data collection technique, while the quantitative approach will adopt the questionnaire. The qualitative approach will help the researcher to develop the framework that depicts the factors that contribute towards knowledge productivity among PTD. Based on this framework a questionnaire will be developed so as to collect quantitative data involving PTDs. The contribution of the study can be viewed from two perspectives i.e. theoretical and practical. From the theoretical perspective, the study will develop an empirical based framework while from the practical perspective the study will help to devise strategies for improving and enhancing knowledge productivity. The significant of the study is that, it will further improve knowledge productivity among PTDs who are mainly involved in executing the countrys development strategies including strengthening the administrative functions, social infrastructures and also the performance of the countrys economic growth in line with the countrys National Key Results Area (NKRA).

Functional requirements for an electronic records management system for court records

Abstract: The rapid evolution of information technology (IT) makes the task of managing and preserving electronic records complex and costly. Experience has shown that before the archivist and records managers can begin to develop an information system, it is necessary to determine the functionality of the record-keeping system, the anticipated user characteristics, and how functionality can be kept abreast of ever-changing technology platforms. Furthermore, in the legal environment, the scope of legislation is referred to as its jurisdiction and, if not clear, can create difficulties for records managers and archivists to manage court records. Thus, the specific functional requirements for the management of electronic court records in the judiciary are essential. This is a conceptual chapter solidly grounded on a literature review that posits that records managers and archivists should be involved during the design and implementation of court records management systems.

LIS Education and Quality Assurance System in Asia-Pacific: Malaysia

Quality assurance has been considered a strategic importance for LIS schools and is becoming more important than ever in library education and practice in Malaysia. The first formal educational program for librarians in Malaysia started 45 years ago in Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) now Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Currently there are five universities offering LIS education in Malaysia which provides a competitive environment in imparting quality education thriving to establish reputation. These are Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), University of Malaya (UM); International Islamic University (IIUM), University of Selangor (UNISEL) and Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM). This article presents a report on the development of library and Information Studies education; quality assurance policies and systems implemented in the five Malaysian universities with special reference to the case of UiTM.