Information specialist skills and keeping up with modern information technology: Al-Assad National Library as a model

Abstract

This study deals with the subject of information specialist skills in Al-Assad Library, Directorate of Beneficiary Services and their keeping up with information technology, which is the aim of the study. Judgment standard to find out the level of information specialist skills in Al-Assad Library, Directorate of User Services. Among the most prominent findings of the study, the information specialist in the Directorate of User Services at Al-Assad National Library possesses many skills, the most important of which is understanding the needs of beneficiaries for information sources, in addition to the skills of storing, organizing and retrieving information such as classification and indexing that are done traditionally, and indexing and loaning that are done both traditionally and automatically. Information specialists in the Directorate of User Services do not use modern technologies to provide advanced services to users. Also, the information specialist at Al-Assad National Library suffers from poor language skills. In addition, the employees of the Directorate of User Services are familiar with e-training platforms and websites, and the lectures and seminars of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information are among the most important. The study recommended an increase in the number of specialists in the field of

libraries and information, and the establishment of continuing education courses in language, in addition to conferences and seminars on the techniques of the fourth industrial revolution and the importance of their application in libraries. Developing a mechanism for training employees in the Directorate of Beneficiary Services to obtain skills suitable for the era of modern information technology, through electronic training platforms and websites.