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The Jordanian library scene, 1973 (1) Introduction
Znt. Libr.
THE
Z&m
(1974) 6, 167-170
JORDANIAN
LIBRARY
SCENE,
1973
(1) Introduction GEORGE
CHANDLER?
This article surveys some of the recent developments in the Jordanian library scene and draws heavily on information supplied to me by my Jordanian colleagues, of which synopses follow, supplemented by my first-hand impressions in 1973 of the structure of the Jordanian library system. These are arranged under similar headings to those used in a number of UNESCO surveys and in my book Libraries in the Ea.+-library associations, schools of librarianship, national planning, national libraries, national scientific and technical documentation centres and special libraries, academic libraries, school libraries and public libraries. I have limited my comparisons in the main to other Eastern or Moslem or Arabic speaking countries whose library systems I have already surveyed in outline, either in Libraries in the East or, in the case of Tunisia, in my report published by UNESCO. LIBRARY
ASSOCIATIONS
The Jordan Library Association seemed to me to be not only enthusiastic but also practical. It wits founded in 1963, and, like the Lebanese Library Association, has been successful in attracting into membership all types of librarians and information officers. It has resisted the proliferation of library associations which has been a source of weakness in Pakistan, and has become firmly established, unlike the earlier attempts to found a Tunisian Library Association. Like most library associations in the East, the Jordan Library Association has no permanent headquarters and its services are spread amongst a number of libraries. Its small library science library is in the central public library, Amman, whilst some of its short training courses in librarianship are held in the University of Jordan. I had the great pleasure to meet some of the course members. Bengali librarians’ training also evolved from part-time t 23 Dowsefield Lane, Liverpool, LI8 3JG, England. 1 George Chandler (197 1). Libraries in the East. London and New York: Seminar Press.
168
G.CHANDLER
practical courses, except that their courses are now held in the recently acquired permanent headquarters of the Bengal Library Association. The library courses in Jordan draw their membership from the whole of Jordan, as I was able to ascertain personally when I visited the public library in Aqaba: its librarian was travelling the same day as my visit to take an examination in the University of Jordan. NATIONAL
PLANNING
In spite of pressure from the Jordan Library Association, there is as yet no library legislation in Jordan, comparable with that in, say, Iran, which was one of the products of the Shah’s White Revolution. Most Arab and Eastern countries are also without national library legislation. In the case of Jordan, the opportunity was taken in 1972 during International Book Year to establish a National Committee, which pressed for national library planning. The excellent survey of the Jordan library scene which was written by Dr Kamel Asali as his contribution to International Book Year, has been followed by recommendations for the development of libraries, These had not been implemented at the time of my visit. After the lecture which I gave to the Jordan Library Association, I received a number of questions, which clearly showed the appreciation of Jordanian librarians that their ad hoc attempts to develop libraries in Jordan should eventually be drawn together and extended as part of a nationally co-ordinated plan. Many countries had, of course, not made specific provision for the development of libraries when the overall national plan was drawn up. This is because planners have tended to underestimate the sociological function of libraries, whilst librarians have often failed to present their demands for library developments within the framework of their sociological objectives. It was for this reason, that the British Council organized an international seminar during International Book Year in order to assist selected librarians from developing countries to define the role of their libraries in development. A representative from Jordan was at this seminar which was followed by a seminar in Jordan on school libraries in association with the British Council and a further seminar on public libraries is being requested by the Jordan Library Association. NATIONAL
LIBRARIES
There is no national library in Jordan and there are rightly no plans to establish one. The scarce resources are being allocated to the University of Jordan, which is being developed to serve not only as a university library but also as the conservation library for the national literary
JORDANIAN
LIBRARY
SCENE
169
heritage. Although the University Library is situated some distance from the centre of Amman, this is not too much of a disadvantage, as scholars can travel more easily than the general public, whose needs for a library to answer practical inquiries must be met by a centrally sited library, such as the central public library in Amman. This is, however, not receiving the support necessary for it to discharge the practical information function of a national library, although it is being developed. Jordan has not diverted the emphasis of its public library from public service in order to meet the needs of the scholarly minority, which to some extent took place in Karachi, Beirut, Tunis and Calcutta. NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
AND CENTRE
In the absence of a national library, the Royal Scientific Society’s Library in Amman is being developed as a national resource for science and technology. It sets out to provide services similar to those of the scientific and technical documentation centres which have been established with UNESCO support in Egypt, Thailand, India and Pakistan, and by the Shah in Iran as part of his concept of the White Revolution. The time must come when some of these centres must be linked more closely with, or be absorbed by, the national library: scientific literature is so voluminous and expensive that overlap must be avoided. In Jordan there is likely to be a continuing need for the Royal Scientific Society’s library to discharge a national function, in the absence of a national library. But the Royal Scientific Society is not in a situation to meet the growing needs of the public in general for easy access to sources of scientific and technical information. The centrally-situated central public library should, therefore, be developed to meet information needs and to act as a main point of access to the collections in the library of the Royal Scientific Society. ACADEMIC
LIBRARIES
The Library of the University of Jordan is situated in a new building on a beautiful site a few miles from the centre of Amman. The building incorporates some of the best features of modern university library planning and architecture, but it has also been designed to provide limited open access. This is in part a reflection of the tradition in Eastern countries that the librarian is personally responsible for book losses. Moreover, when books are scarce, open access tends to be limited. Nevertheless, it is certain that as the university library develops, pressure
170
G.CHANDLER
will grow to provide extensive open access as in the Arab University Library in Beirut which has had some influence on the increase of open access in the Lebanese University Library. Relatively smaller open access must, however, be expected in a university library which sets out to discharge some of the conservation functions of a national library, as is the case in Jordan. PUBLIC
LIBRARIES
The limitation of open access was also notable in the public library at Aqaba, which is situated in a room in a fine new municipal building. Its book stock was, however, miscellaneous like those of the early public libraries in the West. H. G. Wells referred in Kipps to the haphazard collection of classics which formed a feature of the public library of his day. In Aqaba the book stock consisted largely of donations unrelated to the needs of the people. In a developing country, a prime function of the public library is to encourage people to read. This is also an important part of the services to the disadvantaged in the downtown areas of Western cities, particularly in the United States, where the recently developed “outreach services” have provided literature at levels capable of attracting readers. I would like to see the public libraries of Jordan and other developing countries providing popular literature aimed at the masses. Reading in itself involves considerable personal effort and imagination to convert letters into meaning. For many this effort will the more readily be made if it yields entertainment. The central public library in Amman operates on a much broader base. Entirely open access, it has a children’s section and appeared to me to be well used. Its stock has grown steadily but it needs to be greatly increased to meet the more serious needs of the public, and a network of branch libraries is necessary to make a serious contribution to the spread of literacy. CONCLUSION
Although the recent developments in Jordan are most encouraging, the time seems opportune, for a national library plan to be drawn up. I had the impression that leadership for this was already emerging, both at the highest royal level and also amongst the country’s administrative leaders, following sustained pressure from Jordanian librarians.
THE
Z&m
(1974) 6, 167-170
JORDANIAN
LIBRARY
SCENE,
1973
(1) Introduction GEORGE
CHANDLER?
This article surveys some of the recent developments in the Jordanian library scene and draws heavily on information supplied to me by my Jordanian colleagues, of which synopses follow, supplemented by my first-hand impressions in 1973 of the structure of the Jordanian library system. These are arranged under similar headings to those used in a number of UNESCO surveys and in my book Libraries in the Ea.+-library associations, schools of librarianship, national planning, national libraries, national scientific and technical documentation centres and special libraries, academic libraries, school libraries and public libraries. I have limited my comparisons in the main to other Eastern or Moslem or Arabic speaking countries whose library systems I have already surveyed in outline, either in Libraries in the East or, in the case of Tunisia, in my report published by UNESCO. LIBRARY
ASSOCIATIONS
The Jordan Library Association seemed to me to be not only enthusiastic but also practical. It wits founded in 1963, and, like the Lebanese Library Association, has been successful in attracting into membership all types of librarians and information officers. It has resisted the proliferation of library associations which has been a source of weakness in Pakistan, and has become firmly established, unlike the earlier attempts to found a Tunisian Library Association. Like most library associations in the East, the Jordan Library Association has no permanent headquarters and its services are spread amongst a number of libraries. Its small library science library is in the central public library, Amman, whilst some of its short training courses in librarianship are held in the University of Jordan. I had the great pleasure to meet some of the course members. Bengali librarians’ training also evolved from part-time t 23 Dowsefield Lane, Liverpool, LI8 3JG, England. 1 George Chandler (197 1). Libraries in the East. London and New York: Seminar Press.
168
G.CHANDLER
practical courses, except that their courses are now held in the recently acquired permanent headquarters of the Bengal Library Association. The library courses in Jordan draw their membership from the whole of Jordan, as I was able to ascertain personally when I visited the public library in Aqaba: its librarian was travelling the same day as my visit to take an examination in the University of Jordan. NATIONAL
PLANNING
In spite of pressure from the Jordan Library Association, there is as yet no library legislation in Jordan, comparable with that in, say, Iran, which was one of the products of the Shah’s White Revolution. Most Arab and Eastern countries are also without national library legislation. In the case of Jordan, the opportunity was taken in 1972 during International Book Year to establish a National Committee, which pressed for national library planning. The excellent survey of the Jordan library scene which was written by Dr Kamel Asali as his contribution to International Book Year, has been followed by recommendations for the development of libraries, These had not been implemented at the time of my visit. After the lecture which I gave to the Jordan Library Association, I received a number of questions, which clearly showed the appreciation of Jordanian librarians that their ad hoc attempts to develop libraries in Jordan should eventually be drawn together and extended as part of a nationally co-ordinated plan. Many countries had, of course, not made specific provision for the development of libraries when the overall national plan was drawn up. This is because planners have tended to underestimate the sociological function of libraries, whilst librarians have often failed to present their demands for library developments within the framework of their sociological objectives. It was for this reason, that the British Council organized an international seminar during International Book Year in order to assist selected librarians from developing countries to define the role of their libraries in development. A representative from Jordan was at this seminar which was followed by a seminar in Jordan on school libraries in association with the British Council and a further seminar on public libraries is being requested by the Jordan Library Association. NATIONAL
LIBRARIES
There is no national library in Jordan and there are rightly no plans to establish one. The scarce resources are being allocated to the University of Jordan, which is being developed to serve not only as a university library but also as the conservation library for the national literary
JORDANIAN
LIBRARY
SCENE
169
heritage. Although the University Library is situated some distance from the centre of Amman, this is not too much of a disadvantage, as scholars can travel more easily than the general public, whose needs for a library to answer practical inquiries must be met by a centrally sited library, such as the central public library in Amman. This is, however, not receiving the support necessary for it to discharge the practical information function of a national library, although it is being developed. Jordan has not diverted the emphasis of its public library from public service in order to meet the needs of the scholarly minority, which to some extent took place in Karachi, Beirut, Tunis and Calcutta. NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
AND CENTRE
In the absence of a national library, the Royal Scientific Society’s Library in Amman is being developed as a national resource for science and technology. It sets out to provide services similar to those of the scientific and technical documentation centres which have been established with UNESCO support in Egypt, Thailand, India and Pakistan, and by the Shah in Iran as part of his concept of the White Revolution. The time must come when some of these centres must be linked more closely with, or be absorbed by, the national library: scientific literature is so voluminous and expensive that overlap must be avoided. In Jordan there is likely to be a continuing need for the Royal Scientific Society’s library to discharge a national function, in the absence of a national library. But the Royal Scientific Society is not in a situation to meet the growing needs of the public in general for easy access to sources of scientific and technical information. The centrally-situated central public library should, therefore, be developed to meet information needs and to act as a main point of access to the collections in the library of the Royal Scientific Society. ACADEMIC
LIBRARIES
The Library of the University of Jordan is situated in a new building on a beautiful site a few miles from the centre of Amman. The building incorporates some of the best features of modern university library planning and architecture, but it has also been designed to provide limited open access. This is in part a reflection of the tradition in Eastern countries that the librarian is personally responsible for book losses. Moreover, when books are scarce, open access tends to be limited. Nevertheless, it is certain that as the university library develops, pressure
170
G.CHANDLER
will grow to provide extensive open access as in the Arab University Library in Beirut which has had some influence on the increase of open access in the Lebanese University Library. Relatively smaller open access must, however, be expected in a university library which sets out to discharge some of the conservation functions of a national library, as is the case in Jordan. PUBLIC
LIBRARIES
The limitation of open access was also notable in the public library at Aqaba, which is situated in a room in a fine new municipal building. Its book stock was, however, miscellaneous like those of the early public libraries in the West. H. G. Wells referred in Kipps to the haphazard collection of classics which formed a feature of the public library of his day. In Aqaba the book stock consisted largely of donations unrelated to the needs of the people. In a developing country, a prime function of the public library is to encourage people to read. This is also an important part of the services to the disadvantaged in the downtown areas of Western cities, particularly in the United States, where the recently developed “outreach services” have provided literature at levels capable of attracting readers. I would like to see the public libraries of Jordan and other developing countries providing popular literature aimed at the masses. Reading in itself involves considerable personal effort and imagination to convert letters into meaning. For many this effort will the more readily be made if it yields entertainment. The central public library in Amman operates on a much broader base. Entirely open access, it has a children’s section and appeared to me to be well used. Its stock has grown steadily but it needs to be greatly increased to meet the more serious needs of the public, and a network of branch libraries is necessary to make a serious contribution to the spread of literacy. CONCLUSION
Although the recent developments in Jordan are most encouraging, the time seems opportune, for a national library plan to be drawn up. I had the impression that leadership for this was already emerging, both at the highest royal level and also amongst the country’s administrative leaders, following sustained pressure from Jordanian librarians.