Information service problems in the less developed countries with special reference to Libya.

Abstract

The literature on in-formation availability and services in the Less Developed Countries (LDCs) shows that information services in most, if not all, of these countries suffer from many problems such as the shortage of resources ajnd the scarcity of skilled and trained personnel in information and computer disciplines. Libya as one of these nations is no exception; planners and decision makers in Libya not only suffer from the non_avai1abi1ity of data needed for planning and decisionmaking, but defects such as poor and unreliable data are commonly experienced. However, literature on information services in the LDCs is quite limited. Most of the available sources result from individual research initiative; coordinated efforts are rare and comparative reviews in different LDCs do not exist. The available literature covers only some of the LDCs; many information service problems in the LDCs may not have been identified. In addition, it is extremely likely that the countries not yet researched will have location specific information service problems. Due to the absence of comprehensive research in the information services sector, information problems in Libya have not been identified. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to explore the information service's problems in Libya, and to draw some solutions to these problems. Since the mid-seventies, a socio-economic system has dominated economic, life in Libya. Accordingly, during the last decade all domestic organizations and establishments are owned by the public sector. Therefore, the primary sources of the required data of this study are limited to the users of manpower data from the public sector in the country. The findings of this study revealed that the information services sector in Libya not only suffers from many similar problems which handicap the same services in many other less developed countries, but is also impaired by some other unique problems which, so far, have not been recognized as problems in any other LDCs. The low priority and the delay of information services sector development, and the lack of utilization of the available computer facilities are examples of these unique problems. Factors such as the shortages of resources and the lack of recognition of information importance to development by high authority personnel in many LDCs are considered as major obstacles to the information services in these countries. However, in Libya, as this study found, such factors do not cause any serious problems. With respect to the present conditions of the information services sector in Libya, and the problems that this sector faces, the establishment of a new national body for the reorganization and the development of the Country' s information services network is needed.