Strategic planning in university libraries in Saudi Arabia: An exploratory study

• Main Author: Al-baridi, Saleh A
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1994
• Subjects: Library science
• ISBN: 9798208137451

Recent research in the library and information fields highlights the concept of "strategic planning" as a possible framework for planning a library's future. This concept now is slowly emerging in many developing countries, as it emerged in industrialized countries several years ago. This study attempted to reveal insights into library planning initiatives. The major goal of this study was to provide a comprehensive exploration of library planning in university libraries in Saudi Arabia. The study was to determine the degree to which university presidents, library deans, and librarians understand strategic planning and the degree to which they report that their universities or libraries are practicing strategic planning. It also examined the relationships of some variables and the understanding and reporting of the practicing of strategic planning. A research survey design utilizing questionnaires was chosen as the most appropriate and effective method for gathering the data needed to answer the study's six research questions. Three different but related populations were queried. These groups were university presidents, library deans, and librarians employed in the seven Saudi university libraries. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Analysis of Variance, and t-test procedures were used for data analysis. It was found that a majority of the respondents understand traditional planning more than strategic planning. Also, it was found that the majority of the respondents believe that they apply traditional planning more than strategic planning in their universities or libraries. Regarding the variables, some of them had a strong impact and some had a slight but not significant impact on the understanding and the practicing of strategic planning by the respondents. The findings of this investigation provided the means for the development of the suggested models of strategic planning for university libraries and universities presented in this study, and speak to the issue of diffusion of strategic planning innovation in these institutions.