WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN LIBRARY PROFESSION IN NEPAL: THEIR STATUS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

As there is lacking record of women library professionals, the title "Women Participation in Library Profession in Nepal: Their Status and Challenges" has been chosen. To full fill the above mentioned problem objective of the study is fixed. The objective of the study is to find out the consolidated number of women; their academic qualification, their status, challenges and their attitude towards the profession. This study has been described and analyzed the level of qualification of women that begins with an introduction of Library and Information Science and also provides some historical background of libraries. In the past library was regarded merely as a store house but now the concept has been changed and library is regarded as a service institution. The study gathers the entire professionals obtaining B. Lib. I. Sc. and M. Lib. I.Sc. Degree and working in the libraries throughout the country. Restricted by time and resources, this study doesn't include the male professionals and female Para-professionals. Literature related to women issues found in periodicals, journals books has been reviewed. Not surprisingly but sadly, it is found that women have been, in many ways suppressed. Ms. Durga Ghimire regrets the low number of women, participating in political and many other sectors in Nepal. Following this suite, Das Gupta, in his article, talks about the hierarchical discrimination in India against women's position in librarianship, where men occupy higher positions and women section head or lower. Like this Mrs. Nirmala Shrestha has been pointed out the Library Science Education trend in Nepal in her article entitled "The role of the Tribhuvan University in developing library and information science education: past performance and future commitment" where she has mentioned that education dropout trend is more male than female. In focus of study historical movement of both Library Science Education and TUCL, and evolution of modern library profession in Nepal have been briefed. At the same time, the status of women librarianship and their job satisfaction has been described in detail. The status of women’s participation in library and information work should be measured on the basis of positions they occupy, not on the number basis it’s because power, prestige and privilege are attached to the higher position and status. vi The study was conducted using a survey research method. Two set of questionnaire were prepared. One set is for library professional whether 28 questions are included and another set is for Chief Librarian that may be male or female which is divided in three sections. Three methods i.e direct telephone conversation, email and personal visit to the respondents were made for data collection. Data are collected from both primary and secondary sources. Eighty percent responded were participated. The data are presented in tables and graphs. This study found that the majority of women librarian has got permanent job, maximum numbers of women are in officer level, the maximum numbers of women are working in Academic Libraries easily oust the number of the women working in Public Libraries, Special Libraries and Missionaries Libraries. The study has covered altogether the 30 libraries. Surprisingly it was found that in Kathmandu University Central Library and Nepal Sanskrit University Central Library there are no professional women in library. In this research the status and working experience of women, their best things and challenges in the professions have been analyzed by tabulating data and providing figure. Most of respondents said that they are facing problems due to the traditional working style, and are unable to be recognized by mature of profession. In one hand this study presents the consolidated number of women in the profession and on the other hand it shows their position, problem and possibility, with recommendation and suggestions. The suggestions made by respondents are that traditional working style should be changed. It attempts to persuade us that now time has come to change the way we work adopting modern approach and technology. Min Kumari Dallakoti CDLIS, T.U., Kirtipur