Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the level of awareness, use and attitudes of students regarding e-books. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research design based on the survey method. A structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection from four different universities of Pakistan. A total of 305 responses were collected from a sample of 400, and 303 of those responses were used for data analysis. Findings The results of this study indicated that students were aware of e-books and used them in their daily lives. Most of the respondents had a positive attitude towards e-books and indicated that they considered e-books are easy to find and support them in their assignments. Online features of e-books were important to them. There was a significant difference of opinion found among students of different disciplines regarding the use of e-books. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to four disciplines in four universities, one discipline per university. Therefore, its findings may not be applied to other universities or other disciplines. Practical implications This paper offers a new idea to academic libraries related to purchasing e-books. This study will provide guidelines to information professionals for development of their e-book collection and implementation of innovative approaches in library services or e-books services to facilitate their users according to their need. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on the level of awareness, use and attitudes of university students towards e-books in Pakistan.

Purpose The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate/review the skills required for library and information science (LIS) professionals in the 21st century and to propose an alternative approach as the suggested key skills. Design/methodology/approach Twenty-two LIS professionals from Pakistan were interviewed, and 10 LIS professionals were from abroad, including two from the USA; six respondents were from Saudi Arabia; one from Canada; and one from Malaysia. In-depth interviews with faculty members were conducted to ascertain their perceptions of the knowledge and skills necessary to be competent in delivering quality education to the future information breed. Findings The findings emphasise the importance of a variety of competencies for librarians and information educators, including subject knowledge and skills; information technology knowledge and skills; instructional skills; research skills; and managerial, leadership and social skills. Additionally, it was noted that LIS professionals require a diverse set of skills that should be fostered by educators and employers. By promoting these in the broader community, the author can encourage the next generation of LIS professionals to consider LIS as a viable career option. Originality/value The findings presented in this paper provide a unique window into the country’s workforce needs. Though the study was conducted from a Pakistani perspective, the findings may have implications for other countries with comparable circumstances, including social impact. It also provides a new analysis of the selected generic and LIS skills that can be communicated in an innovative manner to prospective LIS employees, employers and educators.

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This study aims to chart and review the unexplored transgender research portfolio of Muslim countries using bibliometric method. Data retrieved from the Scopus database were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and ScientoPy software. It was found that barring Turkey and Iran, transgender research has been minimal in most Muslim countries. The collective productivity is gradually but surely rising. Around 84% of the publications have been collaborative efforts. The keyword analysis revealed that gender dysphoria, human immunodeficiency virus, LGBT, and vaginoplasty were the most frequently used keywords. The socio-economic circumstances of the transgender community are generally deplorable in most Muslim nations. Overall, there is a dire need for high-quality multifaceted transgender research in the Muslim world to raise general awareness. Resolving disputes on gender dysphoria or sex reassignment surgeries and reinstating the social rights of the transgender community should be the utmost priority of future research in Muslim countries.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex and intractable neurological disease associated with substantial morbidity, healthcare utilization, management cost, and lost productivity. Recently, there has been an alarming increase in the number of MS cases in Arab countries that has spurred an increase in local research. Aims: To analyse the MS research profile in Arab countries. Methods: A total of 781 publications on research on MS in Arab countries from 1983 to 2021 were extracted from the Web of Science database and analysed by bibliometric techniques. Results: MS research productivity has grown sharply in the last decade, both internationally and in Arab countries. However, Arab counties have only contributed 0.8% of the overall number of publications. Keyword pattern analysis showed that magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, expanded disability status, demyelination, and epidemiology were the major themes of the MS research in Arab countries. Case–control, cohort, and descriptive studies were the most prevalent study designs. However, there was a notable paucity of meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and clinical trials. Conclusion: This is believed to be the first study of its kind to illustrate the increase in MS publications in Arab countries, and the potential for future growth and international collaboration. Arab countries can improve their regional expertise and add a wealth of knowledge to the global MS resources by diversifying their current research, and following recent advances in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of MS.