Role of electronic learning for continuing professional development of university librarians

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to know the perceptions of university librarians in Pakistan about the benefits of electronic learning for continuing professional development (CPD), to identify the motivating factors to engage librarians in electronic learning programmes for CPD and to investigate the challenges of adopting electronic learning faced by university librarians in Pakistan for CPD.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research method followed by a survey research design was applied to address the study's objectives. Quantitative data was gathered from the target population through a questionnaire. The target population of the study was consisted of all library professionals working in the Higher Education Commission (HEC)-recognized public and private sector universities of Pakistan.FindingsThe findings of the study showed that respondents positively realized the benefits of electronic learning for CPD. According to the results, organizational support is a prominent motivational factor for librarians to attend electronic learning programmes and develop their professional skills. Findings revealed that lack of technical support is identified as the most prominent problem in the effective adoption of electronic learning technologies. Technical challenges, such as inadequate infrastructure, poor networks, broadband access issues and low bandwidth, create obstacles for librarians in implementing electronic learning for their CPD.Originality/valueThis study is fruitful for library leadership to apply the emerging technologies to benefit from electronic learning for career development to deliver value-added services to the end users of university libraries.