Awareness of digital curation policy and legal framework among university librarians of Pakistan

The article aims to explore the level of awareness among university librarians regarding key concepts, legal framework, main components, and the challenges inherent in digital curation policy (DCP) in the context of university libraries in Pakistan. An online survey was used to determine the opinion of librarians regarding awareness of DCP. A questionnaire was created to satisfy the objective of the study to obtain data from library professionals (N = 235) working in 160 university libraries. The study findings revealed that university librarians in Pakistan possess a strong awareness of key concepts, legal frameworks, and main components of DCP in libraries. However, most librarians have not yet established DCP in their libraries. Furthermore, the study concluded that challenges are hindering DCP's establishment and implementation in university libraries, considering, among others, insufficient financing, improper infrastructure, an absence of skilled personnel, and rapid change in technology and standards. The findings of this study possess theoretical significance for scholars and practical relevance for higher education policymakers and university as well as library administrators.