Abstract

Historically, social planning emerged as an activity with the introduction of social welfare concepts, first appearing in charitable organizations around 1880, and through practitioners working in social institutions, particularly in the coordination and enhancement of social services. These practitioners were influenced by the voluntary approach to social work. Social thinkers emphasized the importance of intervention to improve the conditions of individuals and communities, rather than allowing social change to occur spontaneously. They advocated for the use of planning, which enables influence, sets directions, and guides processes toward achieving societal goals. Various political, economic, and social circumstances, along with emerging ideas about individuals and their social relationships, contributed to the development of social planning. The research problem focuses on highlighting the relationship between social planning and the social work profession on one hand, and between social work and social policy on the other, as well as exploring the connection between social planning and social policy. The significance of this study lies in shedding light on the interaction among social work, social planning, and social policy, and its impact on achieving societal objectives. The research aims to emphasize the importance of this relationship to support social development and meet societal aspirations. The study addresses the following questions: • What is the relationship between social work and social planning? • What is the relationship between social work and social policy? • How are social planning and social policy interconnected? The paper discusses: • The concept of social planning • Goals of social planning in the social work profession • Principles of social planning • The importance of social planning in social work • Types of social planning • The relationship between social work and social planning • The relationship between social planning and social policy • The relationship between social work and social policy The study concludes with a set of findings and recommendations.

Abstract

The transition from an information society to a knowledge society must go hand in hand with the evolving role of the university library. This raises critical questions: What is the new role of the university library in providing information services? How can the academic librarian define their professional role when readers perform functions that were traditionally the responsibility of the librarian? The library must evolve from being merely a provider of informational knowledge to a multifaceted center for knowledge production, storage, and retrieval, in collaboration with other stakeholders in the academic community. The primary goal of a university is to advance scientific research and support all educational and learning programs. Accordingly, the objectives of university libraries are to maintain their status as research libraries and create an integrated educational environment. Achieving these goals relies heavily on integrating information technology into all university operations and libraries, placing significant demands on administrative and technical staff responsible for planning, managing, and executing library activities to provide efficient and effective services. The libraries at the University of Tripoli, the focus of this study, face challenges typical of libraries in developing countries. These libraries are striving to move from traditional operational models to electronic and digital service environments to contribute to a knowledge society. This study focuses on: 1. The current services of these libraries and their nature. 2. Efforts made to improve library performance. 3. Human resource development and training for providing advanced information services. 4. Budgets allocated for these purposes and their relationship to knowledge economy objectives. 5. The connection between curricula, teaching methods, and library resources. The study identifies a problem in the underdevelopment of these libraries relative to global university library standards. Based on over thirty years of professional interaction with the University of Tripoli’s libraries, it is evident that these libraries have not adequately met the needs of students, faculty, and researchers, which impacts the overall quality of higher education and community development. The concept of the knowledge society, emerging in the mid-1990s, emphasizes transforming raw information into usable knowledge to achieve development. Key elements of a knowledge society include: an ICT infrastructure, information content accessibility, an enabling physical environment, and human development through education and training. University libraries play a crucial role in this transformation, as recognized by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). The study outlines the evolution of university library services from traditional models to modern, electronic, and virtual models. Key changes include: 1. Increased electronic resources and topic diversity. 2. Expanded services covering all forms of knowledge. 3. Organizational and administrative transformations. 4. Complexities in information management. 5. Changes in resource management, funding, and human resources. 6. Emphasis on performance evaluation, outcome-based management, and resource contribution assessment. In conclusion, modern university libraries are central to the development of a knowledge society, requiring strategic planning, technological integration, and continuous human resource development to meet the growing demands of research, education, and societal advancement.

This study addresses the situation of workers, employees, and retirees in Libya, particularly those receiving the minimum wages, salaries, and pensions, which are currently set at 450 Libyan Dinars per month. The Libyan workforce is divided into three main categories: 1. Wage workers engaged in physically demanding jobs such as agriculture, industry, and construction, receiving daily, weekly, or monthly payments. 2. Public and private sector employees, whose rights and obligations are defined by civil service regulations or contracts specifying work nature, duration, and financial benefits. 3. Self-employed individuals in professions such as engineering, law, farming, and trade, who operate under private agreements based on freedom of contract within legal limits. The study highlights that all these groups face similar living costs, including food, education, and household expenses. For retirees receiving the minimum pension (450 LYD, about 15 LYD per day), this amount is insufficient to cover basic needs or their children’s educational expenses. The author emphasizes the ethical and religious imperative, supported by Islamic principles, to ensure financial support for the elderly and vulnerable groups.

John J. Mearsheimer’s book, translated into Arabic by Ghanem Al-Najjar, examines why political leaders lie in international relations. It distinguishes between strategic lies that serve national interests and personal lies for self-gain. The book categorizes deception into inter-state lies, fear-mongering, cover-ups, national myths, and liberal lies, analyzing their causes, benefits, and costs. Using historical examples, including U.S. actions in Iraq, it shows how lies can achieve short-term goals but often undermine democracy and trust. The study provides a critical framework for understanding deception as a tool in global politics.