Library Education, Southeast Asia and Simmons

Patricia G. OylerSimmons College

Graduate School of Library and Information Science

Boston, MA 02115oyler@simmons.edu

Simmons and Southeast Asia Long relationship with Southeast Asia

Simmons graduate established first library school in China

Mary Elizabeth Wood established the first library school, the Wenhua (Boone) Library School, in 1920.

Thai graduate is Vice President of Academic and International Affairs and faculty of Library School at Khon Kaen University

Simmons and Southeast Asia

Long relationship with Southeast Asia Thai graduate is Head of Department of

Library Science at Chulalongkorn University

Simmons faculty have taught and consulted with schools of library and information science in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore

Simmons and Vietnam Project: Simmons College / Harvard

Yenching Scholar Librarian Program Goal: Educate Vietnamese

librarians to assist in meeting the research needs of faculty and students

Vision: Enable Vietnamese librarians to develop an information infrastructure for Vietnam

Simmons and Vietnam

Specifics: 5 cohorts of approximately 6 librarians 3 months English program Majority of Master’s degree courses in

1 year Internship of 1 month in US library Last course in Vietnam Visit libraries in Vietnam

Simmons and Vietnam

Results: 30 Vietnamese librarians have

received a Master of Science in Library and Information Science since 1993

Establish Vietnamese information infrastructure

Direct major libraries

Simmons and Vietnam Teach in Vietnamese library programs Start new library program at Can Tho

University in Mekong Delta Found library organizations Participate in Vietnamese library

delegations to China, Australia, England, Sweden, Netherlands, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand

Simmons and Vietnam Found library organizations Participate in library delegations abroad Advisory committee for translation of

library standards of Dewey, AACR2, MARC

Write articles for Vietnamese and international library journals

Give speeches and presentations at national, regional, and international conferences

Simmons and Vietnam

Support from Simmons faculty Conduct continuing education courses Consult on the translation of the

Dewey Decimal Classification, MARC21 and AACR2

Write proposals for workshops on library automation, translation of Dewey and AACR2, etc.

Consult on library automation

Simmons and Vietnam Conduct workshops for library school

faculty on standards for library education and reviewing and creating curriculum

Consult and participate in designing curriculum for new library school program

Meet with Ministry of Education and Training to emphasize and support the development of library education

Simmons and Vietnam

Benefits: Shows that educated librarians in

charge of libraries results in stronger libraries and better library service

Recognition of value of libraries and educated librarians by government and Ministry of Education and Training

Advance Vietnamese librarianship quickly

Simmons and Vietnam

Issues: Need for English for continued

training in US and other countries Need for support and development of

library education in Vietnam Need to continue contact and support

of alumni with continuing education and advice