A blueprint for Sarawak’s records
Ross Latham
State Archivist
Manager, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office
+61 6165 5579
Ross.Latham@education.tas.gov.au
Sarawak
One of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo.
Situated on the northwest of the island, bordering the state of Sabah to the
northeast, Indonesia to the south, and surrounding Brunei.
The administrative capital is Kuching, which has a population of 700,000.
Other major cities include Miri (pop. 350,000), Sibu (pop. 257,000)
and Bintulu (pop. 200,000).
As of the last census (2010), the state population was 2,420,009.
Kuching
Pustaka Negeri Sarawak:The Sarawak State Library
VISION
To be the reservoir and fountain of information and knowledge to the State.
MISSION
To provide access to information resources and to preserve Sarawak`s
intellectual heritage for the people of Sarawak
THE PHILOSOPHY
"A knowledge and information-based society needs a forum for intellectual
exchange among its people, a centre of enlightenment where minds can meet and
interact ideas, and access to information, knowledge, technologies and cultures
available beyond the superficial boundaries imposed by geography."
Pustaka Negeri Sarawak:The Sarawak State Library
THE CONCEPT
Sarawak State Library was conceived as a major information resource centre
and the hub of information services for the public and private sectors.
It links with libraries, archives and information centres elsewhere in Sarawak
and Malaysia. It will also provide a gateway into and from publicly accessible
international information centres.
Its complex serves as a community centre of knowledge and culture of
enlightenment, where Malaysians in Sarawak can not only access a vast
stores of information, in the form of both printed and electronic media, but
also gather for educational and cultural exchanges, and participation in
programmes regularly conducted in many other activities
121 staff employed as follows
Library Services Sector:
21 staff
Depository Services Sector:
35 staff
Corporate Sector:
28 staff
ICT Sector:
10 staff
Pustaka Miri:
27 staff
My traveling companions
Mr Alan Ventress
• Former Mitchell Librarian
• Former Director, State Records Authority New South Wales
Dr David Jones
• Formerly of the State Library of New South Wales
• Advisor, consultant to the business case, design and construction of Sarawak State
Library building
Our brief
• Present at a forum on 12 August 2014
• Each steer a working group over 13/14 August 2014
• Subsequently advise on the development of “A Blueprint for Sarawak’s Records”
• My presentation explored the LINC Tasmania journey in the integration of the
archives and libraries functions and the most critical issues we face.
• My working group addressed records issues both physical and digital.
• My working group adressed records issues both physical and digitaland Libraries
in Tasmania
“The Pustaka”
Sarawak State Museum
State Records Repository