Country Report:
Innovation of Library Services at the
National University of Laos through
mobile Technologies.
Chansy Phuangsouketh
Director
Central Library
National University of Laos
Lao P.D.R
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Introduction
• Many libraries in Laos have innovated from traditional to
dynamic information systems through the use of mobile
technologies.
• There is an increasing demand for improved information
and knowledge management solutions in research
organizations and universities, integrating access to eresources.
• The Internet, the World Wide Web, the computer and other
information and communication technologies have greatly
influenced library and information services to improve
efficiency of access, flexibility and availability.
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Introduction (cont…)
• By making the information resources available online,
access to the information has extended beyond physical
boundaries and is now available to distant library users
throughout Laos and abroad.
• The Central Library of the National University of Laos is a
network of 20 libraries including the National Library,
institutional libraries and a public library.
• Its mission is to provide information to students, academic
staff and the wider community, enabling the University to
achieve its mission in teaching, learning, researching and
community service through the use of available
technology equipment.
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Introduction (cont…)
• National University of Lao, libraries have used open source
software, which is now widely used to empower users,
particularly in university libraries and other public service
institutions.
• At present, and regarding the technology environment the
Central Library, National University of Laos ( NUOL) is
stepping forward to provide e-resource services to the
students, academic staff, researchers and community
through mobile technologies as required.
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2. Innovation of Library Service through
Automation
• In 2007 the Central Library started developing its own
integrated library system using Open Source Software
(PMB).
• This software then was further carefully modified by the
local specialist to store bibliographic records for the entire
library collection, as well as membership and circulation
information.
• Using this software the library users can locate library
resources from anywhere in the world.
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
• In 2011, a digital library was launched at the Central
Library, National University of Laos. The digital library
was made possible through the use of DSpace Software.
• The Central Library has innovated its information
services by making information as full text available in
electronic formats to ensure that knowledge can be
shared all over the world quickly and easily.
• This increase in the amount of information available
can facilitate research and increase knowledge.
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
• The purpose of having the Digital Library is to
provide the following types of electronic
information:
•
Peer-reviewed journal articles and
conference proceedings
• Research Data
• Monographs and books
• Master and Ph.D. theses, dissertations
and other research-related outputs
presentation and manuscripts.
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
• In 2012, a one-year project supported by the
Elsevier Foundation entitled “Improving Library
Resource Sharing through Union Catalogue among
Laos Libraries” was implemented.
• Digitizing materials and making them available
through networks would help share and increase
access to limited resources among a number of
institutions.
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
• With the grant from the Elsevier Foundation,
researchers from across the 20 member library
consortium will be able to access one search
engine that compiles all materials from the library
collections’ network and electronic databases
across library collections.
• The University Central Library’s Website
(http://www.library.nuol.edu.la)launched in 2002,
serves as a gateway to the internal and external eresources and services.
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
• Other than the in-house developed online systems
linked from the University Library Website, the
following e-resources are also available: Digital
Library of the World Bank, Cambridge Journals
Online, Oxford Online Products, IOP Science,
OECD-iLibrary, Oxford Journal Collection,
Royal Society Journal Collection, JSTOR and,
SAGE Research, and Open Access databases
such as the INASP Directory of Online Journals
and Databases,
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Innovation of Library Service through
Automation (cont…)
•
•
Wikipedia- the free Encyclopedia, INASP Guide to
Open Access Resources, AGORA (Access to Global
Online Research in Agriculture), World Bank eresources, and Lao44
Access to these online resources is free and open to the
public throughout Laos with internet access.
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3. Factors that brought about innovation
-Standardization: strict compliance with international
standards, especially Machine Readable Cataloguing
(MARC) in the design and implementation of
bibliographic databases such as PMB has facilitated easy
exchange of electronic cataloguing records among library
systems locally and internationally.
- Centralization-incorporating the libraries’ holdings into a
single database system (Union databases) has promoted
cooperative cataloguing, minimized possible duplicates in
the collections and has made monitoring of circulations of
users among member libraries of the consortium.
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Factors that brought about innovation
(cont...)
- Modern mobile technology has been used for
infrastructure in Central Library of the National
University of Laos such as Wireless networks that
library users have gained seamless, integrated
access to digital resources and services.
- Use of Free Open Source Technology with the
open source revolution which started in the
University Central Library in 2003 namely: UCL
2003, PMB, DSpace and DLPMB. A number of
applications and database systems mentioned were
developed to innovate the major library
information services.
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Conclusion
• The Central Library, National University of Laos has
innovated its information services to facilitate cooperation
and information sharing among University libraries and
member libraries of the Laos Library and Information
Consortium and has strengthened the capabilities of staff
to provide quality information services.
• The move towards making resources Web-accessible and
innovating library services using web-based technologies
has severely improved the University Library’s capability
to provide efficient information services
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Conclusion (cont…)
• Using Web-based search engines gives library users’ the
opportunity to effectively retrieve information required.
• The application of Open Source Software and mobile
technologies has permitted the University Central Library to
conserve financial resources and deliver quality services to
its users.
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Additional Information
• UCL Website:
• http://www.library.nuol.edu.la
• E-mail
• ucl.nuol@gmail.com
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Thank you!
• Special thanks to AUNILO members
and host institution.
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