Small Group Reports
The twenty participants were divided into four groups on the last day of the program (20 March
2001) and each group gave a report on their reflections/opinions about this Program
I)
Report of Group One
We (i.e. participants) express our gratitude to HKBU Library and the United Board for Christian
Higher Education in Asia for giving us such an opportunity. We would also like to thank Mrs.
Shirley Leung for her concerns and care for the academic libraries in China, and her passion and
contribution to library management is respectable
1.
2.
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6.
7.
Feelings about and learning from this Program:
The program is scientific, comprehensive and systematic
We (i.e. participants) benefit a lot from this staff development program
Hong Kong libraries have strong user-oriented mission
HKBU library staff has a strong will to face competition and they are committed to their
work
The use of information technology in library services is comparatively better in Hong Kong
The management is scientific and systematic in Hong Kong
Library collections are unique in Hong Kong
Apply what we (i.e. participants) have learned to our libraries in relation to our specific
situations
1. Strengthen library reforms; consolidate the ‘employment/hiring’ system; stimulate
people’s drive and potential and encourage people to strive for success
2. Transform our thinking, adopt user-oriented practice; consider the notion of library
evaluation; be crisis-alert
3. Should be open-minded; strengthen communication and collaboration among libraries
and share resources and experiences
4. Reinforce scientific management, adopt 5-S management practice
5. Enhance the application of information technology and speed up the establishment of
digital libraries
6. Strengthen user education, staff development and reference services
7. Support the evaluation of library services; and build up unique library collections
II)
Report of Group Two
How to put into practice?
1. Report
a. Report to the universities administration and seek their support
b. Report to library colleagues and share our learning and experiences with them, help
them change their viewpoints and concepts, strengthen their confidence and enhance
their work and services
c. Report to library professional associations so as to enable more professionals to
benefit from the achievement of this staff development program
2. Prepare/revise library planning and put it into practice, and learn from the experiences of
Hong Kong libraries
3. Establish ways to:
a. Strengthen the information exchange between Hong Kong and Mainland China
b. Staff development program
c. Strengthen library collaboration in information and technology exchange, resources
sharing, and library professional staff exchange
Having learned advanced working attitude
1. User-oriented, work for the users
open/accessible library setting with one-stop service point (circulation, reading and reference
services), frequent and systematic user education program, convenient photocopying services
2. Excellent library collaboration
Hong Kong libraries jointly establish and share electronic journals and databases
3. Scientific management structure and system
a. Adopt 5-S management practice
b. Professionally-trained library staff
c. A system of faculty members as library coordinators
d. High quality of staff and their commitment to their work
III)
Report of Group Three
1. Excited about participating in this Program and returning to our (i.e. participants’) libraries
later
2. Impressed by
a. Creative planning of the Program:
the intensive program is comprehensive, topics of the lectures are relevant to the notion
of services and important issues are highlighted
b. Fast changing academic libraries in Hong Kong:
Social status of the libraries steadily rises, library services are unique, achievement in
library collaboration is significant
c. Strong management and service mission:
Have library organizational reforms, good cost control of information flow/use, and good
library collection establishment
d. Contribution and efforts of HKBU Library:
in planning and arranging this program, inviting experts to be the speakers, and arranging
our visit to Hong Kong
3. Inspired by the differences between libraries in Hong Kong and China in:
a. Infrastructure support including software and hardware
b. Library development and trends including open-minded approach, management styles,
social status and organizational structure and system
c. This Library Staff Development Program:
The Program is very substantial and there was a lot of information for us to learn and
absorb; we could only learn about each library’s operation superficially; more interaction
among participants is needed
4. Action to be taken
This is a fruitful trip which will foster strong collaboration, we appreciate HKBU Library’s
efforts and contribution
IV)
Report of Group Four
We (i.e. participants) would like to express our gratitude to the HKBU Library.
From this Program, we have learned the following:
1. Librarian as marketing manager
2. Team spirit and team management
3. Management concept/ideas
4. The notion of dedicating oneself to one’s work
5. Library collaboration
6. User education services
7. Friendly communication and cooperation
8. Wonderful memory of this Program deeply rooted in our minds