A Brief Report
On Indigenous Material
Collections and
Management at the NUOL
By: Chansy Phuangsouketh
Director, Central Library
National University of Laos
Introduction
• Local information resources at the Central Library have been identified
and organized to respond to the needs to the academic staff, students,
and other community members
• Bibliographic records of these materials have been prepared and added
to databases in the Central Library, and also the database maintained by
Mahasarakham University.
• The library staff is very motivated to promote mutual understanding and
to find solutions to some of the more difficult problems encountered within
the Southeast Asian Network members in sharing local information
resources.
• The library staff recognizes the value and importance of preserving local
information and local resources, as these materials are unique to the Lao
PDR and are of great national and cultural value.
Management of Local Information
We have organized the materials into the following
categories:
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Lao Cultures
Historical, Religious, and Ethnic Heritage
Fictions
Folktales
Legends
Poetry
Proverbs
Audio-Visual materials
Lao Cultures
Vatanatham lae Heedkhong Paphenee an Dee Ngam khong Lao
(The rich culture and traditions of the Lao Nation)
Book describing the great variety and wealth of culture and
traditions of the Lao Nation
Historical, Religious, and Ethnic
Heritage
(Pavad “Prabang” Buddha)
A book describing the history of Laos’ most celebrated Buddhist
statue.
Historical, Religious, and Ethnic
Heritage
Muong Lao Heun Nhao Paukado (Muong Lao Home)
A book describing the home of one of the ethnic groups in
Saravan Province in southern Laos.
Fiction
Thao Khounlou Nang Oua (Thao Khounlou Nang Oua)
The fictional love story of Thao Khounlou and Nang Oua.
Folktales
Khatixon Phuen Muong Lao (Lao Folktales)
A collection of Lao folktales and parables involving teaching the
reader.
Legends
Champa See Ton (The Four Frangipani Trees)
The legend of the Lao National Flower, the Frangipani (Plumeria).
Poetry
Thao Hung Thao Cheuang (Mr. Houng and Mr. Cheung)
An epic poetic tale written in modern Lao prose.
Proverbs
Kham Souphasit Phuen Muong Lao (Lao Proverbs)
A collection of Lao proverbs.
Audio-Visual Materials
Wat Phou Sy (Phou Sy
Temple)
A film on VCD about the famous Luang Prabang Temple “Phou Sy”.
Future plans
• Fully integrate bibliographic records of all the
materials contained in the Local Information
collections into the Central Library’s computer
database.
• Further promote and disseminate the local
information
• Establishment of a digital library
• Preservation of local information resources
Obstacles
The library must improve the functioning of
the library’s database and catalogue
system before we can proceed with our
goals of improving access to local
knowledge resources.
• A lack of adequate financial resources to
effectively promote or preserve these
materials.
Conclusion
•Local information resources play a significant role in
maintaining our Lao cultural heritage.
• Attention must be paid to preserving these local
information resources, or they may be lost forever.
•In an era of globalization and international communication,
the Lao culture must be preserved.
•The Central Library is prepared to utilize digitization
technology as soon as possible, in an effort to safe-guard
our national identity for future generations.
Thank you