Network Technology: What Does It Mean to East Asian Libraries in North America?

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1 Journal of East Asian Libraries Volume 1997 Number 111 Article Network Technology: What Does It Mean to East Asian Libraries in North America? Yuan Zhou Follow this and additional works at: BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Zhou, Yuan (1997) "Network Technology: What Does It Mean to East Asian Libraries in North America?," Journal of East Asian Libraries: Vol : No. 111, Article 4. Available at: This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of East Asian Libraries by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact scholarsarchive@byu.edu, ellen_amatangelo@byu.edu.

2 NETWORK technology WHAT DOES MEAN EAST ASIAN LIBRARIES NORTH AMERICA yuan zhou university minnesota 1990s witnessed rapid spread network technology north american research libraries phenomenon both stimulated sustained number technological advances these advances include developments telecommunication technology increases processing power microcomputers advent distributed client server network architecture emerging electronic publishing delivery industry ever expanding internet resources implementation network technology research libraries come time american universities decades intense growth diversification experiencing difficult period caused reduced enrollments insufficient tuition revenues eroding support governmental private funding face high expectations society 1 libraries endure financial stagnation reduction while costs library materials services continue escalating demands broad spectrum resources various formats concomitant expectations enhanced services remain high thus recent application network technology seen strategic move research libraries undertaken effort utilize vast potential information technologies meet increasing demand improve quality services cope financial crises position themselves future developments information industry network infrastructure developments electronic publishing delivery making impact services research libraries bringing change every area collection preservati development cataloging preservation ont reference services document delivery academic librarians though differing specialties responsibilities trying understand what these changes may mean them how might utilize emerging technologies improve advance work east asian libraries attached research libraries immune these changes therefore must concerned these paper originally presented august part special conference evolving research library east asian studies held conjunction 1996 IFLA meeting beijing china 9

3 questions essay examines issues east asian librarians perspective changing environment before engaging issues however needs look further conditions current environment apply particularly cases uniquely east asian libraries far important change these conditions economic rise east asia japans economy attaining cainas emerging status second largest chinas fastest growing world additionally south korea taiwan hong kong represent three engendered four little dragons admirable economic miracles modern world state economic affairs elevated importance east asia global matters led growing interest studying virtually every aspect region past few decades observed gradual expansion east asian studies traditional fields within humanities include areas social sciences professional schools 2 expansion field increasing numbers east asian studies programs specialists nationwide promoted development research resources improvement library services discipline another recent very exciting change rapid development information infrastructures electronic publishing east asian countries high speed telecommunication networks linking them rest globe now well established japan south korea taiwan hong kong similar developments achieved significant progress mainland china 3 newly developed chinese japanese korean CJK software programs longer confined hardware operating systems countries origin now designed standard platforms DOS windows macintosh research aimed implementing standard language coding system CJK computing achieved encouraging progress 4 commercial CD ROM products electronic publishing represented mainly CDROM stage gathering speed while electronic resources available internet asian languages english flourishing created many different organizations individuals world these resources represent wealth information available largely free charge useful internet resources include online newspapers electronic journals serials monographs classical texts religious scriptures table contents current periodicals research guides ready reference data valuable electronic texts full text database twentyfive dynastic histories installed limited sites north america 5 addition these developments upgrading dedicated lines terminals CJK cataloging windows based networking configurations CJK searching 10

4 capabilities OCLC RLIN these developments greatly changed landscape east asian librarianship brought east asian librarians forefront technological applications libraries first time east asian librarians do wait reap benefits innovation library automation until long time application mainstream librarianship another important change proliferation eastasian asian aslan publications brief survey foreign publications american research libraries ARL reported between chinas cainas total book production increased nearly 300 percent making first among countries surveyed south korea ranked second production nearly doubled during period observed 6 book production taiwan increased substantially particularly between rapid growth continued 1990s 1994 china published monographic titles 7300 periodical titles taiwan published monographs periodicals japan produced monographs 4002 periodicals 9 while south korea nearly new monographic titles published year 10 these figures give total annual production 1994 east asia nearly monographic titles periodical titles without south korean figures put these data perspective should note united states published monographic titles 11 great britain produced titles year 12 flourishing east asian publishing industry made many research resources available our collections including large numbers reprinted microfilmed rare materials many sets monographic series retrospective issues newspapers journals once very difficult obtain course change always positive even positive change may negative side effects perhaps disturbing factor current environment change stagnation reduction funds north american research libraries suffered recent years budgetary constraints combined factors forced many libraries reduce acquisitions allocations leave many vacant positions unfilled reformulate organizational structures reduce personnel costs improve organizational efficiency collective productivity another negative factor increasing costs east asian publications skyrocketing Sky prices especially notable among rocketing books published china according report average price chinese book increased 800 percent decade between staggering increase book prices greatly diminished purchasing power east asian libraries combined explosion publication increase forced many east asian libraries north america 11

5 change collection development strategy chinese materials comprehensive coverage relevant materials market far selective coverage 14 these changes conditions positive others negative shaped current environment east asian collections north america within environment hope gain advantage emerging technology positive developments east asian region east asian studies help us build better future clearly then basic objective east asian librarians attain growth enhancement collections services period shrinking resources pursuing objective technology serves both creator change means manage change moving automation front vision statement OCLC K wayne smith president chief executive officer utility cited john diebolds siebolds Diebolds analysis innovation change conceptualize critical stage library automation currently resides diebold divided change resulting technological innovation three phases first phase described mechanizing what done yesterday second phase technology changes tasks themselves just how performed third phrase resultant change society itself using model smith states libraries rapidly moving second phase though still largely first 15 statement may well define current status north american libraries general though east asian libraries usually lagged behind many aspects automation thus important task move east asian libraries automation front move necessary allow east asian libraries take full advantage current technology assure benefit network technology future example automation systems developers hurriedly modifying products comply z3950 standard protocol several states adopting centralized linked models systems patron initiated inter library loan ILL requests already reality many libraries become many others near future due limited resources however few east asian collections able complete conversion card catalogs without online records searching retrieving items remote locations almost impossible reason very encouraging note several large east asian collections currently undertaking retrospective conversion projects planning do completion projects should high priority every east asian collection where accomplished online records our claim network citizenship antidote card catalogs unlinked circulation records rapidly becoming disservice our users 12

6 addition our local systems our records should added national bibliographic utilities means us carry many resource sharing access oriented functions these utilities networked library environment brief records intended local systems may look like cheap option short term certainly become very costly realizes serve our needs sufficiently networked environment another area worthy pursuit providing our patrons better searching tools result complexity CJK computing limited market need CJK compatible online public automated catalog systems long ignored system vendors fortunately vendors innovative interfaces recognized need domestic market asian well developed systems CJK capabilities where system installed librarys good fortune good fortune patrons east asian collection well rest us however sufficient merely hope wait installation system making excuses our circumscribed services must actively influence our library administrations our patrons behalf whenever decisions made upgrade replace current systems must consider options example making RLIN OCLC CJK terminals available public use alternative several east asian libraries employed years nevertheless original design these terminals required dedicated lines special hardware modems keyboards exacting input methods suitable really trained professionals added these drawbacks high price equipment maintenance making terminals unlikely become popular our patrons indeed difficult justify financially well happily situation remedied recently development windows based network protocol CJK software OCLC RLIN designed standard microcomputers keyboards multiple input methods making these systems available public use provide powerful searching tool CJK languages capability tool used searching local holdings records input retrospectively converted utility well remote east asian collections owned participants utility additionally windows base allows multiple applications shift between utility local system easily check local holdings including detailed holdings serial since information normally provided utilities enhance usefulness powerful tool must provide training faculty students east asian studies through formal bibliographic instruction patrons well through open training sessions site help printed instructions handouts 13

7 automated acquisitions east asian materials remains problem since systems never designed multiple languages understandably east asian vendors publishers often consider orders romanized womanized information unacceptable highly undesirable result acquisitions process east asian materials many libraries half automated best romanized womanized centralized acquisitions system romani zed information input acquisitions control claiming receiving invoice payment tracking fund monitoring half including duplicate checking providing order slips vernacular information often handled manually sometimes CJK word processors may used generate order slips local online catalog may used facilitate checking duplication certain degree case procedure automated fully several east asian collections within RLIN member libraries use RLIN CJK system generate acquisitions records university minnesota east asian library them method allows create acquisitions records CJK vernacular print slips LCC format information vendors prefer these records then sent local automated acquisitions system where modified additional information acquisitions control CJK vernacular slips mailed vendors publishers along standard order forms generated centralized system november 1993 method implemented date university minnesotas minnesotan Minnesotas east asian library received single complaint vendor regarding inadequate ordering information several benefits associated method first information acquisitions record used later aid cataloging item especially cases where original cataloging required second retrospective cataloging records converted RLIN increasingly rely utility duplicate checking eventually eliminating need check paper files new windows based RLIN CJK software facilitate generating records further providing cut method even paste pastel capabilities among multiple records making attractive recently hong xue tang bookseller hong kong offered online ordering system publications mainland china using netscape Netscape interface searching capability various access points chinese publications data bank provides interactive instantaneous book ordering service updated timely manner information new publications system reduce time between announcement new publication east asian library placing order how well service specific librarys acquisitions control system accommodate each remains seen however 14

8 total collection development network technology electronic publishing budgetary constraints american institutions higher education led many discussions library literature recent years role academic libraries collecting electronic publications balancing new role traditional collecting printed materials consensus seems reached within these discussions future see electronic publications play increasingly important role scholarly communication playan furthermore writers seem agree least foreseeable future electronic publishing replace paper based publishing rather two forms supplement each based upon assessment suggested academic libraries need take approach total collection development build resources libraries must integrate collecting electronic publications traditional formats 16 suggestion applicable east asian libraries however reasons believe east asian collections continue rely printed materials general collections these reasons include nature east asian studies degree maturity electronic publishing asia affordability electronic products east asian libraries current trends electronic publishing indicate substantial growth publications seen first sciences engineering rather social sciences humanities interests faculties students east asian studies faculty generally focus upon humanities social sciences where research materials likely remain print format long time additionally collect publications produced east asian countries growth electronic publishing these nations depends economic industrial technological bases well domestic markets products technological infrastructure develop delivering online products although rapid growth these aspects seen nearly entire east asian region degree advancement differs country country another factor prevents east asian libraries taking full advantage available electronic publications high price products instance recent catalog company hong kong listed CDROM version peoples daily central daily news even compared similar american publications these prices very high many east asian libraries prohibitive addition given highly specialized nature contents CDROM products never attain high usage statistics basic paradox high price associated low use makes decision whether purchase these materials very difficult 15

9 since low use natural assumption east asian libraries very selective purchasing these materials except perhaps few large institutions where importance preserving these valuable resources nation somewhat higher rate use potential external financial resources may outweigh cost factor course situation might change price products decline substantially none these statements meant suggest need pay attention relevant electronic publications contrary should monitor rapidly developing industry actively collect useful items afford mentioned earlier through internet now obtain access variety electronic resources various web sites largely without cost many sites provide useful reference data indirectly through our assisting them reference inquires assist patrons directly sites offer full text newspapers journals classical texts creative writings buddhist taoist canons information found these sites supplement librarys printed resources sometimes even substituting text library does own nevertheless quality sites uneven useful information often mired irrelevant mass east asian librarians significant role play filtering irrelevant while facilitating access useful role realized degree through our own web pages linking useful sites logical way two good examples sites council east asian libraries CEAL university michigans asian library close monitoring linked sites timely updating your own page reflect latest developments keys making resource viable part librarys extended collection order make our homepages homepages valuable resources must enrich content must stop brochure like introductory level formats simply borrowed information infuse them substantial features local value 17 locally produced bibliographies research guides tables contents current periodicals digitized images unique archival materials possibilities may consider just good collection unique strengths features high quality library homepage should useful contents special characteristics cooperate thrive technological changes harsh economic realities led significant progress resource sharing among research libraries shift emphasis ownership access longer merely philosophical discussion library institutional literature reflected numerous interinstitutional 16

10 cooperative library projects library consortial many individual research libraries strategic goals institutions higher education north america often highly competitive every institution strives establish own distinctive niche within academic community 18 similar values exist research libraries 19 these values validity nonetheless even todays environment interinstitutional institutional cooperation collaboration stressed thus successful lasting cooperation collaboration often those reciprocity warranted reinforced part east asian libraries north america long history cooperation largely through own professional organizations eugene W wu vividly recounted paper pa 20per organizing east asian studies united states 2 regard resource sharing east asian collections never afford view total self reliance guide practices collection development document services triple blows publication explosion skyrocketing prices budget constraints mentality ever existed becomes absurd todays environment even before online cataloging began interlibrary borrowing common practice among many east asian collections librarians used tools national union catalog published card catalogs existed number large east asian collections identify items file requests interlibrary borrowing patrons behalf those days however interlibrary loan requests mainly way many smaller collections few large ones two way transactions generally existed between those larger few whose holdings through published multiple volume book catalogs CJK bibliographic utilities changed establishment disseminated situation better smaller collections especially those converted records utilities contribute two way flow making cooperation reciprocal under current conditions east asian collections north america become interdependent every collection large small valuable part collective whole network technology further ease interlibrary lending through electronic mail inquiry accessibility OPACs remote institutions check holding circulation status before filing request faster delivery network technology offers powerful tool broader collaboration among east asian collections example committee institutional cooperations CIC cooperative project intended put use advanced technology supporting resource sharing east asian studies initiated ohio state tit university funded oneyear federal government geantit grantit tnt joint project east asian libraries collections university illinois indiana university university iowa university minnesota ohio state university university wisconsin project tests feasibility 17

11 using internet develop preactive proactive user services east asian research materials facilitate remote access project certain success establishing homepages participating collections making useful resources available these sites catalogs special collections bibliographies scanned images tables contents selected CJK periodicals major problem sharing CJK serials resources lack detailed holdings information CJK bibliographic utilities without knowing holdings serial title requests document delivery journal articles remote location go unfilled much too often network offers good possibilities alleviate problem centralized statewide systems like ohiolink OhioLink shared systems like californias Californias MELVYL system models open university systems based z3950 standard protocol however currently these systems confined region consortial while interlibrary borrowing east asian serials often needs cross these geographical organizational boundaries even within those systems function serials sharing ultimately relies quality database maintenance serials holding records member libraries varies greatly institution another telneting Telnet seems option searching serial holdings remote cross boundary locations assuming information provided system institution question sophisticated net users may able take advantage considering complexity searching protocols local system another even sophisticated searchers may rely mainly luck find what want attempt provide another aid alleviate Minnesotas east asian library problem university minnesotas minnesotan compiling lists chinese japanese periodical collections detailed holding information making them available through homepage homepage httpealiblibumnedu these lists vernacular languages viewed without special language browser until better solution becomes available us effort effective way ease frustration accessing remote east asian periodical collections east asian collections northamerica effort collectively surely make difference north america join east asian countries maintain current pace developing electronic publishing industries network infrastructures soon see commercial databases bibliographical full fuli text available online online databases features advantages CDROM products greater coverage contents updated timely manner reduced dependence special devices locations online databases develop may need negotiate producers vendors make them available each our libraries fact east asian librarians already thinking ahead 18

12 direction demonstrated discussion content use RLIN centralized database held RLIN east asian libraries user forum conjunction CEAL annual meetings honolulu april 1996 may need negotiate database providers prices price structure instance per search charges rather flat fee might affordable way overcome our tendency toward low use particularly smaller libraries needs indeed emerge must work together collective voice best way vay perhaps way present our needs concerns effectively collaborative spirit showed negotiating chinese export book price structure led CEAL committee chinese materials negotiations national diet library maintaining affordable format zashi bashi kiji sakuin saguin east asian collections outside japan led national coordinating committee japanese library resources CEAL subcommittee japanese materials needs continued least need cooperation staff training need continuing education new knowledge skills attitudes adopt new technologies changes never greater east asian librarians new responsibilities service demands naturally require east asian librarians renew competencies while local resources available individual librarians institutions serve perhaps primary sources our needs general continuing education short courses training sessions microcomputer basics popular software network browsers HTML tags workshops seminars topics general trends librarianship management theories practice our needs renewing knowledge skills apply exclusively east asian librarianship must met our own organized effort successful examples effort include japanese studies librarians workshop funded japan foundation organized CEAL subcommittee japanese materials 1993 conjunction CEAL annual meetings los angeles preconference workshop handling vernacular PC internet organized CEAL subcommittee technology conjunction 1994 CEAL annual meetings boston need continuation similar efforts obvious must supported entire community east asian librarians north america conclusion east asian librarianship north america entered new period development period perhaps best characterized many changes research libraries both internal external affect east asian librarianship directly these multiple changes brought both challenges well opportunities perhaps cliche clich& nevertheless accurate 19

13 description situation technology especially network technology serves major agent change time change rarely easy remaining unchanged likely worse choice may indeed longer valid option order meet challenges seize opportunities prosper east asian librarians must clear vision determination good strategies spirit cooperation 20

14 NOTES 1 billy E frye university context research library library hi tech 9no committee east asian libraries executive group east asian collectionss Collection report current trends written part association research libraries project scholarship research libraries foreign publishing 1990s committee east asian libraries bulletin no100oct zhu qiang ulatest slatest development internet mainland china microcomputers information management no thomas H hahn year 1995 questions development automation sinological librarianship journal east asian libraries no108feb database produced yuan tse institute academia sinica taiwan gift copies presented east asian libraries harvard university university california berkeley university washington seattle producer detailed summary recent developments electronic publishing relating sinology worldwide found thomas H hahns article year 1995 questions development automation sinological librarianship JEAL TEAL gayle garlock foreign publishing trends ARL bimonthly newsletter research library issues actions no170sept chi wang publishing trends taiwan international association orientalist librarians bulletin no statistics taken 1994 publications yearbook china 1995 publications yearbook taiwan 9 shuppan schuppan nenkan lenkan 1995 ed tokyo shuppan nyususha schuppan nyususha 1995vol Vol 10 shuppan schuppan nenkan lenkan 1995 ed vol bowker annual library book trade almanac 1996 new york R R bowker shuppan schuppan nenkan lenkan 1995 ed vol quanguo Quanguo gonggong xiajiang gonggong tushuguan xinshu minshu goumailiang zhunian xiajiang new book purchases public libraries declined year nationwide zhongguo Zhongguo chuban no43july

15 14 special report ARL foreign acquisitions project report chinese materials july 1994 committee east asian libraries bulletin no104oct K wayne smith OCLC changing tasks librarianship library hi tech 11no llno deanna B marcum new realities old values library hi tech 10no hahn 3 18 frye joseph J branin cooperative collection development collection management new treatise ed charles B osburn ross atkinson greenwich conn JAI eugene W wu organizing east asian studies studios united states origins council east asian libraries association asian studies presented panel evolving research Llibrary east asian studies held august conjunction 1996 IFLA meeting beijing china published journal east asian libraries noll00ctl9961 no110oct