2008 Blogs

CONSAL XIV--A meeting of Southeast Asian Librarians

04/22/2009

Okay, my pictures from the conference are not that sharp, but it's difficult taking them in a large conference hall.  Yesterday and today I've been attending the 14th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians here in Hanoi.  People are here from 10 member nations and at least 17 other countries, with  more than 800 people registered.  It has been fascinating talking with librarians from Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and other countries in the region.  The conference is being conducted in English and Vietnamese, with simultaneous translation available through headsets, so I'm able to follow nearly everything.

 

When I registered yesterday I was surprised to see the foreign delegates paying with U.S. dollars while I, an American, was paying with Vietnamese dong.  Everyone thinks I have come from the U.S. just for the conference and that I must be a VIP, but in reality I am here hoping learn something that will benefit the NTU library.  The conference began with a lovely cultural performance by young Vietnamese girls, followed by a procession of flags from the member nations and a series of of official greetings.  Professor Ching-chih Chen from Simmons College spoke about a digital project known as Global Memory Net (http://www.memorynet.org) and previewed World Heritage Memory Net, which will be available soon.  I encourage you to check both sites out.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has made it possible for librarians from Cambodia, Laos, and rural provinces of Vietnam to attend the conference.  The Gates Foundation also is unveiling a cultural post office project, which is putting computers with Internet access into rural post offices in Vietnam so farmers, for example, can access agricultural information, the weather, and more.  The topics I heard discussed were not new--electronic reference service, digital libraries, LIS curriculum--but the contexts certainly make a difference.

  

In this blurry picture I'm standing with two friendly librarians from Malaysia (on the left), and a contingent from the Philippines.  The young man is a priest studying to be an archivist.  Everywhere you look at the conference, people are snapping pictures--it seems to be a favorite pastime, along with exchanging business cards. 

Now for the personal anecdote.  I was a bit disappointed last  night when the Internet quit working in my room, so I turned in early.  In the night I heard it raining, which at first I thought was nice.  When it kept up, I finally decided to check it out.  Much to my surprise, a plumbing malfunction had occurred in my bathroom, and water was flowing everywhere.  Thankfully there was a drain in the floor, but something had to be done.  I dressed and went downstairs to wake the night watchman, who was sleeping on the floor of the breakfast area.  He doesn't speak English, so I snapped on a light and motioned for him to follow me.  It took some time, but he and another man finally got the water turned off.  Needless to say, my bathroom was a disaster area and I couldn't go back to sleep.  That must be why I'm a bit tired tonight! 

Tomorrow there is a conference excursion to Halong Bay, a World Heritage site.  Hopefully the pictures won't be blurry!