Discusses factors that influence the development of university libraries in general, and university libraries in China specifically. It is argued that the development of university libraries in China needs to be coordinated with the development and environment of the entire university, and to be based on existing and latent abilities. (CLB)

Describes two phases of the automation of library and information services in mainland China. From 1974-86, much effort was concentrated on developing computer systems, databases, online retrieval, and networking. From 1986 to the present, practical progress became possible largely because of CD-ROM technology; and large scale networking for…

The low prioritizing of user service is a longstanding problem in Chinese academic libraries. While acknowledging various external and internal obstacles for this problem, this article argues that traditional library culture, as demonstrated throughout the article, constitutes the root cause for the underdevelopment of user services on information…

This article is the result of author's visit to more than 16 of China's top university libraries, various Academy of Sciences libraries, and National Peking Library during 1984-85 academic year. Topics covered include hardware inventory, software applications development, Chinese ideograph automation, China's library classification system, and…

Compares two distinct approaches to education for medical librarianship--those of the People's Republic of China and of North America. Topics discussed include formal degree programs; certification; the relationship between educators and practitioners; the changing needs of medical librarians regarding continuing education; lifelong learning; and…

Discusses user education in China's academic libraries in light of educational reform and the changing role of academic libraries. Describes information technology developments, objectives of user education, and the emphasis on computerbased searching in the Tsinghua University library. (LRW)

This selective bibliography lists 66 items published from 1980 until 1989 on education, training, and continuing education in library and information science and documentation in the Chinese-speaking countries, i.e., the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The document is divided into 10 sections: (1) a preface (in…

How early experiences in traditional Chinese libraries contributed to Mao's revolutionary ideas. (Author)

Describes problems encountered during early attempts at library automation in China, including the slow development of telecommunications systems and the high cost of international online retrieval. The successful use of imported databases on CD-ROM to overcome these problems is discussed, focusing on applications in library technical services and…

Examines three major components of the role of the university library in China: (1) the university as a participant in the educational work of the university; (2) the library as a provider of information that enables researchers in the university to carry out investigations; and (3) the responsibility of the library to society as a whole. (25…

Attempts to define the unique characteristics of the political, social, and economic obstacles to the modernization of academic libraries in China. The historical development of librarianship in China is described, and a scenario is used to illustrate the organization of academic libraries and the resulting problems. (18 references) (CLB)

In 2004-2005, The National Library of the Netherlands (Koninklijke Bibliotheek) conducted a survey for the IFLA-CDNL Alliance for Bibliographic Standards (ICABS)--an alliance founded jointly by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL) and the national libraries of…

Discusses and compares library and information science education in the United States and China. Highlights include historical background; library school closings; accreditation process; attitudes toward the information industry; and educational reform in Chinese higher education. (LRW)

Discussion of customer expectations of library service quality and SERVQUAL as a measurement tool focuses on two studies: one that compared a survey of Chinese university students' expectations of service quality to New Zealand students; and one that investigated national culture as a source of attitudes to customer service. (Author/LRW)

Melvyn C. Goldstein, an anthropologist at Case Western Reserve University, has spent 40 years, off and on, collecting oral histories from Tibet. As rural Tibetans who have endured decades of tumult approach old age, Goldstein, who is also a director of the university's Center for Research on Tibet, has preserved their stories. He has interviewed…