Thai Higher Education Library Consortium and Resource Sharing

Thai Higher Education Library Consortium and Resource Sharing by Dr. Sumate Yamnoon Former Secretary-General for The Commission on Higher Education, Thailand

Distribution of Higher Institution in Thailand, 1993 Source map: http: //commons. wikimedia. org/wiki/

Higher Education: Equal Opportunity Distribution of Higher Education Institutions in Provinces and Bangkok Metropolitan, Imbalance in Access to: • Infrastructure for Higher Education Support • Learning Resources • Human Resources

Higher Education : Equal Opportunity For provincial Universities in 1993 • Main Library or Central Library was the only Education Resource for Learning and research • Less developed and far-reaching environment enforced those universities to unionized

PULINET • PULINET was a collaborative project among 12 provincial university authorities. The project was approved at the meeting of Regional University Presidents Meeting in 1985 • Aims for sharing of education resources and Inter-Library Loan among its members.

PULINET In 1993 provincial university presidents submitted the resolution to create Provincial University Library Network (PULINET) and called for support from the Ministry of University affairs (now the office of Higher Education Commission) funding cost: baht 143. 5 million or about US 4. 3 million

THAILINET At the same period of time, Thai Library Network Metropolitan (THAILINET) was created by Bangkok Metropolitan Universities with the same concept as PULINET. THAILINET provides the sharing of education resources among universities in Bangkok and Metropolitan.

Ministry of University Affairs has launched Uni. Net as Academic and Research Integrated Network providing information and communication technology infrastructure accessible by all Universities across the country in 1995

Thai. LIS The government decided to Combine PULINET and THAILINET to Thai Library Integrated System or Thai. LIS and operated under Uni. Net.

Thai. LIS aims • To develop an automated library system using modern information technology • To develop ICT network to all university libraries providing a comprehensive information services and effective resource sharing. • To enhance the university libraries function as a center of learning and information, facilitate human resource development in higher education.

Uni. Net Framework: Self Learning Center and Sharing Education Resource Union Catalog Thai Digital Collection Reference Database Automation Library Software Development Thai Academic Reference Database

1. Union Catalog § Index database of 24 universities/institutes with over 2 million current entries and can be accessed in http: //uc. thailis. or. th/ § Operated under the MARC Standardization Committee § upgraded to Inter Library Loan: ILL or Union Circulation to allow members in taking service of Thai. LIS like library they are membered. § The members can search all information by one-stop visit via Internet. Now it is opened for academics and interested people to visit anytime

2. Thai Digital collection § Fulltext collection more than 323, 608 fulltext files located at 167 libraries in Thailand § Operated under the Metadata Duplin Core Standardization Committee § Access by Web based Thai Digital collection Information as (http: //tdc. thailis. or. th) (data update Sep 2013)

2. Thai Digital collection • Integrated search of digitized information : – Theses & Dissertations – Research – Journal Articles – Rare books – E-books • The system opens for general public

3. Reference Database consortium subscription of academic journal Strengthening purchasing & negotiation power centralized purchasing, budget supported by government Co-purchasing Consortia, Negotiations for the free for those Universities in trial to all university specialized fields of education, budget supported by universities

3. Reference Database consortium subscription of academic journal 14 reference databases subscription in 2013 • ACM Digital Library • Springer. Link online Journal IEEE • Pro. Quest Dissertation&Theses Complete HW. Willson • Academic Search Complete • Computer& Applied Sciences • Education Research Complete ABI/Inform Complete • Emerald Management 175 • American Chemical Society ISI (Web of Science) Science. Direct • Communication & Mass Media Complete

4. Automation Library Software Development Walai Auto. Lib Developed by Walailak University Budget supported by government re a w t of S e l u d o ing M g o l a t a C eb 1. w C PA n O o. i t 2 a cul r i n C o i t 3. i s ui q c A 4. l a i r e S 5. ALIST Developed by PSU SOMSOOK Developed by KMUTT More than 80 Universities utilized

5. Thai Academic Reference Database: TAR § Operated under the Metadata Duplin Core Standardization § Use Open source Software DSpace § Access by web based Thai Academic Reference Database information as (http: //tar. thailis. or. th) § the information resources provided only Proceedings from universities in Thailand

Uni. Net Strategic Roles of Government • In general, the government supports university annually in full or partial costs. • Government investment in ICT-Network with condition that to save the budget is very critical. • However, the government investment may reduce special fees changed from students

Cost sharing and Educational Resource sharing 250, 000 200, 000 150, 000 Per University consortium 100, 000 50, 000 USD - Publisher A Publisher B Publisher C Publisher D Publisher E

Keys of Success • Invest for quality education. • Research focus vs. teaching focus Universities need difference kinds of database. • Utilization encouragement strategy. • Performance evaluation of University Library

The End