ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 486 / C & R L N ews A cad em ic lib raries in the P e o p le ’s R epublic of China B y Zi-li X iao Deputy Director National Library and Information Committee fo r College and University Libraries, P eople’s Republic o f China Recent developm ents in Chinese librarianship. D o z e n s of articles about libraries in China have been published in the United States in the last sev­ eral years. Most of them, written by visiting Ameri­ can librarians, are from observers’ points of view. In a recent article on problems faced by Chinese university libraries, Henrietta Lo provided a vivid description of the obstacles to modernizing China’s university libraries.1 The incidents Lo encountered can be found in many college and university li­ braries in China. Despite the obstacles observed by Lo and many others, great progress was made in the develop­ ment of college and university libraries after the National Conference of College and University L i­ braries in China in 1981. At that time, the former Ministry of Education developed the “Regulations for College and University L ib ra ry Services.” Steering committees of college and university li­ braries were set up at national, provincial, and municipal levels throughout the country, and col­ lege and university library services began to be stressed. In December 1982 a second all-member session of the National Steering Committee of College and University Libraries was held in Beijing to present its report and its “Provisions for the Work and Duty 1Henrietta Lo, “The Obstacles to Reform: China Modernizes Its University Libraries,” College & Research Libraries 48 (November 1987):504-12. of College and University Library and Information W orkers.” In April 1984 the Steering Committee called another national conference in Xian to share working experiences, especially with regard to li- brarv reforms. The steering committees of various academic li­ braries have done a large amount of work in recent years in organization, management, inspection, evaluation, staff training, cooperation and coordi­ nation, and professional guidance. W ith active support from all levels, library services have kept in step with developments in higher education. Statis­ tics for 670 college and university libraries existed at the end of 1980; and by 1986 data for 913 institu­ tions had been collected (Table 1). The quality and efficiency of library service has also improved. Ac­ ademic libraries are now actively serving the teach­ ing and research programs of their parent institu­ tions. Specific efforts have been made to improve the quality of collections, to assess the composition of collections, to weed out obsolete books and periodi­ cals, to reduce the number of copies per title, to re­ adjust the work system, to meet the information processing standards stipulated by the govern­ ment, to improve work quality and efficiency, to formulate and improve various policies and proce­ dures, and to promote staff development. College and university libraries have generally adopted open stacks for over 20 % of their books and period­ September 1988 / 487 TA BLE 1 College and University Libraries in China 1980 1986 Annual Increase * Number of libraries 670 913 2 2 . 7 1 % Library staff 17 ,2 97 32 ,7 7 9 3 1 . 5 8 % Floor Space (Sq. Mtr.) 1 ,3 2 0 ,0 0 0 2 , 9 0 0 , 0 0 0 3 6 . 6 2 % Funds for Purchasing Books per annum (Yuan) 5 , 2 1 6 , 0 0 0 1 4 , 7 0 8 ,0 0 0 4 7 . 0 0 % *This is the average annual increase for these 6 years. icals. Open hours have been increased to an aver­ age of 70 hour per week. Many new programs have been developed, such as selecting reference materi­ als in accordance with the curriculum, providing media services, compiling reference books and in­ dexes, and providing reference materials to gradu­ ate students working on a thesis. Academic li­ b ra ries also fre q u e n tly hold sem in ars, book evaluations, exhibitions, and art appreciation workshops. Bibliographic instruction Since 1983, college and university libraries have developed an “Information Retrieval and Utiliza­ tion” course which has been added to the curricu­ lum. According to the requirements of the State Educational Commission, all qualified schools may offer it as a compulsory course, and those without adequate qualification may offer it as a se­ lective course or as a special lecture. All postgradu­ ate students are required to take this course, which allows undergraduate and postgraduate students to understand the concept of information, and to master the skills of finding and utilizing reference materials so that they can become independent li­ brary researchers. The length of the course is generally from 20 to 40 hours. The contents of the course usually in­ clude: 1) The fundamentals of information structure and information retrieval. 2) The structure of major retrieval tools, and methods of locating information. 3) The contents and function of major reference works, and methodologies for using them. 4) Methods and skills for increasing the volume of reading, for sorting and summarizing documen­ tation, for studying and analyzing information, and for writing a thesis. Many schools have also added online bibliographic databases. Most colleges and universities use their libraries as teaching bases and coordinating centers. The li­ brary can set up a teaching section to organize teaching and research. The former Ministry of Ed­ ucation and now the State Education Commission has designated the National Steering Committee of College and University Libraries to be responsible for the planning, organization and coordination of this course. According to the 1986 statistics, 532 schools have offered this course, involving more than 1,600 faculty and 230,000 students. The con­ sensus of opinion among teachers, librarians, and students has been favorable. In 1986 the State Sci­ ence Commission awarded a third prize to this course for organizing and promoting scientific and technical information. A clearinghouse committee for compiling and editing teaching material has been organized, and has published a set of teaching materials for different subjects. Reference services University and college libraries have abundant resources for docum entation and inform ation. More than half of the colleges and universities in the country have established reference depart­ ments, usually in the library. Depending on the collection, circulation and photocopying capabili­ ties of the library, the reference departments an­ swer inquiries, find research topics, provide SDI and other special services for research projects, and translate and edit materials in foreign languages. They also offer information services outside the ac­ ademic community, such as the investigation and study of local construction projects, technical con­ sultation, and information searches for scientific research projects. For the first time in 1986 college and university libraries were eligible for awards in the field of scientific and technical information, with four prizes awarded and six professionals commended. In addition to the libraries, university and col­ leges in the country have more than 5,000 reference and information centers. These units undertake the functions of both documentation and information. Under the guidance and coordination of the li­ brary, academic information committees are being established to form a unified documentation and information network which emphasizes coopera­ tion and resource sharing among different units in an extensive scale. Equipment and facilities New techniques are being used by college and university libraries to elevate work quality and effi­ ciency. In the 1950s only a few universities and col- 488 / C &R L News leges had copy machines and other office equip­ ment. Now there are nearly 500 microcomputers in college and university libraries. Copy machines are common and other new equipment is in use. Attention is also focused on audiovisual materi­ als. Many academic libraries have set up media centers and microform reading rooms. A number of universities and colleges are experimenting with the use of computers in management and adminis­ tration, online information retrieval, and database construction. For example, the Computer Com­ piled Union Catalog of Books in Western Lan­ guages developed by Peking University, the Data­ base of the Academic Publication Abstracts of Chinese Colleges and Universities developed by Qing Hua University, Book Circulation Manage­ ment Systems developed by Shanghai Jiaotung University, Nanjing University, and the micro­ computer networks developed by some academic libraries, have brought library automation to daily operation. According to the 1985 statistics, univer­ sity and college libraries in China have introduced and developed 77 databases and 131 software pro­ grams. Some have established international online computer retrieval terminals. In order to provide a good environment for re­ search and study, and to add new technology to li­ brary services, college and university libraries in China have been vigorously planning new library buildings. According to incomplete statistics, at least 200 new library buildings have been con­ structed in recent years with a total floor space of about 1,500,000 square meters. This exceeds the total floor space of all college and university li­ braries before 1980. At present a large number of libraries are under construction. In May 1986 the Secretariat of the National Steering Committee of College and Uni­ versity Libraries called a conference in Shenyang to discuss library building planning and construc­ tion. This meeting analyzed the condition of li­ brary buildings and proposed guidelines for col­ leges and universities to follow. Staff In recent years, colleges and universities in China have recruited over 3,000 of their own grad­ uates and a number of teachers to augment the li­ brary staff. In 1980 only 38.5 % of the library staff were college graduates, but the figure reached 53.6% in 1985. This raised the educational level of the staff in general. In order to adapt college graduates majoring in areas other than library and information sciences to work in the libraries and information centers, the Secretariat of the National Steering Committee of College and University Libraries has encouraged them to attend training classes. Eight universities and colleges have set up programs which have trained more than 1,500 people for a period from six months to one year. These trainees have now be­ come an important part of the profession. The Sec­ retariat has also arranged for three universities to offer six-month training classes for 200 library di­ rectors. In addition, academic library steering committees across the country have organized short-term continuing education classes of various types. In recent years more than 10,000 library staff have undergone special training for at least one month. There are now over 40,000 staff members work­ ing in China’s academic libraries and information departments. Their mission is to amplify their training and elevate the quality of their work. Interlibrary cooperation As mentioned earlier, academic library steering committees were set up at all levels after the Na­ tional Conference of College and University L i­ braries in 1981. Over 10 ministries and commis­ sions also set up library steering committees or library associations in the universities and colleges under their jurisdiction. Under the leadership and with the support of educational departments, li­ brary steering committees and associations have done a good deal of work on interlibrary organiza­ tion, management and coordination. Their activi­ ties have included initiating operation plans and proposals; organizing inspections, appraisals, and comparisons; commending library achievements, staff innovations, and staff with 30 years’ experi­ ence; organizing interlibrary cooperation; coordi­ nating the acquisition of books and periodicals; studying the use of computers; editing and compil­ ing union catalogs; promoting resource sharing; is­ suing interlibrary loan cards; developing academic research; and training leaders and exchange expe­ rience. All these activities have helped the develop­ ment of library and information services in aca­ demic libraries. Research in librarianship In addition to its other activities, the National Steering Committee of College and University L i­ braries and the committees at the provincial level have published many studies on such special topics as library reforms, collection development, leader­ ship and training, professional team building, or­ ganization of research methods courses, library building planning and construction, library auto­ mation, and strategic planning for libraries and in­ formation centers. These studies have made con­ siderable progress and have promoted the development of library services. The official publication of the National Steering Committee, the Bulletin o f C ollege and University Libraries, has been published regularly since 1983 to exchange information about academic library reforms and to report on research and development in academic libraries. The committee also pub­ lishes five kinds of reference materials on library and information services, essays on special topics, Available in September, 1988 Books for College Libraries, Third Edition • the most authoritative academic library collection development and evaluation tool available today • more than 50,000 titles in all fields of study • between 30% to 50% new material in all fields of study • fully updated coverage even for rapidly changing fields • more than 500 U.S. and Canadian college faculty and collection development librarians participated in title selection Place your order early to receive the maximum discount! ISBN for the six-volume set: 0-8389-3353-X. Early order price: $425.00 (orders received between August 1 , 1988 and December 31,1988) Final list price: $500.00 (orders received after January 1, 1989) Individual volumes of BCL3 may also be purchased separately. Please contact the ALA Publishing Services Order Department for price and order information. In addition to the print version, BCL3 will be available online and on magnetic tape. Requests for ordering information for tape and online versions should be addressed to BCL3/CHOICE, 100 Riverview Center, Middletown, CT 06457. American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 490 / C &RL News and conference notes. Provincial and local steering committees have also issued publications of their own to enliven the scholastic atmosphere, to share information of local interest, and to exchange work experiences. Both the Department of Library and Informa­ tion Sciences of Northeast Normal University and that of East China Normal University have set up library research centers. Together with the School of Library and Information Sciences in Wuhan University and the library school of Peking Univer­ sity, they share the work of studying the develop­ ment of college and university libraries in Japan, the United States, the Soviet Union, and other Eu­ ropean countries. Preliminary research results have been obtained. The government has been sending graduate students to some developed coun­ tries to study library and information sciences since 1979. Many colleges and universities have also sent students or library staff to study library and infor­ mation science abroad. It is estimated that in re­ cent years, over 100 Chinese students and visiting scholars have studied, or are studying library and information science in the United States alone. The future After several years of development, college and university libraries have begun to change from pri­ marily collecting printed materials to providing in­ formation and services in various forms and media. Instead of supplying books passively, they have ac­ tively entered the teaching circle. They have turned from merely supplying bibliographic infor­ mation to finding original documents, translating foreign language materials, and providing services that have traditionally been considered the user’s responsibility. They have converted from tradi­ tional manual operations to modern technology. They have served not only research and teaching needs on campuses, but have also contributed to ec­ onomic construction and social development. They have evolved from comparatively isolated institu­ tions to multi-functional information centers. CLIP Note #10 now out Annual Reports fo r College L ibraries, number 10 in the C LIP (College Library Information Packet) Notes series published by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), is now available from the American Library Association (ALA) Order Department. CLIP Note #10 reports the results of a survey of small college and university libraries designed to collect basic data about how academic libraries prepare and use annual reports. Preparation, structure, production, distribution and value of annual reports are some of the topics covered. Five complete annual reports as well as selected annual The past few years are unprecedented in the an­ nals of China’s college and university libraries. However, the original foundation of these libraries is weak and their development unbalanced. They are hardly able to cope with the needs of a new situ­ ation. In order to strengthen the leadership of col­ lege and university library and information ser­ vices, the State Education Commission set up an administrative office for textbooks, library and in­ formation services in 1986. In June 1987 a National Conference of College and University Libraries was held. The conference summed up achieve­ ments, exchanged experiences, revised the “Regu­ lations of Services,” developed the “Rules and Reg­ ulations of College and University Libraries,” and reorganized the National Steering Committee of College and University Libraries as the National Library and Information Committee for College and Universities. The significance of the conference is that it em­ phasized the need to strengthen the teaching and information functions of college and university li­ braries, and to display the multi-faceted efficiency of college and university libraries, reference rooms and information offices. The conference proposed to set up 30 information centers focusing on partic­ ular disciplines among colleges and universities as a safeguard for the information resources of college and university libraries. These centers should serve as depositories for information collection and utili­ zation for the whole country. To speed up the mod­ ernization of college and university libraries, these centers will give guidance and assistance to local li­ braries and play leading roles in the application of modern technology. All this is only the beginning. A wide application of modern technology in Chinese college and uni­ versity libraries will come into its own in the 1990s. E d itor’s Note: The author was assisted in the edit­ ing o f this article by Tian-zhu Li, a graduate stu­ dent in education at the University o f Washington, Seattle. report data-gathering forms and graphics are also included. Annual Reports fo r C ollege Libraries (ISBN 0- 8389-7219-5) was compiled by Kenneth J. Oberembt, director of the Alumni Memorial Li­ brary, University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, un­ der the auspices of the ACRL College Libraries Section’s CLIP Notes Committee. Copies may be ordered from the ALA Order Department, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; (800) 545-2433. The 135-page paperback sells for $20 ($17 to ACRL members). ALA members receive a 10% discount off the list price. Septem ber 1988 / 491 Two new thesauri for special collections Binding Terms and Provenance E vidence are the latest additions to the series of thesauri for use in rare book and special collections cataloging pub­ lished by the Association of College and Research Libraries. Developed by the ACRL Rare Books and Manu­ scripts Section’s Standards Committee for use in USMARC field 755 (a new field authorized for all MARC formats in January 1984), these mono­ graphs provide standard terms for description of physical characteristics of various production methods and publishing or bookselling practices. The standardized application of these terms allows retrieval of books by their physical features rather than intellectual content. Special collections librarians concerned with the study of the book may want to use MARC field 755 to locate, for example, all of their holdings with im­ position errors, signing irregularities or false im­ print date. The use of such terms in cataloging rec­ ords will assist researchers interested in studying the techniques and styles of book production and distribution. Binding Terms describes the physical properties of the'book’s binding. Provenance E vidence con­ siders provenance in its broadest sense to refer not only to former owners in the legal sense, but also to any who may have had temporary custody of the material (such as auction houses or library borrow­ ers) and have left their mark on it in some way. Binding Terms: Thesaurus fo r Use in B are B ook and Special Collections Cataloguing, a 37-page pa­ perback (ISBN 0-8389-7210-1), sells for $10 ($8.50 to ACRL members). Provenance Evidence: The­ saurus f o r Use in B are B ook and Special Collections Cataloguing, a 24-page paperback (ISBN 0-8389- 7239-X), sells for $9 ($7 to ACRL members). Both books are available from the ALA Order Depart­ ment, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; (800) 545-2433. ALA members receive a 10% discount off the list price. The first title in the series, Printing and Publish­ ing E vidence (ISBN 0-8389-7108-3), is still avail­ able from the ALA Order Department for $7.50 ($5.50 to ACRL members). Academic Status: Statements and Resources available A cadem ic Status: Statements and Besources, a publication of the Association of College and Re­ search Libraries (ACRL), is now available from the American Library Association (ALA) Order Department. Developed by ACRL’s Academic Status Com­ mittee, this compilation brings together informa­ tion that supports the idea of faculty status and pro­ vides a defense of the concept. The publication includes all of the ACRL standards and guidelines that apply to faculty status for academic librarians as well as a review of faculty status surveys and a selective bibliography. A ca d em ic Status: S tatem ents an d B esou rces (ISBN 0-8389-7233-0) is available from the ALA Order Department, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; (800) 545-2433; in Illinois, (800) 545-2444; in Canada, (800) 545-2455. The 58-page paper­ back sells for $8 ($6.50 to ACRL members). ALA members receive a 10% discount off the list price. ACRL executive summary Conference time has always been the most active season of the year. Activities that have been brew­ ing for months ripen; dispersed pieces of work are combined into a synergistic whole. 1988 is no dif­ ferent. A summary of the actions of the ACRL Board of Directors appears on pp. 493-95. Here are some other important happenings. Professional developm ent The local presentation of one continuing educa­ tion course and several preconference courses at ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans involved more than 180 people. The Bibliographic Instruc­ tion Section’s third preconference was highly suc­ cessful, drawing 193 participants to sessions on new methods for user instruction. The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section offered its 29th precon­ ference, “Libraries and Museums: Leaves from Each Others’ Books,” to more than 240 attendees. Discussions began for a second CD-ROM tele­ conference, possibly featuring the transmission of a continuing education course via satellite. 492 / C&R L News Plans for the ĀCRL National Conference in Cin­ cinnati are on schedule. Some 14,000 brochures were mailed, poster sessions are planned, many more programs were submitted than can be ac­ cepted, and the number of “intents to submit pa­ pers” exceeds the number received for the last con­ ference in Baltimore. Plans are also moving along for the RBMS Con­ ference in Cambridge, England, September 4 -8 , 1989, on “The Antiquarian Book Trade.” Im proving service capability The Planning Committee for the Historically Black College and University Libraries project will carry out a statistical survey of these institutions to update earlier studies by Casper Jordan and Jessie Carney Smith. The Committee will also offer a preconference on preparing for accreditation at ALA Annual Conference in Dallas next year. The Ad Hoc Committee on Performance Mea­ sures received a good progress report from consul­ tant Nancy Van House on the output measures manual project. Phase One is nearly complete and the drafting of the manual is about to begin. ALA Publishing has indicated an interest in publishing the manual. The Librarians as Instructors Task Force will be conducting a survey to raise the consciousness of administrators and gather information about the extent of librarians’ instructional activity. Their term has been extended to allow completion of the study. Hearings were held on the “Standards for Uni­ versity Libraries” and on the “Academic Status Statement.” Both of the committees revising these documents are using the results to modify their work. Liaison and advocacy Executive Director JoAn Segal attended the American Association on Higher Education Assess­ ment Forum in Chicago in June to advocate a role Segal now certified JoAn S. Segal, ACRL executive director, has recently been awarded certification by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She may now use the designation C .A .E . (Certified Association Executive). A combination of points awarded for professional experience and the scores on a competitive na­ tional examination form the basis for awarding the designation, which is held by about 1,500 association executives. Official recognition of the achievement was given at the ASAE annual conference in To­ ronto on August 15. Recertification must be ap­ plied for every five years and is conditional upon continuing professional activity. for academic libraries in higher education assess­ ment. R esearch and publications See descriptions of our new publications on pp. 490-91. Strategic m anagem ent directions Planning. The Planning Committee and Board of Directors received final revisions of the 1989 Op­ erating Plan. A third draft of the Financial Plan was reviewed by the Budget and Finance Commit­ tee. There will be open hearings on this plan before it is adopted. The Board accepted as its priorities for 1990 and 1991 an emphasis on advocacy and li­ aison work (especially making ACRL and aca­ demic librarianship more visible among adminis­ trators) and recruitm ent to the profession of academic librarianship. Personnel. The assistant editor of C &R L News, Gus Friedlander, has left us to attend graduate school in history. Cheryl Robinson-Smith will be the voice you hear on the phone when you place a classified ad or inquire about C &R L N ew s columns, section newsletters, or the Fast J o b List­ ing Service. 1989 President’s Program The first part of the ACRL President’s Pro­ gram for the Dallas Conference will examine the major changes expected to occur in higher education in the next twenty years. Following that presentation, an attempt will be made to look at the more significant and radical changes which will occur in the manner in which we provide public services in our libraries. Immediately preceding the Cincinnati Con­ ference in April 1989 a Think Tank will be held in which the participants will focus on public services in the first decade of the 21st century. The product of that meeting will be the basis for the second half of the Dallas program. At this time, the Program Planning Commit­ tee is beginning the process of identifying li­ brarians to participate in the Think Tank. The committee is trying to identify individuals who have expressed an interest in looking at the fu­ ture of public services in academic and research libraries. The help of members of the associa­ tion is sought in this effort. Librarians are invited to nominate others or to volunteer for participation in the Think Tank. In submitting a name, please include a brief explanation of why that particular indi­ vidual would be a valuable participant in the project. In order for the committee to meet its deadline, nominations must be received no later than October 31, 1988. Please address your correspondence to: James G. Neal, E505 Pattee Library, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802. S eptem ber 1988 / 493 M e m b e r s h ip . The Membership C om m ittee staffed a highly successful booth at Annual Confer­ ence in New Orleans. They distributed materials, presented a video of Cincinnati, and held a draw­ ing for a video prepared by the Arizona State Uni­ versity Libraries. Support elected an d ap p oin ted leaders. Our sec­ ond annual orientation meeting for new committee chairs and section heads was successful. Informa­ tion was offered by ACRL leaders and staff, guides were handed out, and there was time for some dis­ cussion. The ACRL Annual Report appeared in a beauti­ ful new format. We hope that it will encourage units to submit reports for inclusion next year. C o o p era te w ith oth er ALA units. Staff and key leaders are preparing for three important events this fall: the third annual divisional leadership pro­ gram, where the presidents-elect of all 11 divisions convene to learn about ALA, meet one another, and work with the divisional staffs; the first joint meeting of divisional executive committees, where common issues, such as the revision of the Operat­ ing Agreement can be discussed, as well as individ­ ual agenda items; and an “Operating Agreement Summit,” where each division will have one repre­ sentative as negotiator with members of the ALA COPES Committee in drafting a new set of policies for ALA in relation to the divisions.—JoA n S. Se­ gal, A C R L Executive D irector. ACRL actions, July 1 9 8 8 Highlights of the Annual Conference meetings of the A C R L Board of Directors. T h e Board of Directors of the Association of Col­ lege and Research Libraries met twice during the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans: on July 9, 1988, and July 12, 1988. Bibliographic instruction The Board approved a “Model Statement of Ob­ jectives for Academic Bibliographic Instruction” developed by a Bibliographic Instruction Section task force, with the provision that the authors clar­ ify some language in a section dealing with unre­ corded information sources (see draft in C &R L N ews, May 1987). The revised statement will ap­ pear in a future issue of C &R L News. Budget and finance The Board approved a schedule for the develop­ ment of the ACRL Financial Plan. There will be an open hearing on the plan next Midwinter, and a fi­ nal version will be approved by the Board at An­ nual Conference in Dallas in 1989. The Board also approved two revisions to the ACRL Fiscal Policy Manual— one on travel funds and the other on conference expenses. The Board approved the 1989 ACRL budget with revenues of $ 1 ,1 1 1 ,8 7 5 and expenses of $1,111,080. Bylaws The Board approved a change in the ACRL By­ laws that would allow sections to designate their representatives to the Activity Sections Council. The representatives would be two of the three fol­ lowing officers: chair, vice-chair/chair-elect, or past chair. The Board approved sample bylaws for use by ACRL sections in need of information on the writ­ ing or revision of section bylaws. Discussion groups The board approved petitions for the creation of two new discussion groups: the Journal Costs in Ac­ ademic Libraries Discussion Group and the Popu­ lar Culture and Libraries Discussion Group.