Editorial

Citation

(1999), "Editorial", Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1999.17308aaa.001

Editorial

We should all be grateful that MCB University Press had the foresight and courage to acquire Asian Libraries and then make the bold decision to publish it in such an innovative way. It could well be that journals with current issues published electronically for speed, plus annual hard copy versions for archiving, is the way of the future. If this is so, then you have seen the future here at Asian Libraries!

The principal editors remain the same as in 1998, although both are now based at Victoria University, Wellington. In addition, we now have a Reviews Editor, Lan Anh Tran from Hanoi, who will also be at Victoria University as a PhD researcher. Despite this slight geographical shift, the editorial team will continue its efforts to improve the journal in various ways, relying heavily on input from our Editorial Board colleagues, many of whom have proved invaluable during 1998, and on the experience of our Managing Editor at MCB, Eileen Breen. All of us will be at IFLA Bangkok, and we hope to meet many of our readers there.

In particular the Editors hope to see more contributions submitted for publication so that the quality of the journal will continue to improve. We have been fortunate to receive some very good papers in the past 12 months, but naturally we want to see more. It is a measure of the higher standards being set by the Editors that an increasing number of submissions are not accepted for publication ­ although no one wants to reject papers, it is an inevitable part of an editor's role if standards are to be set and maintained. We also would like to see more genuine research being reported in the papers we publish. That means using recognised research methods and reporting research results according to international conventions so that empirical data are converted into new knowledge accessible to members of our profession around the world.

The journal is not called Asian Libraries on a whim but is published with the express intention of meeting the needs of the library and information management community within Asia and the Pacific. In order to deliver on our objectives, the journal needs contributions that emphasise the unique nature of Asian-Pacific librarianship and information management that sets it apart from Western influences. How might this best be expressed? We would enjoy, for example, reading papers about the way libraries and information centres can support local cultures and languages. That does not mean, of course, that we view libraries and information agencies as solely "cultural" in their role. What about the part played by information managers in supporting the local and national economies? M. Suriya in Volume 7 Number 7 made a broad attempt to discuss this significant issue. In another vein entirely, Asia differs from the West in its management styles, so papers on leadership in libraries, for example, or communication in management would be welcome. There are other important topics for Asian librarianship to investigate, including the nature of customer service, which produces a potential conflict between the librarians' needs to serve their customers and the traditional value of "face" among library staff. Censorship is another thorny topic that needs proper enquiry before we fully understand it in an Asian context. Information literacy is already recognised as a truly important role for libraries, especially now that so many end-users have access to the Internet, but where is the research that we need before we can devise information literacy programmes that are rooted in local and national cultures, languages and educational systems? We need more papers like Bonnie Cheuk Wai-yi's (in Volume 7, Number 12) before we can say we really understand our own customers and their information needs. These few suggestions indicate some directions in which we would like to see the journal moving in the coming months and years, and we encourage potential contributors to discuss possible topics with either of the editors (gary.gorman@vuw.ac.nz, philip.calvert@ vuw.ac.nz).

For Volume 8 we already have a substantial number of both refereed articles and professional papers, and readers will also have electronic access to the regular monthly instalments of reviews (books and media), professional reading, notes and news, and information on new products and services. If readers are aware of any publications or Web sites that merit review, please contact Lan Anh Tran (care of gary.gorman@vuw.ac.nz) with the former and Philip Calvert (philip.calvert@vuw.ac.nz) with the latter. And we would welcome the input of readers and subscribers on any aspect of the journal.

On a somewhat sombre note, we note the passing of Michael Wise, Editor of the UK Library Association's Focus and a great friend of library and information services in the developing world. While an Africanist rather than an Asianist, Michael's ideal of service to the international community and his commitment to the education of information professionals in many countries should stand as a model for us all. There are precious few librarians and information managers in the West who have the breadth of vision and willingness to serve that characterised Michael's career, and he will be much missed by the international library community.