A Brief Report On Indigenous Material Collections and Management at the NUOL

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A Brief ReportOn Indigenous Material Collections
and Management at the NUOL

• By Chansy Phuangsouketh
• Director, Central Library
• National University of Laos

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Introduction

• Local information resources at the Central
  Library have been identified and organized to
  respond to the needs to the academic staff,
  students, and other community members
• Bibliographic records of these materials have
  been prepared and added to databases in the
  Central Library, and also the database maintained
  by Mahasarakham University.
• The library staff is very motivated to promote
  mutual understanding and to find solutions to
  some of the more difficult problems encountered
  within the Southeast Asian Network members in
  sharing local information resources.
• The library staff recognizes the value and
  importance of preserving local information and
  local resources, as these materials are unique to
  the Lao PDR and are of great national and
  cultural value.

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Management of Local Information

• We have organized the materials into the
  following categories

• Lao Cultures
• Historical, Religious, and Ethnic Heritage
• Fictions
• Folktales
• Legends
• Poetry
• Proverbs
• Audio-Visual materials

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Lao Cultures

• Vatanatham lae Heedkhong Paphenee an Dee Ngam
  khong Lao (The rich culture and traditions of the
  Lao Nation)

Book describing the great variety and wealth of
culture and traditions of the Lao Nation
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Historical, Religious, and Ethnic Heritage
(Pavad Prabang Buddha)

• A book describing the history of Laos most
  celebrated Buddhist statue.

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Historical, Religious, and Ethnic Heritage
Muong Lao Heun Nhao Paukado (Muong Lao Home)

• A book describing the home of one of the ethnic
  groups in Saravan Province in southern Laos.

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Fiction
Thao Khounlou Nang Oua (Thao Khounlou Nang Oua)

• The fictional love story of Thao Khounlou and
  Nang Oua.

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Folktales

• Khatixon Phuen Muong Lao (Lao Folktales)

A collection of Lao folktales and parables
involving teaching the reader.
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Legends
Champa See Ton (The Four Frangipani Trees)
The legend of the Lao National Flower, the
Frangipani (Plumeria).
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Poetry

• Thao Hung Thao Cheuang (Mr. Houng and Mr. Cheung)

An epic poetic tale written in modern Lao prose.
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Proverbs
Kham Souphasit Phuen Muong Lao (Lao Proverbs)
A collection of Lao proverbs.
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Audio-Visual Materials
Wat Phou Sy (Phou Sy Temple)
A film on VCD about the famous Luang Prabang
Temple Phou Sy.
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Future plans

• Fully integrate bibliographic records of all the
  materials contained in the Local Information
  collections into the Central Librarys computer
  database.
• Further promote and disseminate the local
  information
• Establishment of a digital library
• Preservation of local information resources

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Obstacles

• The library must improve the functioning of the
  librarys database and catalogue system before we
  can proceed with our goals of improving access to
  local knowledge resources.
• A lack of adequate financial resources to
  effectively promote or preserve these materials.

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Conclusion

• Local information resources play a significant
  role in maintaining our Lao cultural heritage.
• Attention must be paid to preserving these local
  information resources, or they may be lost
  forever.
• In an era of globalization and international
  communication, the Lao culture must be preserved.
• The Central Library is prepared to utilize
  digitization technology as soon as possible, in
  an effort to safe-guard our national identity for
  future generations.

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Thank you