Pustaka Baru

pustaka baru is a blueprint. It is the Blueprint for the future of information and knowledge management in Sarawak.

pustaka baru is a new, unique approach to handling information and preserving and sharing knowledge. When fully and effectively implemented it will transform the way in which the people of Sarawak access information for education, business and leisure, with an integrated array of physical and online access points. pustaka baru will enable the people of Sarawak to meet the challenges of the information and knowledge-based world.

pustaka baru will have a wide range of programmes to help people make the best use of information resources, update their information skills, stimulate their thirst for knowledge and inspire them to excel in education, careers and life.

pustaka baru will align with development priorities and strategies and will play a full part in the attainment of national and State visions.

pustaka baru will go far beyond what has been done by existing libraries, resource centres and online systems, repositioning them to meet new challenges, strengthening their resources, extending their reach, upskilling their staff and improving their facilities and services.

pustaka baru will respond to community needs through wide consultation. Local people will be involved in how, when and where services are provided and what kinds of services are offered, in rural areas, towns and cities.

pustaka baru will streamline the way that libraries, archives and records units operate within government, improving access to information by decision makers and the general public.

pustaka baru will facilitate electronic government (e-Government) and development strategies.

pustaka baru will be forward-looking. It will anticipate trends and encourage innovation in the way services are provided. It will also respect the past. It will create more opportunities for traditional knowledge and cultural heritage to be documented and made available.

pustaka baru is a new blend of library, information and archive services appropriate for each community. In a small village it may be a mix of printed materials in key languages, electronic equipment and services, and local history or heritage items either unique to that locality or copies of items held in safe-keeping elsewhere. In bigger centres the facility and its resources would be scaled-up appropriately, reflecting the size of the local community and the nature of their information needs. In such centres parts of collections and services, as well as staff skills, would be directed at resources to support local industries and businesses. At a divisional or regional level the scale increases, as it does at a State level, where services and resources of a State-wide significance are based.

Why pustaka baru

Everyone has a slightly different image of a library, information centre or archives, but their picture is often outdated. It bears little resemblance to the facilities found in many developed countries or to flagship services in Sarawak.

An inconsistent image and generally low profile is exacerbated by a wide variation in the availability and quality of services across the State. Little surprise that even the services which exist are seriously under-utilised. Fewer than one in six Sarawakians are members of their local public library, for example.

The current images and realities need to be brought into the twenty-first century. The name and the services behind that name need renewal, and that is encapsulated in the term pustaka baru.

We believe that the library ‘brand’ is still a strong one internationally and is important to retain. We can make it even stronger by integrating the concepts of information centres and official archives. In Sarawak the term ‘pustaka’ graces two fine examples of modern, widened library services in Sarawak. Under the pustaka baru banner the reality of new generations of library, information and archive services can be drawn to public consciousness in Sarawak.

Why do We Need pustaka baru?

Information and knowledge are at the heart of any society, its traditions, its success today and its aspirations for the future. The chain of data, information, knowledge and wisdom are the DNA of cultures, a continuum which links us to the past, shapes our present and determines our future. As knowledge and information managers, well-developed library, information and archive services are critical to the economic, social, educational and cultural development of the State:

a) harnessing information is essential for development at a national, state and indeed individual level
b) information skills are vital in education, from preschoolers to senior lifelong learners
c) information and knowledge management are critical for good government and for community prosperity
d) access to information resources and knowledge are essential for cultural continuity, for the survival of minority languages and for the conservation of heritage
e) above all, information and knowledge are indicators of the intellectual health of a society and its general well-being.

Essential for Development

Information and knowledge must underpin every facet of national and state development planning. This is particularly so when five year plans are prepared and implemented. For successful development to take place there must be thorough and comprehensive planning. Good plans require accurate and timely information as well as reliable knowledge. And such information and knowledge can only be obtained from a comprehensive and well organised network of library and information services.

Essential for Education

The role of library, information and archive services is pervasive in education and training, covering formal programmes as well as independent learning, from early childhood to the senior years.>br>

Literacy is a basic skill, which libraries can help put into action through reading programmes, encouraging unwilling readers, challenging and stimulating readers young and old. Reading, whether on a screen or a printed page, will always be vital, and pustaka baru can provide the resources, and the right guidance, to bring people and the printed and virtual word together.

In the electronic environment literacy assumes new dimensions, as users must master not only the words but also the technology. pustaka baru is a key to wider promotion of information literacy, bringing ICT to the remotest areas of the State and to individuals for whom home access to the Internet is not possible. Through ‘information literacy’ programmes pustaka baru can help ordinary people harness the benefits of digital technology, bringing information skills to generations and individuals who might otherwise miss out completely.

The transmission of information and knowledge, and the awakening of intellectual curiosity are central to learning processes. Learning how to handle and evaluate information and acquire knowledge is a lifelong skill. During one’s life there should be a constant return to the well of knowledge, to benefit from the words and ideas of the great minds, to gain new skills, to change careers, to understand and adapt to the changing world, and to sharpen the intellect.

With greater life expectancy people remain in the workforce for longer and need to upskill to remain effective and competitive. They also change careers more frequently during their working lives. So the need for resources to support retraining and continuing education will grow. Independent learners, students of the Open University and distance education students are increasingly reliant upon sources of information close to them or accessible at home or within their community - the kinds of information resources and facilities which pustaka baru will provide.

Essential for Good Government

Well-organised and coordinated information and knowledge management are essential for good government and effective governance. The Civil Service, which has the honour to serve the people of the State, relies upon timely and accurate transmission of information and knowledge. Citizens today have the highest expectations of government, and electronic government (e-government) in particular.

The friendly face at the front counter, the pleasant voice on the telephone, the helpful website are just the beginning: behind the scenes information needs to flow, rapidly and accurately, so that people are correctly informed, so that facts and opinions can be assessed, so that decisions can be made diligently, fairly, justly and speedily, and so that ordinary citizens can find out what they need to know from government. e-government cannot work without the necessary infrastructure, just as a body cannot function without a sound circulation system.

For information and knowledge, pustaka baru is the heart of that circulation system. It has a key role to play in and between government bodies, and in the wider community in the State, across the country and around the world.

Essential for Prosperity

The direct and indirect economic benefits of facilities such as libraries, galleries and museums are enormous, as recent international studies attest. Direct information services for business, already a feature of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, are obvious in that they generate revenue. The Business Information Service, for example, provides tailored information to help establish or develop businesses and provides background information for investors. pustaka baru can also help unlock some of the commercially valuable information hitherto hidden because of lack of documentation or sheer lack of awareness.

There is a flow-on for the businesses concerned. Businesses using electronic or printed resources of a library reap benefits. Individuals gain access to resources which they would otherwise be unable to afford. People learn new skills or gather information from which they can derive profits. Professional researchers rely on libraries, archives and government reports to make a living. Libraries can reinvigorate localities by attracting users who will also patronise nearby businesses. Some institutions become tourist attractions in their own right through their architecture or their exhibitions.

Essential for Cultural Continuity

A good start has been made, for already in Sarawak libraries, foundations and museums are active collectors and custodians of heritage resources. They are documenting the heritage of localities, regions, ethnic and language groups, preserving traditional knowledge and recording oral history, particularly in cultures where written tradition is not dominant. Often disparate organisations are collaborating closely, and this bodes well for pustaka baru, which relies upon cooperation and collaboration to achieve its goals. Much remains to be done, to collect, document and disseminate, and in particular to make resources available, in physical or virtual form, among the communities where those resources originate.

In records systems which are under government control there are not only the current records required for the administration of government, but also documents of current or future historical significance. These too are part of the DNA of our society and merit consistent treatment and organisation, so that we and future generations can benefit from the knowledge which they contain.

A new breed of library, information and archive services can help integrate and harness these resources, and facilitate their use. It is no coincidence that in developed countries there is a trend towards single access points for documentary, heritage and artistic works. In Sarawak this might be developed as a Sarawak search engine, including not only links to resources, the holding institutions, the digitised resources themselves, but also to relevant organisations. Such a resource could even link to individuals expert in particular fields, custodians of traditional knowledge, or speakers of minority languages. pustaka baru would be a key participant in such initiatives.

Essential for Intellectual Health

The aspiration for a ‘first class mentality’ among the nation’s people is a noble one, but their minds still need the right tools to thrive and develop. In an information-rich planet and in knowledge-based economies they need first class information skills to keep up with the rest of the world. They need access to first class resources. They need places where they can meet like minds, even superior minds, in print, virtually, or in person. They need a catalyst, a stimulus for ideas to germinate, something to stretch and exercise their minds. They need stimulation, advice, assistance, reassurance, challenge, variety, thinking space in a hospitable environment and exposure to new ideas. Joining in a reading or discussion group, viewing an exhibition online or in person, listening to an expert talk on global warming, traditional knowledge or economic conditions - these possibilities are open to individuals visiting a good library or its website in advanced societies. Individuals are rewarded and society as a whole benefits.

Essential for Well-Being

A place for people to meet is important in rural as well as in urban environments, and libraries and other community facilities are recognised worldwide for the social role which they play. Being open and welcoming to everyone in the community, they can foster a sense of belonging in new urban communities. They can reinforce the sense of cohesion in a rural community and enhance the sustainability of remote settlements. Quality services can overcome isolation and encourage younger people to remain in smaller communities. They can bring the benefits of services hitherto only available in the luckiest urban environments, among them sophisticated documentation, expert training and intellectual stimulation.

The value of recreation and leisure activities is hard to quantify in monetary terms, but their role in promoting healthy minds is well documented. Reading keeps minds active, whether it is for pleasure, work or study.