Pustaka Baru

pustaka baru:Blueprint for Sarawak’s information management future

The idea for this Pustaka Baru, Blueprint for Sarawak’s Information Management Future was conceived by the Board of Management of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak. The Board decided to hold a workshop (with participation from various quarters including practicnioners, users, shareholders and stakeholders and experts) to brainstorm on the content and direction for the future of information management in Sarawak. This blueprint is the compilation of the materials discussed and decided at the workshop and refined several participants afterwards. Library, information and archive services all deal with data, information and knowledge. They handle what has been called the DNA of society from the earliest times to the present and on into the future. They exist to serve the needs of today’s citizens, whatever their age, status or level of education, as well as providing for future generations. In the assembly of data and the gathering of information, skilled specialists in library, information and archive services add value through the organisation of knowledge. They map the DNA and help people make sense of it. They gather the raw material - real and virtual resources, ranging from print on paper to digital data on a storage device. They also gather interpretations, views and ideas - they collect the knowledge and wisdom of the past and present. They help students, thinkers, planners, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens shape futures: a personal future, the future of a family or a company, the future of a village, town, city or nation, or indeed the future of the entire world. Library, information and archive services are links in that golden chain of progression, from data to information, from information to knowledge, and from knowledge to individual and collective wisdom. Without that thread, whether the gossamer of oral history recordings or the hard facts in a feasibility study crammed with statistics, things which are planned just won’t happen. Without the necessary information unplanned events occur, wheels are reinvented, a workforce with the right skills is not available at the right time, or a community is left uninformed, drifting and demoralised. As pustaka baru points out, even the most elaborate national and state plans will fail to succeed without the right information and the people with the skills to apply that information. Library, information and archive services have a role to play in the management of information and knowledge, as well as in the educational processes of the many individuals involved. Library, information and archive services in Sarawak as they exist today must change dramatically if they are to meet the needs of society and ensure rapid development of the State. This change - or more precisely this revolution - is what pustaka baru is all about. The critical role of library, information and archive services, and the urgent need to re-engineer and reposition them in Sarawak, emerged as a unanimous resolution during a landmark Workshop held in Kuching in December 2008. That such unanimity was reached was all the more remarkable because of the diversity of the participants. They came from the worlds of business and industry, the civil service, academia, primary and secondary education, non-profit organisations and information and communications technology, together with professionals in library, archives and information management from Malaysia, Singapore, Canada and Australia. The library, information and archive services covered by this blueprint operate directly or indirectly under the aegis of the Sarawak State Government. These institutions comprise Pustaka Negeri Sarawak (including its archival repository functions, as well as the multimedia mobile libraries and village libraries funded by the Federal Government), Pustaka Miri, the libraries operated by local authorities at a city, town and village level, the Bintulu Development Authority libraries, the libraries of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) and Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS), and the central services and mobile libraries provided by the Library Division of the Sarawak Ministry of Environment and Public Health (Kementerian Alam Sekitar dan Kesihatan Awam, or KASKA).

The blueprint is also relevant for libraries and collections of documents and records within Sarawak Government departments, ministries and instrumentalities. The net is indeed cast widely, but the work of library, information and archive services pervades and suffuses all aspects of the educational, social, economic and cultural development of the State as well as the whole operation of government. There is already the nucleus of a network, which will become pustaka baru, and the shared background of State involvement will enable us to build upon this. There are already formal and informal links between elements of this network. These can be reinforced and extended, for the mutual benefit of communities and Government bodies. Sarawak’s institutions do not of course exist in isolation. The important national role of the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia) and the significant contribution of federal funds are acknowledged and will continue to play an important part in the provision of library resources and services across Sarawak. Likewise the libraries in universities, colleges and schools in Sarawak are partners in the education of our people. Collaboration and consultation are encouraged at all levels in this blueprint. Similarly there should be healthy relationships between the library, information and archive services targeted by this blueprint and the specialised information and records units of private companies, foundations and non-government organisations. The blueprint encourages cooperation with all kindred organisations, in the interests of better serving the people of Sarawak. This blueprint should be regarded as a work in progress. It will be refined and adapted as time passes, as new needs emerge, as technology advances and as communities become more sophisticated information users. Progress will be monitored regularly, and we are already planning for the 2008 participants and other key stakeholders to reconvene in late 2009. In the light of the development imperatives facing the State, and the need to enable Sarawak to reach the furthest horizons of information and knowledge, pustaka baru must be implemented promptly and comprehensively. It is not simply a matter of pouring in resources, opening and upgrading buildings and filling them with equipment and staff: there has to be commitment to and ownership of pustaka baru at all levels, as was strongly expressed at the Workshop. In particular strong support is required from local communities, with implementation of pustaka baru tailored to local needs and reflecting local priorities, within the overall context of the State’s development plans and its service philosophies. Those involved with pustaka baru will need to ensure ongoing commitment, to facilitate communication with communities, to reinforce the relevance of pustaka baru in people’s minds, to monitor use, to anticipate trends and above all to ensure that pustaka baru plays its role to the full in the future of our State and its people. I wish to offer my congratulations and gratitude to all the participants in and the organisers of the Workshop for a job well done. I have no doubt that the government will consider favourably the recommendations set out in this blueprint. ______________________________________________________ Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Haji Abdul Hamid Bugo

What is 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.

What Will pustaka baru Do?

The following is an outline of priorities for pustaka baru. Many of the tasks described can be undertaken simultaneously if resources are available. Naturally a great deal of detailed planning and consultation will be required. This planning will initially be the responsibility of a task force, leading to the full operation of the scheme when ongoing planning and monitoring become part of pustaka baru’s normal functions.

Streamline Administration

pustaka baru is to bring together under a single authority, Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, all the Sarawak government-funded public libraries, archives and resource centres. These include Pustaka Negeri Sarawak itself (including its archival repository functions, as well as the multimedia mobile libraries and village libraries funded by the Federal Government), Pustaka Miri, the libraries operated by local authorities at a city, town and village level, the Bintulu Development Authority libraries, the libraries of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) and Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS), and the central services and mobile libraries currently provided by the Library Division of the Sarawak Ministry of Environment and Public Health (Kementerian Alam Sekitar dan Kesihatan Awam, or KASKA).

In addition Pustaka Negeri Sarawak will oversee mandated best practice for libraries and records units within all Sarawak Government bodies. Pustaka Negeri Sarawak shall also have a consultative and collaborative role with library operations in Government-funded schools and with local universities and colleges. Pustaka Negeri Sarawak shall:

• coordinate planning of integrated library, information and records services for the whole of Sarawak, shall adopt or set performance standards, will shall monitor results, and shall provide support services for the pustaka baru network
• administer all funding relating to public libraries, archives and resource centres in Sarawak
• work in close cooperation with Federal authorities including the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia)
• plan and facilitate the integration of libraries and records functions within government agencies and manage a cooperative purchasing scheme on behalf of the agencies.
  
  

There shall be provision for consultative mechanisms at a regional, district and village level, with pustaka baru advisory committees representing stakeholders, which may be drawn from the ranks of but not be limited to nominees of Residents and District Officers, local council officials, Village Development and Safety Committees (JKKK), public spirited members of the community, school teachers and senior students.

Recommendation 1: That Pustaka Negeri Sarawak be made responsible for all public library, information and archive services in Sarawak, and be empowered to promote, provide and maintain library, information and archive services for the people of Sarawak, including but not limited to the initiatives outlined in the other recommendations of this Blueprint.

Recommendation 2: That a Task Force be established, under the chairmanship of the State Secretary, to arrange speedy implementation of the recommendations in the Blueprint, and the smooth transfer of responsibilities for library, information and archive services to the Board of Management of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Recommendation 3: That the Task Force include the State Secretary (Chair), the State Financial Secretary and the State Attorney General (or their nominees), and four other members with a demonstrated commitment to libraries, information and archive services drawn from business or industry, the education sector and the information profession.

Recommendation 4: That all funding for public libraries and state or regional archival repositories in Sarawak be administered by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Recommendation 5: That all purchases or acquisition by other means of library and archives resources, library and archives ICT hardware and software be coordinated by a resources unit within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Recommendation 6: That an infrastructure unit be established within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak to provide technical input for finance, ICT, building, fitout, human resources, entrepreneurial and other cross-unit issues.

Build Capacity

Under the banner of pustaka baru, Pustaka Negeri Sarawak shall plan, promote and implement the upgrading and reengineering of library, information and archives services to bring capacity progressively up to world standards for the whole of Sarawak. It shall achieve this, inter alia, by:

• assessing minimum standards for core services across the State, and establishing target levels of library, information and archive provision for communities of different sizes and compositions across the State, taking into account the assessment of local needs and development priorities
• reviewing access in rural and remote areas, identifying areas for road-based, river-based or other means of taking pustaka baru to the people
• developing an implementation program for the state-wide rollout of pustaka baru
• initiating pilot and demonstration projects for advanced services in rural as well as in urban areas
• developing local content to enhance access to information for local communities
• highlighting Sarawakiana and local knowledge of history and traditions, and to provide points of interest for tourists and academic researchers
• ensuring pustaka baru service points are in prime locations, at the heart of the community, and are of the right dimensions, design and fitout to meet community needs, integrating pustaka baru service points into community or commercial developments where feasible
• ensuring electronic pustaka baru services are readily accessible to communities in a community facility, in private homes and in other institutions, as best meets community needs
• developing and implementing a collection policy for all forms of documentary evidence, covering documents of historic interest, traditional knowledge, oral history, publications
• copying rare or fragile items for placement in archival storage of originals and paper or electronic copies made more widely available. Investigate ‘keeping places’ for items of documentary significance within cultural groups
• undertaking manpower studies to determine staffing requirements, staffing standards, career structures and training requirements
• liaising with higher education institutions to ensure suitable degree and non-degree programmes are available and assessing the feasibility of a Pustaka Training Institute
• updating skills of existing staff and ensuring intensive induction of new staff, and initiating ongoing professional development programmes
• researching trends in information services and initiating innovative projects in information provision
• ensuring continued standardisation of hardware and software within pustaka baru.
  
  

Recommendation 7: That the planning unit within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak be strengthened in order to engage communities, plan public library developments (including buildings, terrestrial and riverine mobile services, and online public library services), monitor performance and compliance with standards, provide advice or referral, commission research, forecast trends, and undertake forward planning and budgeting.

Recommendation 8: That an audit of existing public library and archives service points be commissioned to assess fitness for purpose and modifications required, and to facilitate implementation of pustaka baru branding.

Recommendation 9: That the planning unit undertake the identification of regional and district pustaka baru nodes, and develop a timetable and implementation plan for a regional, district and village structure.

Recommendation 10: That the planning unit include an innovation team specialising in ways of meeting community needs via new and emerging technology, pioneering and piloting non-traditional methods of service delivery, publishing regular bulletins of activity and administering an innovative research grants programme.

Recommendation 11: That the planning unit develop and pilot in urban and rural areas, at a regional, district, town and village level, a methodology for providing library, information and local documentary heritage services, including consideration of pustaka baru facilities as part of other community or shopping developments, standalone premises, electronic provision, mobile services or collaboration with third parties particularly to serve remote communities.

Recommendation 12: That funds be provided progressively to enable state-wide book collections to meet international guidelines, and to enable a consistent programme to replace or discard worn and outdated resources.

Recommendation 13: That a training unit for all public library staff be established within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak covering induction, in-service training, professional development, mentoring and career planning, with in-house courses, development of web-based and self-paced instruction, collaboration with institutions of higher education and where appropriate outsourcing of some training.

Recommendation 14: That an urgent review be conducted of manpower requirements and workforce availability for information, library and archives workers in Sarawak.

Recommendation 15: That a cadetship programme be established for training of paraprofessional and professional library, information centre and archives workers for Sarawak, in local, Peninsular Malaysian and overseas institutions.

Recommendation 16: That negotiations commence with local universities or other appropriate bodies with a view to establishing a Pustaka Sarawak Institute offering award-based professional and paraprofessional training to Malaysian and international students.

Recommendation 17: That several positions of field officer be created to enable field programmes to identify, record and where possible to acquire or copy documentary items related to Sarawak’s history, cultures and traditions, in collaboration with other bodies active in these areas.

Recommendation 18: That a Sarawak Search Engine be created, subject to a positive feasibility study, and that a common platform be identified and adopted for collections within Sarawak’s cultural institutions.

Engage Communities

Much of the assessment of capacity requirements can only be done in consultation with the communities involved. pustaka baru shall involve initiatives such as:

• developing methodologies for needs assessment at the village, town and city level
• reaching out to those who are currently non-users, assessing their needs and devising strategies to provide services which are relevant to them
• employing community liaison officers to facilitate communication with local communities
• making full use of the pustaka baru advisory committees established at a regional, district, town and village level
• engaging existing organisations and networks within the community
• welcoming feedback and responding to customer satisfaction surveys
• encouraging participation in friends groups
• facilitating volunteering in pustaka baru initiatives
  
  

Recommendation 19: That Pustaka Negeri Sarawak establish local pustaka baru advisory committees at a village, district and regional level, including where appropriate key individuals from existing divisional, district, town or village authorities, including Village Development and Safety Committees as well as other representative members of the community.

Recommendation 20: That several positions of community liaison officer be created to facilitate consultation with local communities.

Recommendation 21: That software and methodologies be identified for creating and keeping up to date local community directories and resource banks, for progressive implementation with the aid of local pustaka baru advisory committees and community liaison officers.

Extend Reach

Increasing awareness of the importance of information and knowledge and the role of pustaka baru at all levels and in all parts of the State will require careful planning. What follows are some indicative ways in which pustaka baru’s penetration of the market may be enhanced:

• making membership free
• creating and promoting the new brand of pustaka baru as a physical and an electronic presence, through graphics, signposting, building identification, web design, publicity materials, advertisements, endorsements, corporate colours, standard fitouts and equipment
• targeting specific groups or non-users or under-users, based on responding to local needs, promoting local content, providing community information, and highlighting success stories
• emphasising the equity of access which pustaka baru ensures
• promoting pustaka baru as a family destination, with tailored programmes to suit many ages
• projecting a sense of fun as well as serious learning, with competitions, debates, exhibitions, links with festivals, storytelling competitions, quizzes, photographic competitions, celebrity readings, writing workshops and learning tours
• using the Internet and cellphone facilities to make contact with target groups
• showcasing content through displays, exhibitions, publications and online content
• stimulating community involvement
• raising awareness of the value of business information services, targeting key business and industry groups and relevant government departments
• targeting programmes at priority groups, including those lacking computer skills, non-readers, non-users, remote users and new parents
• ensuring that users even in the remotest areas are aware of the total resource base of pustaka baru
• initiating a number of state-wide programmes, such as simultaneous storytime, reading campaigns, book swap programmes, discount home library kits, events associated with national, State or local festivals, with professional publicity materials developed centrally and adapted locally
• ensuring staff involved in marketing and promotion have the appropriate training, aptitude and presentation skills
  
  

Recommendation 22: That membership of public libraries be free to all citizens of Sarawak, and that membership be valid across the entire public library network of the State.

Recommendation 23: That a promotion unit be established within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak initially to oversee rebranding of library, information and archives services in a pustaka baru campaign, to develop programmes for local and state-wide activities focussing on libraries, information and archives, to develop promotional materials for general adaptation and use, to coordinate training for public programmes, and to engage media at a local and state level.

Recommendation 24: That a state-wide pustaka baru identity be trademarked, adopted and progressively applied to existing and new service points, publications, corporate stationery, corporate wardrobe, vehicles and websites.

Build Strategic Partnerships

pustaka baru cannot operate in isolation and it is vital for strategic links to be forged with organisations and government bodies to help meet pustaka baru’s objectives. Added to strong community involvement, tasks ahead shall include:

• identifying and engaging potential partners, such as foundations, commercial organisations (subject to probity guidelines), community colleges, public and private schools and universities
• strengthening existing collaborative links with universities, private colleges, community colleges
• restating and reinforcing commitment to current successful cooperative ventures such as K@Borneo
• developing protocols for public/private partnerships and sponsorship, ensuring transparency of processes and supremacy of the public interest
• developing a collaborative and cooperative relationship with State education authorities to assist in the development of school libraries and the avoidance of duplication of effort and to take advantage of economies of scale in cooperative purchasing
• maintaining close cooperation with government bodies, particularly the State Planning Unit, in relation to development priorities.
  
  

Recommendation 25: That Pustaka Negeri Sarawak establish and maintain collaborative and cooperative links with other Government bodies, especially the State Planning Unit and education authorities, as well as with universities, colleges, foundations, grant-making trusts and other non-Government organisations with an interest or involvement in library, information and archives services in Sarawak.

Improve Government Information Practices

pustaka baru is intended to bring Sarawak’s government information management and records practices up to international standards. It shall facilitate efficiencies and economies, stimulate awareness within government bodies of what is available and ensure preservation of part of the State’s historical documentation. Among other tasks, pustaka baru will involve:

• establishing a government departments unit charged with implementing best international practice for government records across the civil service
• increasing awareness among government officers of the importance of public records
• ensuring that officers responsible for records have been given a thorough grounding in correct procedures
• improving access to government information both within and outside the civil service, especially in ensuring existence of research reports is made known across portfolios and where appropriate to the public
• mandating approved and compatible records management systems throughout the State civil service
• enforcing deposit of Government publications at Pustaka Negeri Sarawak
• making the disposal of government records subject to an approved disposal schedule
• making the transfer of records to a pustaka baru depository subject to records being arranged in an approved manner and with a uniform presentation
• ensuring uniform standards for Government websites
• integrating access to e-Government in all pustaka baru service points and web presences
• ensuring that e-Government initiatives focus upon pustaka baru as an access point, promoting equity of access and informed guidance and instruction for the general public
• implementing ongoing training programmes to ensure the public is competent to access e-Government
• establishing an e-Government help desk.
  
  

Recommendation 26: That all libraries and records management units within Sarawak government bodies operate within guidelines and standards set by a government departments unit (including records management and repository functions) established within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Recommendation 27: That an audit of libraries and records management units within Sarawak government bodies be carried out and a plan of action be developed for the implementation of uniform standards and processes, and integrated services for officers of government bodies and for the general public and other bodies where appropriate.

Recommendation 28: That preservation of public records of historical significance according to a records schedule approved by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak be mandatory, and that disposal of public records only be permitted in accordance with a disposal schedule approved by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Recommendation 29: That an electronic government (e-Government) help desk be established within Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.

Monitor Performance

For the first time the performance of Sarawak’s library, information and archive services will be comprehensively measured against accepted standards. pustaka baru shall be committed to demonstrating value for money, measuring how satisfied people are with its services and how well it is meeting community needs. It shall do this by:

• progressively applying The Public Library Service: IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for Development
• developing and adopting local standards for core provision of pustaka baru services at a village, town, district, division or regional level
• developing comprehensive performance measures of efficiency and effectiveness which include unit costs, user satisfaction, qualitative information relating to collections, services and use, extent of community involvement, all of which enable service points to benchmark against each other
• producing an index of overall performance for each service point
• ensuring statistical reporting methods are straightforward for local staff to apply and wherever possible system generated
• conducting regular surveys of user satisfaction and non-users to supplement regular statistical data
• monitoring human resources quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of performance, adequacy of education and training, continuing professional development, job satisfaction, mentoring, research and scholarly output
• examining and progressively applying as appropriate further international guidelines and standards relating to mobile libraries, services for people with a disability, children and young adults, the disadvantaged, multicultural communities and archives
• conducting period assessment of the economic value of pustaka baru
• periodically reviewing and revising performance measures as needs, resources, populations and technology change
• assessing the impact of priority, short-term programmes for specific target groups
• allowing for and understanding local variations because of varying user needs or development priorities from place to place
• regularly reviewing the implementation of pustaka baru as a whole and reporting on performance internally and to the general public
• continuously inputting findings into pustaka baru planning processes.
  
  

Recommendation 30: That the IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for public libraries be formally adopted for progressive application as minima for pustaka baru operations, and that other international guidelines relating to mobile libraries, services for people with a disability, children and young adults, the disadvantaged, multicultural communities and archives be examined, adapted and applied.

Recommendation 31: That within the context of the IFLA/UNESCO guidelines, local standards be developed for core provision of services at a village, town, district, divisional and regional level.

Recommendation 32: That Pustaka Negeri Sarawak make regular reports on the performance of pustaka baru service points, on compliance with standards and develop and publish a state-wide performance index.

Recommendation 33: That the Blueprint for Sarawak’s Information Management and Utilisation Workshop be reconvened, with the participation of additional delegates, in December 2009 to review progress, to brainstorm new ideas, to scan the information and ICT horizon and to hear representative community responses to the outcome from the 2008 Workshop.

What Does pustaka baru Need?

Administrative framework

To begin implementation of pustaka baru much preparatory planning is required, and assuming that there is in-principle agreement by the Government, the following are among the tasks which will need to be set in motion:

• establishment of the Task Force to oversee the speedy and smooth implementation of the recommendations in this Blueprint.
• developing an implementation plan for pustaka baru together with indicative budget
• negotiation with existing bodies responsible for public library, information and archive services in Sarawak
• preparatory work for transfer of authority to Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, including any legislative requirements
• approval of a cost and operational plan
• handover of authority to Pustaka Negeri Sarawak and additional recruitment action
• progressive takeover of responsibilities for existing facilities, staff and resources
• funds to conduct an audit of library, information and records functions of all Sarawak government bodies, including adequacy of print and web access to official publications and compliance with standards for records management.

Facilities

• accommodation for the task force and for permanent staff needed to implement the Blueprint
• regional and district pustaka baru nodes, along the lines of Pustaka Miri and the proposed facilities at Betong, Mukah and Sibu, subject to an assessment of requirements by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, as part of a decentralised network of facilities
• town and village pustaka baru service points, in line with a methodology developed by Pustaka Negeri Sarawak
• siting and design of facilities to be in accordance with established standards and after community consultation, and to favour co-location with other community facilities or commercial operations, depending on the location and benefits for the community. Emphasis is to be given to multifunction facilities which allow for complementary and innovative community programmes based on pustaka baru resources and services
• funding to develop fitout and design to reflect pustaka baru branding and corporate identity, including signage
• funding to audit facilities requirements across the State in accordance with established minimum standards and to develop an implementation programme for physical facilities
• funding to implement the facilities development programme
• funding to investigate, pilot and implement innovative service delivery models for remote and underpopulated areas where fixed service points or mobile services would not be viable
• funds to develop and initiate one or more pilot programmes for riverine pustaka baru delivery, involving express boats fitted with shelving, ICT equipment and training/viewing facilities and staffed by skilled professionals
• funds to design and construct a modular purpose-built records repository, including a conservation workshop.

Information and Communications Technology

• funding to ensure 100% Internet access at existing pustaka baru service points and all new service points
• personnel and funding to ensure adequate ICT training and technical backup
• funding for train the trainer programmes for ongoing client ICT instruction
• promotion budget to ensure pustaka baru is identified as the premier place for ICT access to information
• funds to investigate feasibility of a Sarawak search engine
• funds to develop or adapt simple software for local community directories and information banks
• funds and personnel to link all Sarawak government funded cultural institutions collections in a common inventory
• ongoing funds to continue the programme of digitisation of Sarawakiana
• funds to monitor system use and user satisfaction
• budget to initiate pilot programmes using existing and emerging technology to provide pustaka baru services

Collections

• funds to be allocated progressively for collections to reach a target of 2.5 items per capita by the year 2015
• resources to implement international records management and archival standards within Sarawak Government bodies
• funds and field officers for a programme to rescue the documentary heritage of Sarawak by identifying at-risk collections in public and private hands and negotiating their transfer and copying
• funds to sponsor researchers to identify resources relevant to Sarawak in collections elsewhere in the world, to produce a research guide and arrange copies where possible
• funds to assess the currency of existing collections, to weed these where necessary and to replenish stocks with more up-to-date resources.

Human resources

• funds to undertake a workforce and manpower needs survey
• ongoing budgeting to increase the proportion of qualified librarians in the workforce
• immediate budget allocations to allow for Transition Team support and additional staffing required to implement this Blueprint
• contributions to conduct a feasibility study of a Pustaka Sarawak Institute for library, information, knowledge management and archives education
• funding for cadetships for prospective pustaka baru staff
• training funding to upskill existing staff, including study assistance for distance education for staff in rural and remote areas
• funding for a training needs analysis for existing staff and to support ongoing staff development and mentoring programmes
• funds to develop and implement a corporate wardrobe.