ASIS&T presentation in Bangkok

Abstract

ASIS&T members Emil Levine and Songphan Choemprayong, chairperson of the Asian-Pacific Chapter, discussed the supporting role of ASIS&T to students and professional librarians at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, on January 23, 2015. While visiting Bangkok, Levine was able to conduct a workshop, “How to Design a Digital Library – What I Did Not Learn in Library School,” often referring to relevant experiences gained through participation in ASIS&T. He gave three personal case studies in developing digital libraries at the United Nations, Vienna, over the past decades. The presentation discussed the importance of courses in administration, budgeting, systems analysis, management and leadership that were not previously included in library school curricula. He noted and gave examples of current curricula that now do include these subjects, including the curriculum at the Chulalongkorn University. Choemprayong, a Ph.D. graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and lecturer at the Department of Library Science, Chulalongkorn University, explained the member benefits and fee requirements for ASIS&T, emphasizing that both regular and student members from Thailand now receive especially low registration fees. He also reported the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Chapter, of which he is the chairperson. He shared his personal experience with ASIS&T and how ASIS&T influences his professional and academic career. As part of the visit, Levine was given a detailed tour of the central library by its director, Pimrumpai Premsit, a Ph.D. graduate from the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College. They were accompanied by Somsak Sriborisutsakul, head of the department of library science, and Saifon Taokaew, manager of collection development and of the Information Resource Analysis Center. From left, Saifon Taokaew, manager of collection development and of the Information Resource Analysis Center; Somsak Sriborisutsakul, head of the department of library science and assistant professor; Emil Levine; Pimrumpai Premsmit, interim director, Office of Academic Resources, and assistant professor, department of library science.