BALID Seminar presents historic forum for digital library movement in Bangladesh

-Jean C. Sack

On Friday 5 May 2006 the Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) invited change-making guests, speakers and information practitioners to a seminar on Impact of Digital Library on Higher Education and Research in Bangladesh. The keynote address presented by M. Shamsul Islam Khan of ICDDR,B Publications Unit was co-authored by East West University Librarian M. Nazim Uddin and distributed to the audience of over  250  librarians, students, faculty, and IT professionals gathered in the Auditorium  of the Academy of Planning and Development.

In his review of why information access could be faster, cheaper, and more clearly defined via computerization, Mr. Khan also pointed to our responsibility to mount needed information for others to use. He mentioned that the USA National Library of Medicine PubMed database has indexed only 4 out of 50 biomedical, health and nutrition journals published in Bangladesh.  A survey showed that only 10% of Asian literature is covered in the Index Medicus. Most of this nation’s journals are not digital although nearly all major newspapers are accessible via the web. No valid survey has been performed to access the state of library modernization in this country but many do not have computers at all. Despite the fact Bangladesh began to use computers since 1964, only about 100 major libraries in Bangladesh use computers. The aim of library services is to generate new knowledge and make learners independent. The Fourth Generation of Libraries is a better hybrid of print and digital resource collections: “Electronic media from around the world is part of our library at ICDDR,B, no matter where they are posted on the web.” Through Mr. Khan’s office, the health and population research centre publishes its print documents and subscription journals on the web for free public access.

We need to stop making excuses that we are handicapped by a shortage of funds and stop wasting time in establishing computer and Internet connections, urged Khan. 24-hour Internet services are between 800-1,500 taka per month – “many of us can afford that.” Many researchers can carry a personal reference library on a pen drive these days. Most digital access does not cost more than purchasing print and much of it is free. Some of the negative impacts of this digital initiative do include the costs of making materials electronic (2 taka per page to scan), impossible proposals to replace physical library spaces that are still needed for patrons, attack by computer viruses, lack of scrutiny for some web-mounted materials that lack authority or are not fit for children, and a glut of unwanted material. But the advantages of access to uncountable free documents, books, and accurate and timely information via the web amounts to invaluable savings for cash-strapped libraries in this country.  “Only we as information professionals have to know is how and where to access these digital resources.”

Mr. Khan concluded by pointing to a scenario that he proposed over 20 years ago that by 2001 Hill tracts resident could send a request in for 15 desperately needed articles and receive them back within weeks through interlibrary loans and Internet. Although authorities rejected his ideas two decades ago, this was a reality 10 years ago.  While concluding his presentation, Mr. Khan suggested introduction of a digital library science masters programme for library professionals.

Discussant Md Hossam Haider Chowdhury of Independent University praised the information and vision in the keynote address. He pointed out that Mr. Khan had promoted the first teaching of the free CDS/ISIS computer cataloging in 1989 that is still used by a majority of Bangladesh’s small libraries. Now in 2006 Mr. Khan is proposing that we have digital collections. True that many digital subscriptions do cost additional money over print journals and that some bundles of journals contain irrelevant titles. It took several years of slow connection speeds and trying to get the J-Stor database into IUB. Mr. Chowdhury once discovered that the Internet Service Provider had changed IUB’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. Due to that, all of their electronic subscriptions (Emerald, J-Stor, OUP journals) were not accessible. Though it seemed like information sabotage, it actually happened due to the ignorance of ISP. We need to work together as professionals for the best access!

Chowdhury emphasized that we also need local consortia to develop purchase agreements for better pricing. India formed a consortium that Independent University was allowed to join. In 2004 Mr. Chowdhury visited the USA and discovered that the State policy makers enabled University and Public Library buying consortia for enormous cost-savings. Today IUB downloads many e-resources to build their own digital library. Some other universities may have similar types of initiatives but Mr. Chowdhury emphasized assigning standard metadata for successful retrieval. Independent University has membership in free WHO full-text journals databases called HINARI and AGORA. The University Grants Commission has been meeting to draft a digitalization of Bangladesh information paper by forming consortium with a taskforce currently working on the proposal. Local publishers may resist unless the initiative is well planned and endorsed by government and public sector agencies.

Abul L. Haque from North South University urged development of digital courses in public universities with a Masters degree thesis required to “expose these IT students to locate and access the latest research.” He mentioned a lack of Bengali materials on the web as a challenge to Bangladesh institutions to mount additional key resources. Pointing to the recent ICADL 2005 conference in Thailand, he encouraged stronger networks such as the Asian Digital Libraries group that has been giving yearly conferences since 1998. The next ICADL conference in Kyoto, Japan will be held on 27-30 November.  An International Conference on Digital Libraries is scheduled in New Delhi the first week of December. 

As Special Guest M. Harunur Rashid of North South University stated, “The state of digital libraries and information literacy is a question of mindset” here in Bangladesh. Is Dhaka University catalog on the web available to all? He asked the attentive audience how many of their faculty actually uses the library resources and how many of those libraries have access to Internet resources to update their teaching and research. Bangladesh institutions can be part of resource dissemination through the web. “We must be able to access digital information and we must make sure that not only the rich should benefit from this newest information revolution (the evolution from parchment manuscripts to moveable type was a similar revolution centuries ago). Today accurate digital information can be accessed from a home computer.”

Kazi Ali Reza, Officer-in-Charge, UNIC, felt that rather than “digital divide”, we in Bangladesh should be taking advantage of “digital opportunities” to form a solidarity of networked agencies producing electronically mounted Bangla and English resources. He mentioned that the United Nations agencies in Dhaka were forming a common library through the UNIC network of over 20 libraries. He pointed towards village library movements in the country, in Brahminbaria and Naranyganj that can leapfrog with appropriate technology and web access to bring knowledge to rural populations through computers.

Md Humayan Kabir inspired the audience with his visions of computerized access to important knowledge when he spoke about the need for digital libraries. The representative from Dhaka District Administration thanked Mr. MSI Khan for his digital ideas and promised that BALID would be given land, furnishings and help in establishing a centre for encouraging electronic information access.

Government officials attending the conference as special guests also spoke enthusiastically about digital access to information. Professor Waqil Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor of National University, urged teachers and college libraries to join with organizations and public libraries to work together on the business of this country in bringing higher quality education, networks to benefit the people, and websites with important information. Sarder Shakhawat Hossain Bakul, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee, Ministry of Establishment also acknowledged the necessity of government agencies to become digital. Barrister M. Aminul Haque, Minister for Posts and Telecommunications, concluded the speeches by mentioning the submarine Internet cable and other initiatives to better connect Bangladesh. Pointing to modern information access as already available, he asked how many villages or slum homes lack books or magazines but have a television or a mobile phone. Computers will be tools for digital access in the near future.

Traditional book libraries are still rare in villages but highly valued. BALID presented a special award to a Lion member who has been actively gathering together reading resources for rural Bangladeshis. The recipient of the crest was Haji Md. Mozammel Haque Bhuiya, who established seven public libraries at Rupganj Upazila in Narayanganj district. Mr. Haque is a very committed towards the development of our society. He is trying to implement dreams regarding the development of rural libraries in our country. Perhaps some of these facilities can be computerized in the future for electronic information flow.
 
Following this special award, the newly elected leadership of BALID made concluding comments, including Dr. Md Mostafizur Rahman (North South University), Dr. Hanif Uddin (Dhaka University Information Science and Library Management Dept.) and a final vote of thanks from Nazim Uddin of East West University. The seminar concluded with the swearing in of the new officers of BALID and a photo session. A printed souvenir entitled INFORMATICS (in Bangla with emphasis on Informatics businesses as advertisers) was distributed to all those who attended as well as a packet of refreshments prior to the entertainment by a local band. Considerable networking occurred between agencies and individuals, including many library trainees, students, and information society enthusiasts.