Speech ybmp by bla conference , 20 september 2016

SPEECH BY YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA INDERA PAHLAWAN DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI SUYOI BIN HAJI OSMAN, MINISTER OF EDUCATION

CONFERENCE ON LIBRARIES TRANSFORM: UNLOCKING YOUR POTENTIAL AS LIBRARIANS 20 SEPTEMBER 2016, 8.30 AM UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI BRUNEI

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Alhamdulillahi

Rabbil

‘Alameen,

Wassalatu

Wassalamu ‘Alaa Asyrafil Mursaleen Sayyidina Muhammadin, Wa’alaa Alihie Wasahbihie Ajmaeen Yang Mulia Dayang Nellie Dato Paduka Hj Sunny, President of the Brunei Darussalam Library Association, Permanent Deputy

Secretaries,

Permanent

Vice

Chancellors,

Secretary,

Senior

Rectors, Officers,

Distinguished Speakers, Delegates, Members of the organising committee, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen.

And a very good morning

1.

Alhamdulilah, with the grace of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala, we are here together to attend the opening ceremony of the Conference On Libraries Transform: Unlocking Your Potentials As Librarians this morning.

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2.

First of all, I would like to congratulate the Brunei Librarian’s Association on the occasion of their 30th Anniversary this year and for organizing this conference.

3.

This conference is on the transformation of libraries and unlocking the potential of all librarians in this transformation

process.

What

are

the

transformations or changes that have taken place in this field and how can the librarians adapt to the changes being faced in this challenging world of information

explosion

and

technological

advancement facing libraries?

Ladies and gentlemen,

4.

We have seen many libraries undergoing significant transformation over the years,

in Brunei for

example, libraries especially under the Ministry of Education

have

gone

through

various

developments, most notably the implementation of 2

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the Virtual Library and Information Services or VILIS Brunei, which is a digital library project serving most school libraries, college libraries as well as university libraries. The advancement in technology in placed within libraries has given a great impact towards the capability of librarians in managing the organisation and the access of information to their library users especially in the academic environment.

5.

Libraries exist to support the access to information, knowledge and learning and to create a literate environment through different types of libraries such as public, academic, school and special libraries. Each has its own unique role to play by supplying information to its specific community of library users or stakeholders. I also believe that libraries should be able to attract our own students, to encourage them to utilize the libraries for learning

and

exploring

knowledge

as

vast

information resources can be found in libraries.

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6.

So what are the emerging trends that have taken place in libraries throughout the world? Libraries are facing a period of rapid technological growth that is changing societies around the world. Library users are

developing

higher

expectations

of

library

services and often end up using these services differently than the way they were used in the past.

Some new trends include open access and open educational

resources

publishing,

scholarly

communication, institutional repositories, discovery systems, e-books and research analytics.

7.

The transformation of libraries is not just about technology. It is about engagement. Engagement with users, communities and stakeholders.

8.

Libraries and Librarians need to redefine collections with the community in mind. Make it service oriented, redesign spaces and build community partners and provide seamless learning. Walls of libraries will expand beyond their physical space to encompass online resources, social and mobile services

opening

up

collection

and

services 4

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previously hidden from view. Libraries lead the way to digital citizenship. Librarians should be the first place

when

most

advanced

technologies

are

implemented.

Ladies and gentlemen, 9.

As librarians, there are various skills that they need to

be

competent

competencies.

The

at.

Firstly,

ability

are

to

personal

communicate

effectively with broad range of customers is significant. Be knowledgeable and indispensable are two other factors which are essential to librarians.

To be proactive and show initiative, collaborate well with others, taking responsibility and commitment to higher level are other factors that will boost the performance standards of the library as a whole.

Hence it is without doubt that the library’s most important, most valuable asset are its people.

10. Secondly, includes

are

professional

amongst

knowledge

and

others familiarity

competencies to

possess with

that

expert

information 5

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resources. Administrative expertise to create and manage convenient, accessible and cost effective information services, aligned with the strategic direction of the organisation. These are just some of the competencies to be considered.

Ladies and gentlemen, 11. Thus upgrading the competency of librarians is crucial and this is where BLA can support by conducting appropriate trainings in order to develop and improve the skills of the library workforce. The current professional library programmes provided

by IBTE’s Sultan Saiful Rijal College in HNTec in Information and Library Studies as well as the Diploma programme in Library Computing and Informatics at Politeknik Brunei should be continued and expanded. This is important for creating new breeds of professional librarians with cutting edge skills and knowledge to prepare for the transformed world of libraries.

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12. Technology is putting more and more power in the hands of the users. Too often people are confronted by entirely too much information and lack the skills to critically evaluate what they are looking at, separate the good from the bad, and organise it in a way that makes sense to them. So from that perspective, librarians will have jobs for at least the next 20 years just in terms of information literacy education. This is an educational role that librarians must undertake.

Ladies and gentlemen, 13. As for the Ministry of Education, we need to realise that libraries are integral and should be the learning and

knowledge

hub

in

schools,

colleges

and

universities. As such, a Library standard and Guidelines should be available to help libraries align and

structure

accordingly

by

developing,

maintaining and adhering to the highest standards that support high quality library practices.

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14. The Ministry needs to look into providing support towards the programmes and activities of BLA and the libraries under MOE, towards the development of quality services as well as the training of librarians where appropriate in order to achieve education excellence in support of the Wawasan Brunei 2035.

15. I believe BLA can provide its support to the libraries and librarians in the country to help unlock the true potentials of our librarians in

Negara Brunei

Darussalam.

16. To conclude, I wish our foreign guests and participants a pleasant stay in Brunei Darussalam and

would

like

to

wish

every

one

fruitful

conference.

17. With the kalimah, Bismillaahirrahmaanirrahiim, I hereby declare the CONFERENCE ON LIBRARIES TRANSFORM: UNLOCKING YOUR POTENTIAL AS LIBRARIANS open.

‫وبالله التوفيق والهداية والسالم عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته‬ Thank You. 8