This is the website of the ALA ASEAN "Best Practices" Sister Library Partnership Project.
Project Description: The ALA ASEAN "Best Practices" Sister Library Partnership project is an American Library Association grant-funded project connecting academic/public/school libraries of Southeast Asia together for communicating and idea sharing. This follows the model of ALA's own Sister Library program.
Project Timeline: During Fall 2022, all participating libraries were visited and documented/photographed by the project director. The launch date was supposed to be early 2023, but interruptions prevented this. The new launch date is November 2024 through April 2025 (6 months). Libraries will be invited to a Facebook page to share ideas on a once-a-week discussion topic and share ideas on a once-a-month FaceTime chat.
Project benefits: participating libraries will:
• receive descriptions of their sister libraries' best practices
• receive photo profiles of each others' libraries
• enjoy librarian-to-librarian communication for idea-sharing
• be introduced to the ALA Sister Library program for later (possible) partnering with US libraries
This project supports friendship, idea sharing, and communication only. Funding or providing resources (materials, e-resources) is not included in these partnerships.
Project value: Libraries in other regions of the world--such as among European countries--enjoy cooperative partnering, so there is interest and demand for ASEAN library collaboration as well. There are some existing ASEAN library networks, but they are not enough. (1) The Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL) sponsors regional conferences every 3 years, but this is too infrequent, and offers no real-time assistance (its website is currently down). (2) The Libraries of ASEAN University Network (AUNILO), part of the ASEAN University Network, is a valuable collaborative network, and features a Facebook page for convenient collaboration, but it currently has only 30 members--primarily only top research universities of each country--leaving thousands of smaller academic libraries unable to benefit from it. (3) Similarly, the ASEAN Public Libraries Information Network (APLIN) is a good network, with a website and Facebook page, but also has a small membership. This project provides a networking experience for librarians not involved in the above networks.
Project Director: The Project Director for this partnering project is John Hickok, International Outreach Librarian at California State University Fullerton, and author of the 2019 book Serving Library Users from Asia. He is the past co-chair of the American Library Association's Sister Libraries Committee and current co-chair of the American Library Association's International Relations Committee Asia & Oceania Subcommittee. Contact him at: jhickok@fullerton.edu Funding for this project is from the ALA International Relations Roundtable Endowment Grant.
Participating Libraries (Photos of each are under the blue tabs, above)
ACADEMIC
Vietnam: Danang University of Economics (Danang)
Philippines: De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (Manila)
Indonesia: Petra Christian University (Surabaya)
Malaysia: Segi University (Kuala Lumpur)
Singapore: Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
Thailand: Rangsit University (Bangkok)
PUBLIC
Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library (Ho Chi Minh City)
Philippines: Quezon City Public Library (Metro Manila)
Indonesia: Yogyakarta Banguntapan Regency Library (Yogyakarta)
Malaysia: Penang Public Library (Penang)
Singapore: Singapore Public Library (Singapore)
Thailand: Bangkok City Public Library (Bangkok)
SCHOOL:
Vietnam: Pennsylvania American International School (HCMC)
Philippines: The Beacon Academy / Beacon School (Metro Manila)
Indonesia: Alkausar Boarding School (Jakarta)
Malaysia: Nobel International School (Kuala Lumpur)
Singapore: Stamford American International School (Singapore)
Thailand: Samsen Wittayalai School (Bangkok)