Training Needs Assessment Report. Public Library Institutions and Communal Cultural Post Offices in Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, and Tra Vinh Provinces

Transcription

1 Training Needs Assessment Report Public Library Institutions and Communal Cultural Post Offices in Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, and Tra Vinh Provinces Building Capacity for Public Library Institutions in Support of Public Access to the Internet in Vietnam Project FUNDED BY THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

2 Training Needs Assessment Report: Public Library Institutions and Communal Cultural Post Offices in Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, and Tra Vinh Provinces Building Capacity for Public Library Institutions in Support of Public Access to the Internet in Vietnam Project FUNDED BY THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION National Library of Viet Nam Hanoi, April 2009

3 ABBREVIATIONS AACR2 ADSL CDS/ISIS CONSAL CPC CPO DDC ICT IFLA ILIB IT DL LAN MARC21 NLV OPAC PC PL PLI TAF MIC MCST TOT UNDP VNPT Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Computerised Documentation Service/Integrated Set of Information Systems Conference on Southeast Asian Library Staff Commune People s Committee Cultural Post Office Dewey Decimal Classification Information Communication Technology The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Integrated Library System Information Technology Department of Library Local Area Network Machine-Readable Cataloguing National Library of Vietnam Online Public Access Cataloguing Personal Computer Public Library Public Library Institution The Asia Foundation Ministry of Information and Communication Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Training-of-Trainers United Nations Development Program Vietnam National Post and Telecommunications i

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Training Needs Assessment From February 23 rd to March 22 nd 2009, The Asia Foundation (TAF), in coordination with the National Library of Vietnam (NLV) and other local partners, conducted a field survey at all 90 pilot sites, primarily located in public libraries and cultural post offices (CPOs) in the three provinces of Thai Nguyen, Nghe An and Tra Vinh to assess the training needs at provincial, district and commune levels. The training needs assessment (TNA): (i) analyzed the effectiveness of services provided at public library institutions and CPOs and defined training needs; (ii) analyzed responsibilities of library staff in terms of necessary knowledge, skills, behavior and capacity to provide services in a public library; and (iii) completed face-to-face interviews of library staff and readers at public libraries in order to define the training needs and targets. Survey Methodology and Participation In addition to collecting and researching available data, TAF research team developed questionnaires to send to the libraries, CPOs and their staff, and interview sheets for indepth interviews with public library institutions leaders in terms of capacity of the libraries/cpos, librarians, users and potential users. The research team was comprised of a core group from Hanoi (two from TAF, one from the NLV, and an expert on training needs assessment), and six library staff chosen by each provincial library for their strong library science and information technology skills, and for their good relations with the local districts and communes. The team spent the first day working at the provincial library, where the core group conducted the interviews with individuals and trained the provincial library staff on interviewing skills. On the second day, the team was divided into three separate teams to fan out to different parts of the province for interviews. A member of the core group was the team s leader, with two provincial library staff as team members. One of the two staff from TAF also accompanied one team in order to monitor the training needs assessment process. The competence, experience and thorough understanding of the locality of the provincial team members were critical, allowing for dynamic and effective interactions between the team and the people interviewed. Responsibilities were clearly divided among team members, with the team leader interviewing leaders and staff at public libraries and CPOs. Some provincial library staff were in charge of interviewing current users, while other provincial library staff interviewed potential users. This ensured a consistent and high quality approach in the interviews. On the last day, the three small teams met together to share experiences and agreed on the common findings of the survey results, as well as suggestions to further refine the questionnaires and interview sheets. In total, in-depth interviews were completed with 89 public library institutional leaders and CPO staff, 43 librarians from three provincial libraries and 15 district libraries, and 532 individuals (both users and potential users) in three provinces. Users and potential users were categorized in terms of class, gender, and age, such as government officers, retired officers, farmers, veterans, university students, secondary pupils, owners of small and medium enterprises, and small traders. Multidimensional information, as a result, was collected. ii

5 Findings Some results of the training needs assessment were not unexpected, while others provided new and useful insights for the next project activity, which will focus on developing appropriate training materials and conducting training programs to strengthen the capacity of public library institutions. Below are the key findings of the TNA: Information and Internet service infrastructure: While there are no computers available at district libraries, provincial libraries are generally equipped with an average of ten computers each. However, although the three provincial libraries in the TNA were connected to the Internet, only library staff have access for their own work. As such, there was no Internet service available to the public. Additionally, some computers provided in are now outdated or are out of service. On the other hand, the surveyed CPOs have received great attention, support and investment from the Ministry of Information and Communication: 46% (32 out of 72) of the total CPOs were equipped with 155 Internet-ready computers, but only 57% (19 out of 33) of the total surveyed locations provide Internet services to the public. Although 62% (96 out of 155) of the computers were operating with Internet connectivity, even this was ineffective due to the poor quality of the dial-up connections. Only 9 CPOs had ADSL connections and were operating efficiently. The rest were not functioning. Staff capacity and training needs: 70.6% of provincial library staff rated the level of their information technology knowledge as weak or average; the rates for staff at the district and commune CPOs were 87.9% and 90.7%, respectively. Basic knowledge of information technology, such as how to use the mouse, how to print and use office software, have not been provided or applied. 46% of staff at CPOs which had Internet connectivity revealed their weaknesses in using basic Internet functions such as reading the news, sending s, chatting, etc. Most staff at libraries with no Internet connectivity do not even know how to operate a computer. Most library staff are still unfamiliar with their new roles in the information technology age in terms of collecting, storing, and transferring information. The training priorities related to information technology for library staff is different from those of the CPO staff. Specifically, the priorities of provincial and district library staff are to improve: knowledge of using library software (80.5%); Internet searching skills (77.9%); basic IT knowlege (74.9%); knowledge of using online databases (70.7%); and knowledge of network administration (54.3%). By comparison, the priorities of CPO staff are to improve: Internet searching skills (91.6%); basic IT skills (90.2%); knowlege of operating systems (74.7%); knowledge of computer hardware (73.2%); and knowledge of network administration (57.8%). 72% of provincial library staff assessed their client-serving skills as weak and average; the rates for district and commune CPOs were 48.4% and 68.7%, respectively. In terms of training related to patron service, an average of more than 66% of library and CPO staff expressed a desire to attend courses on communication skills and promoting and advertising library/internet services. Through the TNA, library and CPO staff also expressed the need for separate training courses for those who have very limited skills or have never had access to computers and the Internet so that they can acquire basic IT skills before receiving more in-depth training. iii

6 Training and educational materials should be nicely presented, simple, and understandable, with illustrations to facilitate training and future applications for staff. In order to encourage the participation of library and CPO staff in training courses without detracting from daily service provision to patrons, library staff requested training in their respective provinces on Saturdays and Sundays, while CPO staff requested training in their respective districts in the evenings. User assessment and information needs: 78% of library and CPO users said they know of the libraries or CPOs because they pass by these places often or because they live nearby. Of all those interviewed who have never used any library or CPO services, 67% said they had no idea of their existence; the rest (33%) revealed they knew about the library or CPO because they pass by or live nearby. Of all the interviewed users and potential users, less than 4% said they knew about the library or CPO through library or CPO outreach activities, and less than 10% knew through the mass media. When asked How would you describe the image of libraries/cpos?, 49% of the interviewees said libraries and CPOs were where they could read/borrow/receive information from books and newspapers and librarians. 80% of CPO users thought of CPOs only as places to make phone calls and send mail, while only 17% knew that these places also provided Internet access. Most people had limited ideas as to the range of Internet features. The majority of Internet users were school pupils who mainly used the Internet to play games or chat with friends. Library and CPO activities: For outreach purposes, provincial libraries mainly use the story-telling competition model. Other communication and outreach activities such as thematic discussion groups or book festivals have rarely been used in Thai Nguyen and Tra Vinh provincial libraries due to limited financial capacity, experience and organizing capacity of the library staff. Communication and outreach activities have rarely been conducted by district libraries and CPOs. Often, the physical layout of space in libraries and CPOs is not rational and is not user-friendly. Many CPOs are not attractive places. The facilities of most CPOs in Thai Nguyen and Nghe An provinces, for example, are cramped with some being partitioned to provide living quarters for CPO staff and their families. Furniture is limited and old-fashioned. Recommendations Based on the TNA results, the research team proposes recommendations to improve the performance of public libraries and CPOs in general, and the Internet services they provide, in particular: Public library institutions and CPOs should provide more rational and well-organized space for Internet services to attract more users. At the same time, the CPOs should pay more attention to the acquisition of books and newspapers. As the information needs of users become more and more diversified, public library institutions and CPOs should: i) provide new services to users beyond traditional ones; ii) coordinate with local governments and other relevant agencies to develop communication and promotion plans to introduce Internet services and uses; iii) design and publish leaflets with simple guides on how to use the Internet with a supporting list of links to useful websites; iv) develop and enrich local content to satisfy people s needs, such as how to run a good business, how to find employment opportunities, or how to understand market needs for specific products, etc. iv

7 Comprehensive training for staff of public library institutions and CPOs is required. Training should include: basic through advanced IT skills, and simple Internet access skills through more advanced skills in assessing and analyzing information needs to identify the most effective information strategies. Specifically, training needs to be more in-depth for those staff without any computer skills at all in the pilot locations. Provide supplementary training on service and communication skills, as well as training on appropriate professional guidance skills in order to strengthen staff capabilities in assisting patrons on the use of library services, which will satisfy and attract potential users. Increase library and CPO staff knowledge on the impact of Internet Communication Technology (ICT) on: i) libraries and information centers; ii) end users; iii) library staff and library education; and iv), on computer and Internet usage. Also, educate staff on the role of information and library staff in an information society more generally. Staff knowledge and skills need to be refreshed and updated frequently. As such, the management of public library institutions and CPOs should have certain annual budgets for continuous training programs, comprehensive training programs for existing staff, and a training plan for new staff when necessary. In order to help users familiar with library services, the management of public library institutions should have a plan for providing periodic training courses for patrons on utilizing library services and the Internet, especially for first-time and disadvantaged users. Local authorities, leadership at all levels, schools, and mass organizations also need to be trained and familiarized with the important role of public libraries and CPOs in providing public Internet and computer access, in coordinating and promoting services, and in managing Internet usage in the localities for sustainability and social security. v

8 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... ii 1. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES, ASSESSMENTS, AND SURVEYS Objectives Assessment and surveys: ASSESSMENT METHODS AND SURVEY TOOLS Assessment and survey sites Survey tools Literature review: Questionnaire: Interviews: Survey preparations RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENT AND SURVEY General information and assessment of public library services and cultural post offices in Vietnam Infrastructure and IT of public libraries and CPOs in the survey areas Public libraries District libraries Cultural Post Offices in communes Human resources of public libraries and CPOs Provincial libraries: District libraries Cultural Post Offices (CPOs) IT capacity in public libraries and CPOs Provincial libraries District libraries: CPOs Provision of services and support to users of public libraries and CPOs Provincial libraries District libraries CPOs Training needs of public library and CPO staff Library staff qualifications IT knowledge Skills to serve and support patrons/users Training organization...32 Together with the training topics recommended above, library and CPO staff have suggested the following ideas on the organization and implementation of training: Patrons and their information needs Patrons and users of public libraries and CPOs Potential patrons and users:...35 vi

9 6. OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE SURVEY SITES Infrastructure and facilities Services IT capacity and service provision abilities of library and CPO staff Training organization RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERNET SERVICES IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES/CPOs Physical and IT infrastructure Services Improvement of IT and service provision staff capacity in public libraries and CPOs Knowledge and skill improvement training for better library services Coordination at the local level CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES...49 ANNEX 1: LIST OF SURVEY WORKERS...52 ANNEX 2: SURVEY SITES...54 ANNEX 2b: MAP OF 90 SURVEY SITES...56 ANNEX 2c: SOME PHOTOS ON FACILITIES OF SURVEYED SITES...59 ANNEX 3: QUANTITY AND PC STATUS AT 72 SURVEYED CPOS...64 ANNEX 4: LIST OF INTERVIEWEES...68 ANNEX 5: RATE OF PATRONS CLASSIFIED BY TARGETS, GENDER AND AGE...70 ANNEX 6: LEADING ECONOMIC SECTORS IN THE PROVINCES...71 ANNEX 7: QUESTIONNAIRES...76 ANNEX 8: INTERVIEW GUIDELINES...93 List of figures Figure 1: Number of computers according to purpose in 3 provincial libraries...20 Figure 2: IT training needs of public library and CPO staff...31 Figure 3: Staff training needs to serve and support patrons of public libraries and CPOs...32 Figure 4: Patron use of and needs for services provided by public libraries and CPOs...34 vii

10 List of tables Table 1: IT infrastructure in CPOs...21 Table 2: Number and qualifications of provincial library staff...23 Table 3: Number, sex, age group, and qualifications of librarians at the provincial level 23 Table 4: Number, qualifications, and age groups of district library staff...24 Table 5: Number, qualifications, and age groups in CPOs surveyed...25 Table 6: IT knowledge and skills of public librarians, and CPOs staff...26 Table 7: Provision of services and support to users of public libraries and CPOs...28 viii

11 1. INTRODUCTION Vietnam s citizens have a great passion for reading, and public libraries in Vietnam are free for users, open for long hours, and have relatively well-qualified personnel to support patrons. Some public libraries also provide training to interested readers (e.g., how to use the library facilities, how to operate computers, and how to access the Internet). However, public library services tend to focus only on those who specifically request such services, rather than proactively serving the larger public. Public libraries are not active in upgrading services to meet the increasing demands of the user community and this leads to limited access to the public library system, especially among the poor, people living with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups. Trainings for librarians have not yet included essential skills, such as how to communicate with patrons and how to work effectively with different patron groups. Many library staff are simply book keepers, rather than a source of guidance for library users to help them find the information and resources they need. The government has spent funds to upgrade equipments and library networks across the country and to provide training in library sciences and information management to librarians. However, the public library system still does not operate efficiently. At the grassroots level, public libraries, if properly maintained, can play an important role in complementing the formal education system: providing critical information for people to improve their well-being, disseminating leads on job opportunities for youth, and teaching children about themselves and the world around them. The involvement of universities, museums and other cultural organizations (such as cinemas, theaters and exhibitions, etc.) in the public library system serves to diversify library services through activities such as events and the introduction of resources and enhanced library services, but currently these are not widely offered it at all. In this context, The Asia Foundation (TAF) in cooperation with the National Library of Vietnam (NLV) and other public library institutions are implementing an 18-month project designed to strengthen public library institutions capacity to develop a more user-friendly library environment in selected pilot sites. The project, funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, covers two main objectives: i) To strengthen Internet capabilities in public library institutions (PLIs) and in cultural post offices (CPOs) in Vietnam and to create a more welcoming and accessible library environment in selected pilot sites; and ii), To promote public Internet access and the availability of Internet usage in Vietnam s public libraries. Favorable access to useful information sources for the lives of local people is expected to contribute to improved knowledge and skills and in the long term, to improve their wellbeing. The project, implemented by TAF and the NLV and other institutions in Vietnam, will complement the pilot project activities implemented by Vietnam s Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) also funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. While the MIC project focuses on pilot implementation of public Internet access models, TAF aims to strengthen the capabilities of public library institutions to create more welcoming and accessible library environments, and to promote public access to computers and the Internet in selected Public Libraries (PLs) and CPOs. 9

12 In order to achieve these objectives, TAF is supporting following activities: A comprehensive training needs assessment (TNA) conducted at 90 sites in three selected provinces identified by the MIC. The TNA reviews the capacity of and services provided by PLs and CPOs in communes, which will serve as the basis for the design and content of the training program to enhance the capacity of PLIs. Training and educational materials will be developed based on the results from the TNA and a review of existing training materials. The newly developed training materials will focus on service provision to users and will help librarians to provide support and guidance for users including: i) information resources and Internet search skills; ii) how to use the Internet as a tool for obtaining information for further learning; iii) how to research information related to daily life; and iv), cultural and socio-economic related issues through the Internet. The training materials will include guides for staff as well as associated materials to be distributed directly to library users. Based on the assessment, TAF will design a training program to enhance the capacity of PLs and CPOs to better provide services. The training program will employ Training-of- Trainers (TOT) and participatory approaches. The project expects to build capacity for well-trained trainers within the library system, who then can continue to provide subsequent trainings for other library staff with the skills and knowledge gained through project implementation and the training materials. TAF will support the PLs and CPOs to develop tools to assess the level of use and satisfaction with regard to public Internet access services at PLs and CPOs to see if they meet users demands. TAF will support commune level PLs and CPOs in organizing events for promoting library services and Internet access at project sites. Upon completion of the above mentioned activities, TAF will assist the NLV, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), to organize a national workshop to discuss project results, experiences, and lessons learned from the project s pilot activities. The workshop will be a good opportunity to share information and experiences with other project partners and organizations working on issues related to PLs and CPOs in the communes. Recommendations on post-project replication for creating a welcoming library environments to maximize public Internet access at libraries and CPOs will be presented. This report presents the results of the first activity which will inform the design of training programs to be implemented by TAF and its partners, as well as the MIC. The report includes assessments of service provision of the PLIs, capacity of library staff, level of information technology (IT) application and Internet access, and the information needs of patrons. In particular, TAF surveyed and interviewed potential library patrons who have never used library services to better understand their information and Internet access needs. Survey results are presented in Section 5, including: i) general assessment on services provided by PLIs (based on literature review and discussions with the NLV and other local organizations); ii) the current state of facilities, IT infrastructure, and PLI and CPO personnel; iii) library staff s IT skills; iv) library staff s capacity to provide services to patrons; and iv), the training needs of library staff and patrons, as well as the information needs of users. Section 6 presents an assessment and further analysis of the survey and interview results. The assessment focuses on facilities and equipment, service provision, staff capacity-related IT skills and service provision, and the training needs and roles of local authorities. Recommendations are presented in Section 7. Based on these general recommendations, TAF and MIC can develop a training plan to provide knowledge and skills relevant to the capacities of the project s beneficiaries, which are in line with overall project s objectives. 10

13 2. BACKGROUND The rapid development of Internet technology and communications brought about significant changes in the world at the end of the 20 th century and the beginning of the 21st century. Its development was the first step in the establishment of a new social model: an IT society with a knowledge economy where the information demands of individuals and society vary and require time-sensitive responses. Its development also makes information and data management tasks more difficult and challenging for global library systems in general, and Vietnamese library systems in particular. Thanks to the speedy advancement of technology and the Internet, the traditional library model is being transformed into a modern library model one that provides new products and services. Today, library activities are linked through the use of computers, access the Internet, online databases, e-journal. The Internet has become an indispensable tool in the work of libraries. Implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), Vietnam has developed an electronic library model through a series of projects designed to promote IT applications in PLIs. The aim was to Build an electronic/digital library system in the NLV and throughout the provincial PLs in the country. At the same time, academic libraries and other library systems in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have received funding from the central and local governments for several projects to modernize their library systems to keep up with the social development and the demand for information technology from patrons. Following the trends of e-library development in the region and around the world, projects implemented by the MCST from focused on developing electronic/digital libraries for the NLV and 26 provincial libraries in Thai Binh, Phu Yen, Nghe An, Vung Tau, Can Tho, Thua Thien Hue, Thanh Hoa, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Ben Tre, Dak Lak, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Ha Tay, Nam Dinh, Da Nang, Gia Lai, An Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, Ha Tinh, and Soc Trang. Another 12 libraries from the provinces of Lam Dong, Binh Dinh, Dong Nai, Ha Giang, Lang Son, Binh Duong, Bac Giang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Tay Ninh, Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City were invested with local funding. 1 New integrated library system and modern equipment were invested in 38 of 64 provincial libraries to replace the Computerised Documentation Services/ Intergrated Set of Information System (CDS/ISIS), which has been used by most of the libraries in Vietnam. The other provincial libraries were provided similar, but smaller scale, equipment. Since 2007, 80% (52/65) of provincial libraries have had access to the Internet. However, only 34% (22/65) of those provided Internet access service for patrons, and only 15.4% (10/65) had online database services. 2 Some libraries built up digital databases for core data, such as databases on PhD thesis, Indochina publications, Han-Nom publications at the NLV, and the full texts of indigenous content of cities and provinces (such as that found at the General Scientific Library of Ho Chi Minh City, and the libraries of Binh Duong and Ba Ria, Vung Tau,...). Equipment to support people with vision disabilities was also provided at 64 provincial libraries under funding from the FORCE Foundation. (only 32 of 64 libraries 1 Vietnam: Social/cultural/ICT4D/public libraries/other service models. Prepared for Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Vietnam: Social/cultural/ICT4D/public libraries/other service models. Prepared for Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

14 provide services for the visually impaired. 3 ) The Hanoi Library and the General Scientific Library of Ho Chi Minh City are equipped with the most modern facilities. Since June 2008, 99 of 623 district level libraries have applied IT. 4 These applications include creating publication databases, making cataloguing fiche, and retrieving information. Few district libraries have even established multimedia rooms with Internet access services available to patrons. The ways of providing services have changed very little and the application of IT has only been slowly implemented. Activities to-date focus mainly on creating publication databases, printing cataloguing fiche and word processor. In recent years, to meet the increasing demands of patrons, the NLV and PLIs have focused their efforts on upgrading infrastructure and improving services, especially Internet access for library staff and users. Such efforts demonstrate strong government commitment and awareness in supporting and encouraging the contributions of PLIs to the country s educational, social, and economic development. However, at the grassroots level, libraries still face many difficulties and do not meet the information demands of their patrons. Together with facility improvements, accessing useful information for local people is a decisive factor for the sustainability of IT applications. To maximize the potential impact of the Internet and its uses, local people in communes and districts have to be able to access information related to job opportunities, further study, learning new skills, enhancing business and production, and responding to disasters and epidemics. In reality, many people still do not have access to critical and useful information available to them that could impact their daily lives due to the lack of Internet access or ineffective use of the Internet. The limited capacity of library staff in supporting local people in accessing such information is another contributing factor. 3 Towards dynamics of libraries and information centers in South East Asian countries: Workshop proceedings of CONSAL 14 (CONSAL 14), organized in Hanoi, IT application to district libraries: A long road ahead! 27/6/2008. ( 12

15 3.1 Objectives 3. OBJECTIVES, ASSESSMENTS, AND SURVEYS Overall objective: To conduct a training need assessment through surveys at provincial, district and commune levels to identify training needs and to inform training program design. Such a program will improve PLI and CPO staff capacity to enable them to provide more useful and friendly services for users and will create a more welcoming environment at libraries and improve the skills of library staff in managing public Internet access services. Specific objectives: i) Assess the capacity of the PLI system from the provincial to district levels and of communal CPOs at the pilot sites; ii) Assess the capacity of staff at PLs and communal CPOs in serving patrons as well as using and managing public Internet access services; iii) identify the training needs of staff at PLs and CPOs in service provision in general and public Internet access services in particular; iv) identify patron and user needs and expectations; and v), make recommendations for training design to improve the capacity and skills of PL and CPO staff at the pilot sites. 3.2 Assessment and surveys: The aim of the assessment and survey was to identify the training needs of library staff at different levels as well as to gather baseline information and data for project monitoring and evaluation purposes. Towards that end, TAF conducted surveys and gathered information related to service provision of PLIs and CPOs. More specifically, the assessment and survey looked at following characteristics: Status of facilities and IT infrastructure of PLIs/communal CPOs: Quick assessment on library premise and the location of PLIs/communal CPOs, focusing on IT infrastructure: quantity of computers and computer functions, types of Internet services and Internet connectivity. Status of PL/communal CPO personnel: Assessment of quantity and qualifications of library staff; quantity, qualifications, gender and age of librarians at PLIs/communal CPOs. IT capacity of staff at PLs/communal CPOs: Assessment of staff IT capacity by evaluating skill levels as to basic IT knowledge, website administration and Internet usage. Staff servicing provision skills in PLIs/communal CPOs: Assessment of staff service provision skills at PLs/communal CPOs. Use of staff self-evaluations to assess service provision skills, ability to guide patrons on using services, knowledge of patron psychology, and skills to promote library services to attract patrons. Training needs of PL/communal CPO staff: Assessment of specific training needs in the fields of IT knowledge and patron servicing capacity. Patrons and their demand for information: Survey of habits, reasons for using library/internet, and comments of patrons on library services, attitudes of librarians in supporting patrons, and patron demand for information. 13

16 4. ASSESSMENT METHODS AND SURVEY TOOLS 4.1. Assessment and survey sites The project sites were selected by the MIC project for the pilot activities in the following 3 provinces: Thai Nguyen, representing the northern region, Nghe An, representing the Central region, and Tra Vinh, representing the Southern region. The pilot sites in each province included one provincial library, 5 district libraries and 24 CPOs at the communal level. The survey was conducted at 90 sites (a list of these sites is in Annex 2a). Nghe An is a province in North Central Vietnam with an area of over 16,000 km 2 - the largest province in the country. The population is 3 million, ranking fourth among provinces in the country. There are several ethnic groups in the province: Kinh, Thai, Mong, Kho Mu Nghe An has 1 city, 2 city towns and 17 districts divided to 472 communes, of which 244 communes are located in mountainous areas. The provincial economy is based on agriculture, and industry is still underdeveloped. The PL system has reached 17 districts, 2 towns, and Vinh city (100%). 78 out of 473 communes (16%) have public libraries. 398 out of 473 communes have CPOs (84%). 30 sites were selected for the survey in Nghe An, including 1 provincial library, 5 district libraries (Quy Chau, Yen Thanh, Quynh Luu, Hung Nguyen and Nam Dan) and 24 CPOs located across 17 districts. Thai Nguyen is a mountainous province in the North. It is considered the cultural, economic, and political center of Vietnam s East-West mountainous region. The provincial area is km 2. The population is 1.3 million, and includes 8 ethnic groups of Kinh, Tay, Nung, Cao Lan, San Chi, Dao, Mong and Chinese, of which 27% are ethnic minorities. Thai Nguyen has one city, 1 city town and 7 districts divided to 180 communes, 125 of which are located in mountainous areas. The PL system has reached the district level with 8 district libraries out of 9 districts and the city town. The city of Thai Nguyen does not yet have a library and the communal library system has not been established. There are 139 communal CPOs in 180 communes (77%). 30 sites were selected for the survey in Thai Nguyen, including 1 provincial library, 5 district libraries (Dong Hy, Dinh Hoa, Vo Nhai, Phu Luong and Song Cong town) and 24 CPOs located in 9 districts, the town and the city. Tra Vinh is a coastal province in the Mekong Delta. The area is km 2. The population is 1 million including 3 ethnic groups: Kinh (68%), Khmer (30%) and Chinese (2%). The province focuses mainly on an agricultural economy and aquaculture. The city includes one town and 7 districts with 102 communes. Tra Vinh province has 141 Khmer pagodas. Like Thai Nguyen province, the PL system in has reached the district level with only 8 district libraries (100%) and the communal library system has not yet been established. Tra Vinh province has 102 communal CPOs in 102 current communes (100%). Like the two abovementioned provinces, 30 sites in the province were selected for the survey including: 1 provincial library, 5 district libraries (Cang Long, Duyen Hai, Cau Ke, Tra Cu and Tieu Can) and 24 communal CPOs located in 7 districts Survey tools Literature review: To define specific issues for the assessment and survey and to develop the questionnaires, the survey team studied reports and documents on PLIs in Vietnam, including existing reports of the NLV and the library system, documents of projects funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, related documents from other countries, and related information from the Internet. 14

17 Questionnaire: To develop the questionnaire, the survey team reviewed the study, Lithuania: Survey of Librarians Questionnaire, Public Access Computing, 5 and an IT applied questionnaire for the PLI system 6, to extract relevant questions for Vietnam. The set of questionnaires were designed to assess 3 target subjects: i) Institutional capacity: Questionnaire Sample 1 assesses institutional capacity of provincial and district libraries; ii) Individual capacity: Questionnaire Sample 2 assesses the capacity of library staff at the provincial and district levels; and iii), Institutional and staff capacity of CPOs: Questionnaire Sample 3 assesses the capacity of the CPOs and staff at communal CPOs. (The questionnaires can be found in Annex 7.) The questionnaires were sent to selected target groups in 30 survey sites in each selected province one week before the survey team came to the province. One week was sufficient time to collect and sum up all information completed in the questionnaires and to continue further interviews. (Interview guidelines are attached in the Annex 8.) 129 questionnaires for the three target groups were sent out and 128 completed questionnaires were received (one was missing because no staff was at the Kim Son commune CPO in Tra Cu district, Tra Vinh province). Questionnaire 1 was sent to 18 leaders of 3 provincial libraries; Questionnaire 2 was sent to 24 librarians of provincial libraries and 14 librarians at the district level; and Questionnaire 3 was sent to 72 communal CPO staff Interviews: Interviews were carried out with 2 groups: i) library staff at different levels and ii) patrons, including library patrons and potential users. (The list of interviewees can found in Annex 4.) Group of library staff at different levels: First level - 18 directors and vice-directors of provincial libraries/district cultural and information centers: The information collected focused on questions related to institutional capacity for service provision in libraries in the districts and provinces, and ability to carry out public internet access services in the near future. Second level - 43 librarians in 3 provincial libraries and 15 libraries at the district level: Through meetings and discussions, the survey team gathered opinions on difficulties the librarians face in their daily work, as well as challenges that may arise in the future when implementing Internet services. IT application training needs for staff focusing on servicing patrons were collected via interviews using the questionnaire. Third level - 71 staff in communal CPOs: The information collected included an assessment of CPO and staff capacity in service provision, including free-of-charge newspapers and publications and providing public internet access services. In 33 communal CPOs with computers and internet connectivity, the staff was interviewed to assess the effectiveness of the services and explain why public internet access was not effective. 5 Lithuania_survey_of_librarians_questionnaire. Public Access Computing. August, ( =s34327) 6 Vietnam: Social/cultural/ICT4D/public libraries/other service models. Prepared for Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

18 Groups of patrons: The survey group adapted these questions from The national eplus survey used in the United Kingdom as part of the public library standards process and administered by the Institute of Public Finance (IPF) and Latvia Libraries survey 2007: Library managers survey (Attitude Towards Libraries Survey of Library Users) for questionnaires used for patrons interviewees, including library users and potential patrons, were selected for interviews in the sites where surveyed libraries and CPOs were located. At the provincial level, the target groups were: i) college and university students; and ii), local people: retirees, housewives, the unemployed and the underemployed. At the district level, the target groups were: i) school students; ii) graduates from schools who were still unemployed; iii) local people: retirees, housewives; etc.; and iv), state workers. At the commune level, target groups were: i) school students; ii) graduates from schools who were still unemployed; and iii), local people: farmers, retirees, etc. Information collected from the above mentioned target group focused on patron habits of using libraries and accessing the Internet, comments on services provision, attitudes of PLI and communal CPO staff and patron needs for using services in the future. For library patrons, the survey team approached those who were in the libraries at the time of the survey. If there were not enough representatives for a particular group, the team then approached them at home with library staff assistance. In provincial libraries, it was difficult to contact and interview business owners at the libraries. Because of this, the team interviewed household businesses instead. This approach was not as objective as respondents who were randomly selected, but they were based on referals from library staff. Regarding potential patrons, the survey team directly contacted local people for the interviews. In addition, after the survey in Thai Nguyen, the survey team recognized that there should be interviews with commune leaders as well. However, the Commune People s Committees (CPCs) did not know about CPO operations (the CPCs do not manage the operations of CPOs, but they do play a very important role in the coordination of CPO activities in the areas). This led to additional interviews with the CPCs to obtain complete information regarding the operations of the PLIs and CPOs and to understand the relationship between local authorities and PLIs. In addition, it served to improve awareness on the role of the PLIs and CPOs in the community. The survey team interviewed 48 chairmen/vice-chairmen of the Nghe An and Tra Vinh project communes where CPOs were located Survey preparations Personnel: The survey team included 4 workers from Hanoi, including 2 from TAF, 1 from the NLV and 1 expert on training needs assessment. The team also included 6 local workers from selected provincial and district libraries who had knowledge of library, IT and communication skills. The team was divided into 3 groups to survey the 3 project areas in the selected provinces. Each group included one staff from Hanoi (to lead the group) and 2 local workers to provide interview and administrative support. The groups had several discussions and exchanges on survey content, lessons learned and primary outputs to ensure a high quality survey. Responsibilities were clearly assigned: the group leaders interviewed leaders and staff of PLIs and CPOs at the commune level, one local worker interviewed patrons of 7 Latvia Libraries survey 2007: Library managers survey. ( 16

19 the libraries and users of Internet services, and the other local worker interviewed potential patrons. The List of survey workers is in Annex 1. Survey schedule: The survey was carried out in the three provinces from 23 February to 22 March 2009: from 23 to 28 February in Thai Nguyen province, from 04 to 12 March in Nghe An province, and from 15 to 22 March in Tra Vinh province. The schedule in each province included: First day - spent at the provincial library: 3 team leaders interviewed the 3 target groups in the provincial libraries, including: i) leaders and librarians of the library; ii) library patrons; and iii) potential patrons. Observation of these interviews by team leaders served as hands-on training for the 6 local workers. Next, 3 of the local workers interviewed library patrons and the other 3 local workers interviewed potential patrons. The following days - the 3 groups went to 3 different areas of the province to investigate the district libraries and commune CPOs, armed with clear task divisions to ensure each group completed their interviews in the same day. The last day - the 3 groups met to review and develop a general assessment on the capacities of the institutions and staff of PLIs and commune CPOs, as well as the needs and comments of patrons. The questionnaires and interview content were revised accordingly. 17

20 5. RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENT AND SURVEY 5.1. General information and assessment of public library services and cultural post offices in Vietnam 8 The national library network in Vietnam consists of many library systems, including: public libraries; a network of sectoral and interdisciplinary information centers and libraries related to science and technology; library systems under the Ministry of Education and Training (library and information centers, university and college libraries); and systems of military libraries. The Public libraries in Vietnam have been organized nation-wide and managed according to the following administrative management levels: i) the National Library; ii) 64 provincial/city libraries; iii) 623 district libraries; 9 and iv), 8,677 libraries and reading rooms at the commune and village level. To supplement the public library system, there are also 10,000 legal and law book collections (tu sach phap luat) and 8,000 cultural post offices at the commune/ward level. 10 The responsibilities of each public library is to serve its community in its designated area at the provincial, district, commune/ward levels and under the administration of the people s councils. Vietnam is moving towards a modern library model with computers connected to LAN or intranet, and the Internet. In that system, all activities, functions, and operations of public libraries will be automated and utilize the same database for acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, management of serial publications, management of patrons, storage management, building of bibliographic databases and specific databases, information retrieval at the same time within the library as outside via the gateway Z39.50, web integrated Internet. Locating documents and books will be transferred from traditional cataloguing to online public access cataloguing (OPAC) - alternatively, this can be done anywhere, anytime with an Internet connected PC. Libraries will also provide a series of new services such as e-resources in house, provision of compact discs, digitalized materials, online newspapers and magazines, e-books, Internet access, book distributions and inter-library loan, Q&A service, and package information services (collect, process, analysis, information/data and pack the information). Besides the fast development of digital contents, online information and access to rich online information resources, a strong reading culture still exists and there are great demands for books and printed documents. For this reason, many public libraries have extended their services to provide books and documents through open stacks to enable users to find and have organized mobile book collections a traditional service within the public library system. These efforts are intended to bring information to people in remote areas, have been implemented at provincial and district levels and have been widely applied in the South. The NLV plays a central role in the public library system, responsible for providing professional training and guidance for public libraries throughout the country. 11 To fulfill these tasks, the NLV organizes workshops, seminars, and training courses and they compile documents and guidelines related to library services for staff of public libraries. Although the 8 This part is synthesized from documents and reports from the NLV and other organizations. 9 Applied IT in district libraries: a long road! 27/6/2008. ( years of library development. E-newspaper of NL. 03/ ( Nam.html) 11 According to the ordinance on libraries,

21 NLV has tried hard to fulfill its tasks, the implementation of library automation programs for provicial/city libraries has not been effective. 12 The NLV has a total of 186 staff, 13,of which 5% hold doctoral degrees (1 doctor), 8.6% hold masters degrees, 66.7% hold university degrees, 6.6% have college or high school education, and 16.6% have finished upper-secondary school. While the average number of staff in public libraries at the provincial/city level is 21, there is a high of 42 staff in Ba Ria Vung Tau public library and a low of 5 staff in Dak Nong province. Among provincial/city library staff, 71.3% hold univeristy degrees, 24% have college or high school degrees, and 7% finished an upper-secondary education. 77% of staff are permanent and receive government salaries, while the rest, (23%) are contractual staff. For the time being, these staff are capable of providing traditional library services. However, most public libraries are facing challenges in management, staff capacity, and service provision during the transition from traditional libraries to modern libraries to meet international standards. The rise of the telecommunication sector has prompted the development of service models such as the cultural post office. CPOs provide combined services on post, telecommunications, and social and cultural information to rural populations, especially farmers. It is clear that CPOs, with the aim of bringing the Internet and public library services and information to communities, if managed and run effectively, could bridge the gap that public libraries have not been able to address. CPOs were initiated in 1998 in rural and remote areas that had no post offices to provide post and telecommunication services as well as newspapers and books for local reading (free of charge). Before 1998, when CPOs did not exist, there were 3,000 post offices 14 located mainly in cities and towns. On average, for every 25,500 people per 110 square kilometer, there was one post office. Post and telecommunication services were new to rural farmers, especially those who live in remote areas. The establishment of 8,021 CPOs during the last few years has created a countrywide network that delivers services to the local people. Now on average, one CPO serves 4,500 people per 17.5 square kilometer. This meets Regional standards. In 2003, with a total investment cost of 35 billion Vietnamese Dong, Vietnam National Post and Telecommunications (VNPT) implemented a new program to bring the Internet to rural areas, starting with Phase I - the development of a network of CPOs. Through that program, a computer with (dial-up) Internet connection was provided to each of 2,865 CPOs, and two computers with Internet ADSL connectivity for each of 200 CPOs. Although, these CPOs have provided useful post and telecommunication services for communities, the actual condition of the CPOs has not met the basic standards of a public place for reading, information research, and learning through available books, magazines, documents, and the Internet. 12 Vietnam: Social/cultural/ICT4D/public libraries/other service models. Prepared for Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Synthesized from NLV s staff portrait: 90 years of development Hà Nội, CPOs on the way to connect farmers to the world. Rural Economics - 11/12/2008 ( 9) 19