IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF ISLAMIC
LIBRARIES IN
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM:
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
Dayang Amal Syukriyyah binti Haji Abdul Kahar Librarian
Norhasinah binti Haji Moksin Senior Librarian
Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University Library
Introduction
• His Majesty The Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah, himself has expressed the need of, “a landmark of Islamic glory in the country and also playing a role in producing Muslim scholars and intellectuals needed by the nation"
• Islamic studies in the country had shown significant development during his reign (Norarfan Zainal, 2015)
• Higher education institutions Brunei Darussalam can be a viable authentic Islamic education focus
• Library role will be integral in supporting this learning community.
• Islamic notion is of the ummah that behaves as an integrated and holistic organism and shura (consultation, cooperating for the good).
• Islamic Libraries in Brunei Darussalam need to unite and form a National Consortium of Islamic Libraries together in order to fully optimize these resources as well as services and facilitate the researchers’ journey and progress of Islamic knowledge discovery.
Rationale & Objectives
Brunei is not ruled out of such budgetary issues Objectives:
•To increase the use of library materials.
•To increase more Islamic library users.
•To expose and promote the collection and services offered by the libraries of Islam in Brunei.
•To improve the quality of collections, services and library
management through sharing of information and knowledge between
participating libraries.
Understanding Consortium
• Baathuli Nfila and Darko-Ampem (2002) : consortium concept as an association or partnership has long been a tenet of librarianship”.
• Shachaf (2003) : library consortium development is rooted in the history of library cooperative efforts.
• Bolstick (2001): a group of two or more libraries that have agreed to cooperate with each other in order to fulfill certain similar needs, usually resource sharing, a consortium is a formal cooperative entity that consortia can take many form and go under other names such as coalition or network.
• Chin & Zakaria (2015): Library partnerships may come under names such as document delivery, access services, interlibrary loan, library networking, library linkages, library collaboration, library consortia, library cooperation, document supply, as they can be used interchangeably to describe formal and informal cooperation, partnership and resource sharing activities in libraries.
• Samea (2015) : most used term in the literature for sharing among libraries and the more exclusive is the term, consortium, followed by the term alliance
• Chartron (2011): the term ‘consortium is derived from the field of economics
Forms of collaboration in Brunei
• JALINAN – An interlibrary loan initiative between Brunei Nursing College, Institute of Technology Brunei (Now known as University Technology Brunei or UTB), RIPAS Medical Library and Jefri Bolkiah Engineering College
• RANGKAIAN – A form of a networking initiative between libraries under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, focusing on professional development without interlibrary loan service.
• VILIS - The Virtual Library System (VILIS) is a form of an automation activity operated by MOE to facilitate the learning institutions under the ministry. However currently no
interlibrary loan service is involved.
• E-Library – Another form of an automation activity spearheaded by Dewan Bahasa
Pustaka for their public libraries and other heritage and information institutions, such as the Brunei Museum Library, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other ministries in the country. Interlibrary loan has been proposed but unable to be executed.
• RECIPROCAL – Agreement between Brunei Darussalam University (UBD) and Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) to facilitate resource sharing between the two universities.
Objectives of the study:
1. To identify the features available in each Islamic libraries
2. To be informed of the current status and situation of Islamic Libraries in Brunei
3. To discern the respondents’ agreeableness and their perceptions about the consortium
4. To ascertain recommendation most desirable for implementing a
consortium in Brunei
Scope
1. Pusat Dakwah Islamiah (Islamic Eminence Centre Library or PDI) Library 2. Department Of Mosque Affairs Libraries
3. Ministry of Religious Officers (MORA) Library 4. Islamic Law Unit Library
5. Syariah Court Library
6. Public Islamic (State Mufti Department) Library
7. Institue Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB or Tahfiz) Library 8. Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPUSB) Library
9. Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA) Library
10. Ma'had Islam Brunei (All Male Arabic High School or Ma’had) Library
11. Sekolah Ugama Arab Menengah Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit (All Female Arabic High School or SUAMPRIPAD) Library
12. Hassanal Bolkiah Boys' Arabic Secondary School (SMALHB) Library
Methodology
• ‘Whatsapp’
• Survey
• Personal interviews
• A formal meeting with the library officers of UBD was undertaken to assess the status of the RECIPROCAL agreement between UNISSA and UBD.
• A meeting between the heads of each participating libraries
• All available information is analyzed and data is also collected from
open and closed access sources alike.
Findings and discussion
The Workforce
• Qualified librarians
• Leadership role
• Manpower
• Arabic Language Competency
Budgeting
• Group purchasing
• E-resources
• Specific budget or lack thereof
• No autonomy
• Collection development
Collection
• Total of collection
• Duplication
• Types of collection
Perceptions
• LMS
• Membership
Further notable findings
Opportunities Challenges
Opportunites No. of Libraries
Platform to share and exchange ideas, information and effort 3 (25%) Ease of access & increased awareness to Islamic Resources 2 (16.7%)
Networking 1 (8.3%)
Maximise the interests and security of Islamic Libraries 1 (8.3%)
Challenges No. of Libraries
Lack of commitment, support and cooperation 4 (33.3%)
Lack of expertise 3 (25%)
Approval from higher-ups 3 (25%)
Governance issues in each libraries 2 (16.7%)
Lack of manpower 2 (16.7%)
Lack of understanding about Consortium and its benefits 2 (16.7%)
No autonomy in library 1 (8.3%)
Budget constraint 1 (8.3%)
Timespan of project 1 (8.3%)
Recommendations
Additional key recommendations
• Social media platform
• Subject specialization
• National digital repository
• Assessment
Recommended suggestions No. of Libraries
Dialogue session, exchange ideas & knowledge 5 (41.7%)
Training, workshops 2 (16.7%)
Formation of a committee 2 (16.7%)
Outreach to stakeholders 2 (16.7%)
Proposal paper, research 2 (16.7%)
Regular meetings & annual reports 1 (8.3%)
Conclusion
• Existing internal issues in each libraries obstacle in an interlibrary loan or any form of resource sharing activities in the near future.
• Look into each other’s issues and try to solve them primarily beforehand
• Libraries to have an alliance to one another and collaborate in other proposed activities
• Noteworthy issues were left out such as core collection to consider subject hence further investigation needed
• Substantial to research community with an interest in Islamic Libraries
as literature on it is limited