Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,

1. Libraries play a key role in the preservation and transmission of ideas and knowledge from one generation to the next. The earliest libraries were established some five thousand years ago by the Sumerians. These libraries served to preserve their hymns, prayers and documents and they contained thousands of clay tablets on which wedge-shaped impressions were made. Subsequent technological advances made it possible to record materials in papyrus scrolls and then on paper.
2. However, until the invention of printing, books were still rare and precious because they were handwritten. This was the first function of libraries � to serve as a repository for books. Libraries still measure their greatness in terms of the size and comprehensiveness of their collections.
3. Providing access is the second function of libraries. These early books were usually hoarded in monasteries and access was restricted to monks and a small number of scholars who journeyed long distances in search of knowledge. Centres of scholarship and learning grew up around great libraries. The advent of the printing press changed the nature of libraries. Reprints of books became cheaper and libraries became public places with open access to everyone. Libraries measure their accessibility by their membership, the number of readers who use their facilities, and the number of books they loan out.
4. The third function of libraries and librarians is to help readers find what they are looking for. Their collections are not simply haphazard piles of materials, but they are structured, classified and indexed. Great libraries are also known for their systems that help readers access information. The catalogues of the Library of Congress or British Library are examples.
5. The development of libraries depends largely on two factors. The first factor concerns the level of literacy in a society. As people become more literate, there will be an increase in the demand for libraries. The growth of public libraries in Singapore � from the sole National Library at Stamford Road to 18 community libraries distributed throughout Singapore today � parallels the increased level of literacy among our population.
6. The second factor is a technological one. It is about how information is recorded � from clay tablets during the Sumerian times to modern paper-based books. Today, we are in the midst of another technological change in information transfer � from paper to bytes. This change has tremendous implications for the libraries of the future.
7. Information technology has brought about significant changes in the way libraries operate � in the way information is stored, the way it can be accessed, and the types of services that are provided to help users find information.
8. In the past, information available in the libraries was largely print-based. Libraries had to constantly update their collection by acquiring the latest print editions. With the expansion of technology and a reduction in the cost of computer storage, the format of library materials has changed significantly. A variety of non-print media such as CD-ROMs, VCDs, DVDs and on-line databases that provide instant up-to-date information are available in all new age libraries. With text, images, audio and video that can be digitised, books in print may one day be replaced with their cyber-equivalent -- electronic books that can easily be downloaded into computers, enhanced and made interactive by new technology.
9. One no longer has to go to the libraries to borrow books or obtain information. Instead, the libraries will come to us as technology has made the libraries borderless, unbounded by space or physical presence. Through web-based access to libraries, the Internet has made possible one single access to any multi-media contents from one�s desktop anytime, anywhere.
10. Technology has also changed the way users find information. For example, the card catalogue, used in the past for search and retrieval, has been made obsolete with computerisation. We no longer have to limit our search to one database because with good communication links like the internet, we can now search the databases of libraries all over the world.
11. While there are benefits to be derived from a wide array of resources, we must also contend with information overload. One might be able to locate information on the Internet with a few keystrokes on a computer but be overwhelmed by the thousands, if not millions, of hits. The quality of information, in terms of currency, authority and comprehensiveness, is also an important consideration. Having found the information, one must know how to differentiate between information nuggets and information garbage. This is where libraries can play an important role in imparting knowledge on navigation skills through user-education and information literacy programmes.
12. Libraries can also add value by providing new tools and services to help users find information efficiently. Libraries can provide personalised information services by performing the searches for and on behalf of the user, repackaging the information and delivering this electronically to the user at his home or office. Search engines can also be customised to assist different types of users in their search and retrieval of information.
13. To meet the challenges of working in a technologically rich environment, librarians must therefore constantly upgrade their knowledge and competency level of IT skills to manage electronic databases and operate different search engines.
14. As technology evolves and becomes more prevalent, computers with special functions, high-speed access and on-line access to databases can be expensive. A library can be made accessible to the public at an affordable fee to provide equal learning opportunities. Similarly, on-line databases which are too expensive for individual subscriptions can now be made accessible in the library.
15. There is no better place for our people to start learning how to mine the rich storehouses of knowledge available, than when they are in school. Our school libraries must therefore re-evaluate their functions and the services they provide our students. They must establish new linkages so that they can become a valued node in the new knowledge network.
16. In recent years, NLB has transformed our public libraries. These libraries are now easily accessible and can be found even in shopping centres. Visitors to NLB�s libraries enjoy a wider range of print and non-print resources. The borrowing and returning of books is now more convenient, as the use of IT has eliminated the need to queue up for counter services. Indeed, many of NLB�s services are available on-line. There is much that our school libraries can learn from NLB�s experience and expertise. MOE will work together with NLB to facilitate the transfer of technology and experience from NLB to school libraries.
17. For a start, MOE is collaborating with NLB to link all school libraries with one another and with the NLB system electronically through the "MOE Integrated Library Network System", or MERLIN, in short. With such links, MERLIN will enable teachers and students to search for learning and reference resources beyond the collection in their school library. They will be able to tap into the databases of other schools as well as NLB�s libraries to locate print and non-print materials. In this way, MERLIN will open up a nation-wide pool of information resources for our schools.
18. In addition to the MERLIN project, MOE and NLB will be working on other ways of supporting student learning and enhancing the quality of school libraries.
19. The "Student Virtual Community", a web-based service developed by NLB, is an example. This service provides students with a collection of library and information resources based on requests frequently made by students when they work on school projects. Students who log on to the service can interact and exchange ideas with one another. They can also ask a "cyber-librarian" for help in locating information. The "Student Virtual Community" is being tried out in one of our school clusters. This service will be extended to more schools if it proves useful in meeting the information needs of students.
20. Another area in which NLB has considerable expertise is collection development. MOE and NLB will work with schools to build up collections which meet the needs of students. MERLIN and NLB�s databases will provide data on resources frequently asked for or used by students. This knowledge will provide better informed acquisition of books and multimedia resources. By pooling the requirements of schools and NLB�s libraries, we can make bulk purchases and achieve economies of scale.
21. NLB has made extensive use of IT to improve its productivity and provide better services to its users. For example, with the use of self-check machines and book drops, library users no longer need to queue when they borrow or return books. Schools can adopt or adapt some of these practices in the school library. The use of self-check machines, for instance, is being tried out in one junior college and 4 schools.
22. NLB is also experimenting with the use of Singapore-ONE to deliver multimedia resources such as videos and CDROMs. As we improve the IT infrastructure in school libraries, schools will be able to tap on NLB�s multimedia services and, in this way, provide a wider array of learning resources. This will help school libraries fulfil the information needs of students and teachers better.
23. The collaboration between NLB and MOE will help improve the services provided by school libraries. NLB�s libraries will complement school libraries, achieve greater synergy and reduce duplication of efforts.
24. Today�s Library@School conference is a timely event in the midst of change in school libraries. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the National Library Board, the conference aims to provide a forum for our school principals, library co-ordinators and the NLB to exchange views and ideas as we move towards information-rich, borderless libraries in the next millennium. As participants of this conference, you will be able to bring home some useful ideas and strategies which your future school library can adopt in support of your school programme.
25. It now gives me great pleasure to declare the conference open. I wish all of you a fruitful and successful conference.