Cantho University (CU), situated about 170km southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, in the heart of the Mekong Delta, is the only full-fledged multi-disciplinary higher education institution in the region. Responsible for post secondary education, training, CU provides not only leadership but also teachers in all subjects as well as experts in scientific research and technology transfer in the Mekong Delta.

Since its foundation in 1966, Cantho University has worked to fulfill its mandate and has emerged as one of the leading higher education institutions of the country. It is well-known for its approaches in training, scientific researches and technology transfer programs.

Cantho University offers 29 undergraduate programs in agriculture, economics, engineering, education, and medicine, and graduate programs leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees.

2. CANTHO UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

As a part of Cantho University, Cantho University Library was built in 1966, reorganized in 1975, became a division of Science and Technology Information Center in 1992 and was renamed as the Central Library in 1996 when once again it became its own division within the university's organizational structure.

Cantho University has experienced many changes in recent years. It has completed a master plan for its development to the year 2010. One of the main features of the plan is that smaller faculties will be integrated into bigger colleges, schools, specialized research institutions and support departments and offices. This reorganization was just finished during the spring of 1996.

Cantho University Library has been an important part in the course of the university's development. With the emergence of new colleges and schools as the result of the restructuring of Cantho University, Cantho University Library has many sister libraries that belong to those colleges and schools. To better manage these changes, the university library became the Central Library and the organizing division of 12 branch libraries around the campus

The total library book collection comprises more than 30000 titles. Since multiple copies are available of most titles, the actual number of books is much higher. An automated catalog has been set up in using UNESCO's CDS/ISIS software; 22000 bibliographic records has been entered so far, and an on-line public access catalog (OPAC) allows users to search these records. A card catalog is also maintained to give access to the collection.

The foundation and development of the library may be divided into 3 periods:

1). From 1966 to 1975

At its beginning, the library collection was small. Most of the information was searched with the help of the librarians through the card catalogs, and students and faculty had access to open stacks. The collection was classified and cataloged following Dewey Decimal Classification.

2). From 1976 to 1986

In this period, the system of classification was changed from DDC to BBK (Bibliotech Bibliography Classification), used in the Soviet Union. The form of serving the readers changed from open to closed stacks. This was the general state of libraries in Vietnam at that time. In 1986, DDC system was reinstated and the stacks again opened. Starting at this point of time, computers were identified as a mean of organizing bibliographic data and keeping information, but was not used to help the readers in searching information.

3). From 1987 to 1998

At the beginning of this period, relations between Cantho University and international organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Sweden Asian Research and Education Cooperation (SAREC), and many foreign universities in Asia, Europe, and the Americas were rebuilt with the great help of Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, former Vice Rector of CU. These organizations not only helped our library with the acquisition of many kinds of books and periodicals but also equipped our library some new technologies such as computers, copying machines, and microfiche reader machines.

3. THE LIBRARY ADAPTATION OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY

We have seen many great changes since 1985 when new technology has been applied in the Library through some international cooperation programs. These include:

• Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Program:

From 1985 to 1987, a library expert from University of British Columbia helped and trained the staff in professional library services. The library was reorganized and equipped with computers, microfiches, a microfiche reader machine, books, periodicals and library supplies.

• Sweden Asian Research and Education Cooperation (SAREC) Program:

From 1987 until now, this program has donated our library many kinds of documents for research and some library supplies such as materials for making library cards, microfiches, microfiche reader machine, computers, laser printer, and books. SAREC also, for a time, provided the email access through a Unix-to-Unix Copy (UUCP) system, used for sending and receiving documents among Rectorate board office members and other units of Cantho University. Moreover, it is considered as the means of communication with foreign agencies.

• Joint Financing Programme for Cooperation in Higher Education (MHO) program:

As part of the inter-university cooperation between the Netherlands and Vietnam, a total of 17 projects started during the period 1977 to 1992. So far, Cantho University has been part of 3 cooperative programs between Vietnam and Holland: Soil Science (Acid Sulphuric Soil) (VH10), Biological Nitrogen Fixation with Soybeans (VH24), and the biggest one, Joint Financing Programme for Cooperation in Higher Education (MHO) program.

MHO involves cooperation between many Dutch universities and CU with the aim at the development of not only the curriculum but also the infrastructure of this university. The project cycle lasts 12 years and consists of 9 smaller projects.

Of these nine, MHO1, with library activities as a focus of its approach, aims at contributing to achieve the following in the long term: Institutional development: to assist the university with organization, with well-trained administrators and support units that are able to provide the best quality and quantity of training, research and technology transfer.

Human resource development: to help the university to adapt to the emerging human resources needs in the Mekong Delta.

In terms of library activities, the project goals included the staff training in such issues as library management, Internet, library automation, and cataloging; two separate missions to the university were carried out by a Dutch library specialist, Irene Veerman of Wagenegin Agricultural University. The main activities during this mission included the assessment of the library's current status, workshops on library management and the use of CD-ROM databases, the evaluation of the automated catalog of Cantho University, installation of an OPAC, and hands-on training in CDS/ISIS.

During the course of the MHO project funded by the Netherlands, a Novell network has been installed in the library. Twelve personal computers are connected to this network . The library catalog is installed on the network, and OPACs are accessible to students in both the graduate and undergraduate reading rooms. A start was made with entry of data from other Cantho University branch libraries.

The OPAC uses the Information Retrieval Interface Searching (IRIS) for the users searching information in CDS/ISIS, version 3.07. IRIS is very easy to use because of the instructions on the screens. The users save time finding a book on the computer rather than looking for it in the card catalogs. The users can search in English or in Vietnamese (author, title, year of publication, subject, key word, DDC number, library branch) to look for books or other materials. Moreover, they can combine many searching keys to enlarge or narrow their search and find an appropriate material. The users can decide whether a book is helpful for them or not based on information included in an abstract field. A record on the computer also shows the readers the branch location of the book so that they can come directly to that location to read or borrow it. CTUL Reference Services find the OPAC to be very helpful.

MHO1 also has provided the library with subscriptions to many CD-ROMs. CD-ROM is a good media to serve the researchers in the retrieval of information. Now, CTUL can provide the readers many kinds of CD-ROMs such as Medline, Econlit, ERIC, Derwent, and the Commonwealth Agriculture Bureaux (CAB). Among twelve personal computers available to librarians, there are two computers with CD-ROM drives. Professors, post graduates, and researchers are highly interested in this kind of service. The librarians will help the users in searching information in the CD-ROM.

• Netherlands Organization for International

Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC) Program:

This program began in 1995. It focuses in supplying CTUL many kinds of books, dissertations and periodicals, especially medical periodicals. Each month our library receives 600 kgs of donations, on average. Recently, this program has sent a large amount of materials to the School of Medicine. As the rule, this organization sends us the list of books and periodicals, the Central Library Librarians with the help of each School professional staff choose the suitable ones and send back to the Netherlands. It will announce us the sum of packs in advance so that we will have time to get ready for receiving. In conjunction with this program, NUFFIC has recently begun to establish an electronic document delivery project with CTUL. Citations for articles are e-mailed to NUFFIC, and image files of the scanned articles are e-mailed back to the university.

• United States of America Programs:

From 1993 to 1996, Harvard Yenching Institute granted three scholarships to CTUL librarians to study Library and Information Sciences at Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It was a good chance for the library staff to study and master new knowledge of science and technology used in the modern foreign libraries. After returning from America, these librarians shared their knowledge with their colleagues.

In 1997, the American Library Association (ALA) and the United States Information Service (USIS) paid the special attention to CTUL by including it as part of the ALA Library Fellows Program. The program has permitted an American library expert to come to Cantho University Library to offer technical assistance and professional training to our library. The library fellow assists the staff to upgrade the skills of the library by organizing a series of in-house workshops on cataloging principles and basic computer skills as well as CDS/ISIS. With the hope to share the information not only in the university but also in the whole country, CTUL is investigating the possible institution of an international bibliographic record standard, such as UNIMARC.

One of the problems faced by Cantho University libraries is the lack of necessary materials. So, cooperation in resource sharing is considered as a strategy to enlarge the total titles available to library users. To fulfill these requirements, the Central library, with the assistance of the Library Fellow, is concentrating on creating a union catalog for all the libraries in Cantho University. We held short training workshop at each branch library to give instructions, demonstration and have the branch library librarians practice the assignment of basic subject headings, classification number, inputting data into CDS/ISIS, and searching and retrieving information in IRIS.

• Cantho University Initiatives:

Beside the new technology applied directly to our library, we have used other achievements of science and technology such as telephone, Express Mail Service (EMS), and Fax to exchange information inside and outside the country as quickly as possible. In 1995, our University set up the local telephone network to exchange information quickly among the teaching and serving units. The library has also set up a local network of telephones so that the librarians in every professional room can communicate with one another. We can call other local libraries to ask for certain kinds of materials, thus enhancing reference service. Whenever we need to exchange information far away from our city, we usually use Express Mail Service and Fax. Express Mail Service in Vietnam requires only 24 hours long to hand the documents, letters and packs to the receivers. It is very convenience and cheap. In the future, Express Mail Service will help us a lot in the service of Interlibrary Loan.

4. PROBLEMS

In its adoption of information technology, Cantho University Library has had to deal with certain troubles, such as electrical failure and environment. The electricity is up and down continuously, especially in the dry season because most of the electricity in Vietnam is provided by the hydroelectric stations, and drops in water levels cause interruption in supply. If the computer doesn't have the uninterruptable power supply (UPS), the program will be down. We must stop using all kinds of electronic utilities during storms. Environment is a considerable element directly affecting to machines and every kind of materials. Vietnam is a tropical country; therefore the moisture is high. The library doesn't have air conditioning except the Cataloging room with some computers used to input the database. Dust continuously covers the machines during the working time. In fact, we cannot solve this problem by using the cleaning machines because of the outside dirt. This could be solved if the library were equipped by the air conditioning.

5. CONCLUSION

To sum up, Cantho University Library continuously adapts to the new technologies in each phase of development. It is considered as a window of the University to receive new information and use every kind of scientific and technological achievements to make information known to the users.

In March 1998, a Belgian Cooperation Program will come into action in establishing the Distance Education System in CU. Like other programs, this program will help CTUL not only the acquisition of new information technology. CTUL will keep on adapting to the new technologies. CTUL won't stop training professional staff, developing the collection, and increasing the effectiveness of science and technology development .

REFERENCES

"Cantho University." (1995). Cantho, Vietnam.

Cantho University. (1997). Project Document: MHO Program Can Tho University Vietnam Institutional Development Project 1; Second phase; 1st July 1996 - 31st December 1997. Canto, Vietnam: Cantho University.