The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August, 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration. The ASEAN Community is expected to be complete in 2015. The ASEAN community is settled by a  group of countries in Southeast Asia, the member states of ASEAN consist of ten countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. The main objective of ASEAN is to accelerate economic, socio-cultural, technological and administrative cooperation of all member states, promote peace and security in the ASEAN region and enhance cooperation between ASEAN and other international organization. Comprising three pillars: ASEAN Security Community (ASC) aims to ensure that all member states in the ASEAN Community share the same values, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) enable ASEAN to activity compete with other regions in terms of economics, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) aims to build stable and caring societies where ASEAN people live in good conditions. The slogan of ASEAN was One Vision, One Identity, One Community (Ministry of Education, 2011; The Government of Public Relations Department, 2011).

Thailand firmly believes that investment in education represents an investment in a better future. Education is a key to achieve an ASEAN caring and sharing community, and role to play in restoring regional unity, harmony, peace and democratic ways of life and for stimulating the global economy (Ministry of Education, 2011). Therefore, higher education in Thailand must adapt to changed after the ASEAN (Sarawanawong and Thungkawee, 2013). Mobilizing higher educational cooperation in the ASEAN Community between the nations in the region on the basis of mutual benefit.

The university library is a part of university set up. Every library program must support university’s total program and used by students, teachers, researchers, administrative staff etc. of the university. (Sarawanawong and Thungkawee, 2013; Premsamith 2014; Gupta, 2012). But the current changes to adapt to the ASEAN in 2015, university libraries in ASEAN countries must be adapted to forward ASEAN university libraries of ASEAN region. To drive learning support of students enrolled in higher education of ASEAN region, and includes a network of university libraries in the region and advance to the world. Therefore, this work aims to synthesize the status of management and standard of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community and study the status of management for preparation of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community in terms of management, servicing, personnel, information resource, information resources management and knowledge warehouse, learning environment used for maximum benefit and create a network of cooperation between libraries in the region.  So,  there  are   a   great   needs   to   finding  theuniversity library model to support ASEAN community. The objectives of this study were: 1) to study and synthesize the status of management and standard of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community, 2) to study the status of management for preparation of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community, 3) to develop university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model and 4) to propose the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model. To guide development of university library to move towards the ASEAN community, the uses of learning service university libraries get maximum benefit. Promote the library as resources for lifelong learning and including the strengthening of the ASEAN Community.

Subject selection and criterions

1). The samples consisted of 5 directors or experts of university library to study the first phase.

2). The samples were 238 staff and 942 users of the university libraries from twenty university libraries in Thailand to study the second phase.

3). 14 experts in the field of university libraries and information sciences, divided by 7 experts to evaluate Item Objective Congruence form (IOC) and 7 experts to focus group to study the third phase.

4). 5 experts to propose the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model to study the fourth phase.

The research instruments were as follows:

1). The interview question form.

2). The questionnaire for libraries staff with 6 level performance that perform highest, high, medium, few, least level and no action and the questionnaire for libraries user with 5 level opinion that perform highest, high, medium few and least level.

3). Item Objective Congruence form (IOC).

4). The questionnaire to propose the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model.

 

Research design

The mixed research method, both qualitative and quantitative methods were research design.

 

METHODS

1). The first phase, to interview 5 directors or experts of university library from five universities by interview question form. Content analysis and synthesize the status of management for university library in Thailand to ASEAN community (Table 1).

2). The second phase, the study was quantitative research methods.  Data  was  collected  using  a   questionnaire  concerning the management for the preparation of a university library to ASEAN.

The reliability of questionnaire for staff’s management was 0.983. The reliability of questionnaire for user’s management was 0.975. Data was collected from 238 staff and 942 users of the university libraries from 20 university libraries in Thailand. Data were analyzed with percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test and F-test. To compare the data management for the preparation of a university library to ASEAN using t-test independent, F-test and analysis of differential pairs with LSD.

3). The third phase, to evaluate model for the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community from 7 experts in the field of university libraries and information sciences. Find mean from IOC (Item Objective Congruence). To focus group of the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model from 7 experts in the field of university libraries and information sciences.

4). The fourth phase, to propose the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model from 5 experts.

 

 

 

 

 

The status of management for University Library in Thailand to ASEAN Community

 

The management of the university library in Thailand began to prepare for the ASEAN community. The management policy of university library was from the policy of the university to identify the genetic activities of the library.

 

Operational issues focused on the development of learning resources to support education in ASEAN. The libraries must have a policy of support for the ASEAN community, budgeting for management and promotional activity/project support ASEAN community, personnel readiness, instructional services in the region, academic service and research in the region, service search and development of digital content in more than one language, the environment of libraries to learning atmosphere ASEAN, cooperation between libraries in the region and quality assurance compliance with the quality assurance support services of ASEAN community.

 

The status of management for preparation of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community

 

1). The status of management for preparation of university library to ASEAN community from performance libraries’ staffs were generally rated “medium”  = 3.33, S.D. = 0.76) and the opinions libraries’ users were generally rated at “high”  = 3.72, S.D. = 0.61). The detail is shown in Figure 1.

2) The library staff’ gender, age, education level, working character and working experiences had no effect on management of university library preparation for the ASEAN community whilst department of library made a differences in their performance, and the library users had no different opinions on library management for preparation of university library to ASEAN community in relations to their gender, age and education level, on the other hand, department of library was the only factor that caused different opinions on the performance of university library.

 

 

The University Library in Thailand to ASEAN Community model

The model of the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community consisted of 7 components as followed: 1) management 2) servicing 3) personnel 4) information resources 5) information resources management and knowledge warehouse 6) learning environment and 7) cooperation network.

Component 1: Management

- The University has a strategy-driven ASEAN.

- The policy management libraries / vision / mission / goals to support ASEAN Community.

- Library has an action plan in line with the vision / mission / goals to support ASEAN Community.

-  Analysis  of  internal  factors  and  external factors to be used in planning library management to prepare for the ASEAN Community.

- Library is supported mission-driven budget for the ASEAN community.

Component 2: Servicing

- There is a proactive service to explicit focus on service excellence and concrete from the service to other ASEAN countries.

- Development of an OPAC sites and services in more than one language, and provide access from a wide range of hardware and software support services in ASEAN countries.

- Presents environment infrastructure for all forms of electronic services.

- Use of social media services to ASEAN Relations.

- The library has a role in promoting copyright protection in ASEAN to protect intellectual property rights in creative works.

- Build awareness of information security and networking.

Component 3: Personnel

-  Staff are knowledgeable about all aspects of ASEAN, ASEAN Charter and ASEAN Culture.

-  Personnel has communication skills, English language/ ASEAN language.

- The library supports the use of ICT of personnel, ICT training for management personnel and ICT services in the ASEAN region.

- The performance management personnel in accordance with the implementation plan to support ASEAN Community.

- Raise personnel library services, support to ASEAN Community such as the languages ​​to field questions and search, the use of information technology, value added, organization support and service mind.

-  Staff has the ability to adapt any change to ASEAN and to work across cultures.

Component 4: Information resources

- Service information resources  to  share  and  exchange among ASEAN countries.

- Preparation of information resources to support research needs of information about ASEAN.

- Development of Information Resources plans for build a collection which conform to needs of ASEAN Community.

-  Broadband service support to network to ASEAN.

-  Application to the online databases for library management in ASEAN.

Component 5: Information resources management and knowledge warehouse

- Development of a union catalog of the library in the ASEAN countries.

- Development of knowledge bank, IR-Institutional Repository to support the user sector in ASEAN.

- Promote the development of research databases, researchers, academics, promote lifelong learning in the ASEAN member countries.

- Development of a central database to share information about ASEAN and its member countries.

- Development of digital media contents and digital collections to be ready to exchange and share with the ASEAN countries.

Component 6: Learning environment

- Environment to learning common zone about the ASEAN region.

- Provide learning resources about ASEAN accessible without limits of time and place.

- Provide activities / projects about ASEAN.

- Provide space facilities for activities / projects.

- Provide the physical environment, digital media and publications to promote research on ASEAN.

Component 7: Cooperation network

-  The university libraries must to pursue a member of AUNILO.

-  Network partnership to develop personnel for building competency the ASEAN Community.

-  The resource sharing among libraries in the region to share knowledge and resources.

-  Library in ASEAN's development activities / projects.

-  Coordination development of teaching / research institutions in the region.

-  Networking to promoting of common users in the ASEAN countries.

 

Propose the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community model

The opinions of experts in the model for the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community were generally rated “highest”  = 4.86, S.D = 0.16) (Table 2).

 

 

 

The status of management and standard of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community began to prepare for the ASEAN community. The management policy of university library was from the policy of the university to identify the genetic activities of the library. It is also consistent with the research of Sarawanawong and Thungkawee (2013) where some libraries are preparing to enter the ASEAN community in a concrete and clear manner. The policy of the university library must be put into practice. The library is preparing personnel to ASEAN, especially in English because all the libraries to focus on the development of English language training is evident by the plan for academic resources and Information Technology (Office of Academic Resources Information Technology, 2014). Be specified in writing and to enhance budget allocation in foreign languages​​. The activities / projects to support the development of language learning, foreign language training for staff, etc. Along with teaching and research to improve library services in the region. Most libraries have developed resources in the form of digital media, database and online teaching, consistent with the concept of Tuamsuk et al. 2011). For library service to access the information by using information technology to access, research workers  choose  to  search  and  use  information  online  first. Libraries need to provide a variety of information resources and appropriate for individual of user. It is also consistent with the 2020 Strategic Plan for the library of the National Library of Singapore which states that libraries must adapt to new technologies, access digital library resources and services to library users can access and connect to the digital service (Koh, 2011).    2020 Strategic Plan for the library of the National Library of Singapore said, library must adapt to new technologies, access digital library resources and services ando library users should access and connect to digital service (Koh, 2011).

The status of management for preparation of university library in Thailand to ASEAN community from performance libraries’ staffs were generally rated medium, but the management from opinions libraries’ users were generally rated high. Probably, the users receives the response to the service were satisfactory, it is thought that the operation or management to prepare for the ASEAN community of libraries at the level of the action is on more level. Considering that the Service standards in order to comply with the corresponding two groups. It can be said that the university library is featured on most carriers. Consistency of the concept, the libraries play a role on the creation of a lifelong learning. The library is a resource that everyone can access equally. And continue to promote the exchange of knowledge next to each other (Koh, 2011). When comparing the library staffs’ gender, age, education level, working character and working experiences had no effect on management of university library for readiness preparation to ASEAN community whilst department of library made a differences in their performance. Probably due to the policy of the university library and has allocated a budget to prepare for the ASEAN community. The policy is clearly substantial and well-written (Tuamsuk et al., 2011). Users have no different opinions on library management for preparation of university library to enter ASEAN community in relation to their gender, age and education level; on the other hand, department of library was the only factor that caused different opinions on the performance of university libraries. The reason is that users have different education levels that cause different opinions, and requirements for different services The reviews on the library services, management library to prepare for the ASEAN community is different.

The model of the university library in Thailand to ASEAN community consisted of 7 components as followed: 1) management 2) servicing 3) personnel 4) information resource 5) information resources management and knowledge warehouse 6) learning environment and 7) cooperation network. To see that the management is the first element of a university library to ASEAN model, consistent with research “University Library Management Model for Students’ Learning Support” (Tuamsuk et al., 2011). Because of the  different  parts of the library will operate under the policies of the university and the library. Services and personnel are important component of a university library to ASEAN model, consistent with the concept of Premsamith. [4] Library as a source of knowledge of the university community and society will prepared for a lot of the information resources and services. The librarian must develop the capacity to prepare for ASEAN community. Cooperation in personnel library ASEAN should cooperate in training and exchange of personnel between institutions to develop their own personnel (Sarawanawong and Thungkawee, 2013).

The author has not declared any conflict of interests.