Message From The Editor

In 1996,1 was appointed by Peggy Sullivan, the former dean, to succeed Guy Marco as editor. I will step down as editor in the fall of 1998 to take a sabbatical and to devote my time to teaching and research. During my tenure as editor, we have been able to maintain the quality of the journal and achieve a regular publication schedule.

This issue includes the first presentation—by Dean Prudence Dalrymple—of the Sr. Lauretta McCusker Memorial Lecture. I joined Rosary College (now Dominican University), to teach political science and library science in 1966. When Sr. Lauretta succeeded Sr. Peter Claver as director of the Graduate School of Library Science in 1968, she asked me to teach Library Science courses full time. Sr. Lauretta was a resourceful, dedicated, compassionate educator, and a mentor to me when I took the helm as dean of the graduate school from 1982 to 1988.

The essay by Mr. Richard Ellis reflects the author’s painstaking and in–depth research on Chinese public and university libraries’ market economy. As is well known, China has been moving towards a market economy. Public and university libraries have also taken innovative steps in the same direction. Mr. Ellis discusses the challenges and provides a discussion of typical forms of library service to the market economy.

One major change after I became editor was to drop the word “Third” in the journal’s title, and thus expand our coverage, but the stress remains on libraries and socio–economic development in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Because of this change we include in this issue two articles on Japan: library education in Japan, and Japan’s Official Development Assistance to the third world. The article by Professor Yong Won Kim deals with the historical background and current trends of library and information science education in Japan. It also discusses curricula, teaching staff, and the factors that influence library and information education in Japan. Professor Ikuyo Fukuda, in her article on ODA to the third world, gives a valuable account of financial support for library development.

Even though there is UNIMARC, many countries have developed and use their own versions, such as USMARC, UKMARC, THAIMARC, and CHINESEMARC. Mr. Zahiruddin Khurshid’s article reviews ARABMARC, describing its development over the last thirteen years and pinpointing its problems.

Afghanistan has suffered from domestic turmoil. As a result, libraries were ruined and books and periodicals burned. Mr. Abdul Rasoul Rahin gives a painful account of the plight of Kabul University Library.

This is the last issue under my editorship. I hope that readers continue to enjoy reading the journal. I also wish to express my gratitude to Dean Prudence Dalrymple, other members of the Editorial Board, and advisors. In particular I wish to thank Associate Editor Theodore Spahn, Professor Emeritus, for his relentless and meticulous work of copy editing.

Tze–chung Li