Volume 5 No.1, Summer, 1999 (ISSN 1084-9068)
Table of Contents
1. President's Message
2. Committee Appointment
3. Minutes of the Asian-American Law Librarian Caucus Business Meeting
4. Minutes of the FCIL-SIS Asian Law Working Group Meeting
5. Taiwan Adopts Pinyin
6. U.S.- China Legal Cooperation Fund Request for Proposals (Revised)
7. Recent Publications on Chinese Law
8. Words from Editor
President's Message
Wei Luo
Dear Colleagues:
First, I would like to thank members and friends who attended this year's annual business meeting in Washington, D.C. The annual business meeting is one of the most important events of our caucus, and your participation ensures its continued success. It was a bit disappointing that we did not have time for this year's planned educational program, Panel discussion: Career in Middle Management. My sincere apologies go to Heija Ryoo and Bill McCloy who had graciously agreed to be on the panel to share their experience in middle management. We will try to do better next year to ensure that a similar educational program will be realized.
Second, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Mon Yin Lung, AALLC Immediate Past-President, for her valuable advice and encouragement, and to all committee members for their hard work last year. Many of you will continue to serve the caucus in the coming year, and I look forward to working with you again.
Shortly before this year's annual meeting, Hua Li, Chair of the Newsletter Committee, suggested that the Caucus conduct a survey of Asian American law librarians to refine our missions for the 21st century. (See Editor's Column, AALLC Newsletter v.4:no.4, Spring 1999). This is a terrific idea, and I call your attention to the 1997 membership survey by Frank Liu. The results of that survey were reported in the Caucus Newsletter (v.3:no.1, Fall 1997). Because Frank's survey so thorough and relatively recent that I feel another survey may not be necessary at this time. We must however consider another survey in the future. In the meantime, it might be a good idea to revisit Frank Liu's Message in which he summarized the survey findings, shared his vision and set forth an impressive agenda for AALLC. I am inspired by Frank's thoughtful, visionary message, and so with Frank's permission I am reprinting relevant portions of that message here, as an appendix, for your convenience.
In recent years, many of our members have actively participated in AALL committees and other library professional organizations. To name a few, Frank Liu and Cossette T. Sun were elected to the Executive Board of the AALL, Bill McCloy was elected Vice President/President-Elect of the Council on East Asian Libraries, and Haibin Hu was appointed Chair of the AALL Committee on Mentoring and Retention. During the 1998 AALL Annual Meeting, Mon Yin Lung successfully arranged an educational program to have Paul Fu and Frank Liu on a panel to share their experiences and to offer tips for professional developments. We'll try to offer similar programs during our annual business meetings. During this year's AALL Meeting, I saw that Paul Fu, Xinh Luu, and other Caucus members graciously reach out to new Asian law librarians, a positive way to recruit members.
On a lighter note, I have always enjoyed the Caucus annual banquet where members and friends gather to share delicious meals, to network, and to get to know each other on a personal level. This year's dinner in Washington, D.C. was memorable. It was delicious but relatively inexpensive. For only $25 per person (a soft drink and tip included), we had a 10-course, banquet-type dinner, thanks to Ms. Kwei-Yuei Hung who used her Guanxi (connection) to get us a good deal. Ms. Pin-sheng Hsiao, Automation Librarian at Reed Smith Shaw & McClay LLP in Philadelphia, has promised to arrange the next year's dinner in Philadelphia, so stay tuned for next year's menu!
Thanks to all my predecessors for their hard work which makes my job a lot easier next year as Caucus President. I look forward to your support and contributions. Our success as an advocacy group and social organization depends on your enthusiasm and active participation. Let me know what I can do to strengthen the caucus. Please send me your ideas, comments and suggestions or otherwise communicate them via our listserv or our newsletter, Asian Law Link.
Appendix
Below are excerpts from Frank Liu's Message, published in Caucus Newsletter, Vol. 3: no. 2 (Winter 1997), setting forth AALLC agenda based on his 1997 survey.
Advocacy
AALLC should promote diversity in the AALL and to articulate the issues that Asian American law librarians are concerned about. In this regard, I believe that AALLC should take following actions:
1. Maintain on-going dialogues and work closely with other ethnic caucuses within AALL;
2. Jointly sponsor diversity programs with other caucuses;
3. Encourage AALLC members to participate in diversity related programs;
4. Encourage AALLC members to actively participate in AALL committees and to attend annual AALL membership meetings; and whenever necessary, sponsor resolutions in the annual meetings for the general membership to consider; and
5. Establish liaison with non-law library groups and civic organizations.
Professional Development
In recent years, AALL annual meetings have instituted excellent professional development programs. With the appointment of the Professional Development Committee, the continuing education programs for law librarians will be enhanced and diversified. There is no need for AALLC to duplicate the work of the AALL. However, AALLC should make input to the Professional Development Committee to ensure that their programs will meet the needs of AALLC members.
However, in one area AALLC is in a unique position to assist its member, namely, the leadership development. I believe AALLC can and ought to take following actions.
1. Develop a mentor program pairing new AALLC members with experienced law librarian leaders within and outside AALLC;
2. Develop and implement leadership training programs to meet the particular needs of AALLC members.
Adding Value to the AALL
The unique assets of AALLC members include the knowledge in Asian cultures and languages and legal information, and the connections with the Asian communities. With the emerging importance of Asian countries in the political, economical and legal arenas of the world, there is much that AALLC can add value to AALL. One of the missions of AALL is to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to the world. AALLC can assist AALL to fulfill this noble mission.
I believe that AALLC should take the following actions:
1. Continue to sponsor quality AALL annual meeting programs relating to Asian cultural, social, economical and political issues and law; and
2. Assist AALL to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to Asia through sponsoring international conferences, joint research projects and personnel exchange programs; and develop continuing dialogues and relationships with law libraries and law librarians in Asian countries.
Membership Services and Recruitment
AALLC members look forward to attending well planned social functions where they can renew friendship and develop new fellowship and network. Through enlarging their network, they wish to enhance their professional knowledge and improve their stations in the profession. AALLC should take the following actions:
1. Carefully plan the annual dinner associated with the business meeting to ensure the maximum attendance of the membership;
2. Co-sponsor other social functions with other caucuses or groups to enlarge the social contact of AALLC members;
3. Working with the AALL Placement Committee to develop an active placement service for the AALLC members;
4. Publicize the AALLC membership services to recruit the maximum number of AALL members to become AALLC members.
Committee Appointments
Vice-President /President-Elect: Jonathan Franklin
Program Committee: Jonathan Franklin (chair), Dan Wade, and Yuan Yao
Directory & Communications: Heija Ryoo (chair) and Ting James
Membership & Recruiting: Mila Rush (chair) and Jindi Zhang
Mentorship: Frank Liu (chair) and Xinh Luu
Publicity: Clement Chu-Sing Lau (chair) and Mon Yin Lung
Newsletter: Hua Li (chair) and Xinh Luu
Nominations: Dan Wade (chair) and Joan Liu
Minutes of the Asian-American Law Librarian Caucus Business Meeting
[Editor's Note: Due to the misplacement of the business meeting record, the meeting minutes were compiled by Mon Yin Lung, based on the collective memory of the committee memberspresent at the meeting.]
The Eleventh Annual Meeting of AALLC was held at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C., on July 19, 1999. Caucus President Mon Yin Lung called the meeting to order at 5:50 p.m. Attendees introduced themselves and a warm welcome was extended to new members and friends present at the meeting. This year's business meeting enjoyed an unusually large turn-out of 44 attendees. The minutes of our last year's business meeting was approved unanimously by the members present.
Seeing that Kai-Yun Chiu was experiencing travel fatigue, Mon Yin Lung placed Kai-Yun first on the agenda, so that she could leave early to get some much-needed rest. Kai-Yun reported on this year's nomination, recommending Jonathan Franklin for the office of Vice President/President-Elect.
Mon Yin Lung thanked members for their participation. She reported that, at last count, our membership has grown to 137, thereby claiming a larger membership than some AALL special interest sections. She further reported that she had a visit from Black Law Librarians Caucus President Rhea Ballard-Thrower and Grace Mills. Rhea and Grace inquired about our organization and activities, and expressed interest in mutually beneficial cooperation with AALLC in the near future. Mon Yin went on to introduce the Caucus' Mentor Program established at this year's annual meeting; she encouraged members to take advantage of this newly-created program. * She then thanked Kwei-Yuei Hung for making the arrangements for our Tuesday night banquet.
Frank Liu, Caucus Immediate Past President, reported on AALL long-term planning as well as other new developments. Frank urged Caucus members to participate in AALL activities at all levels. Secretary/Treasurer "Robert" Haibin Hu reported on AALLC activities and finances.
Heija Ryoo, Chair of the Committee on Directory and Communications, distributed the handout listing information about the AALLC home page, directory, and listserv. She reported that the AALLC directory lists 137 members and the listserv has 64 subscribers. Heija updates the directory regularly and has been maintaining our listserv since 1998. She proposed adding those members who are not currently subscribing to the listserv which is perhaps the most effective means of communication among members. All members present voted for Heija's proposal. Heija then asked members to be sure to notify her of changes of address.
Wei Luo reported on AALL Program Committee activities. Although our proposal was not accepted, our program committee worked very hard putting together the AALLC proposal for which they deserve our thanks. Wei encouraged members to send ideas to the committee for future proposals.
Hua Li, Chair of the Newsletter Committee, reported on the newsletter issues she had edited and published. She invited contributions and asked for volunteers. Xinh Luu responded to her pleas, agreeing to help Hua edit future newsletters. Hua won the Newsletter's Title-Naming Contest, walking away with the grand prize: a coffee mug and a cool T-shirt from the Smithsonian Museum. Our newsletter now has a meaningful title: Asian Law Link.
On behalf of the Publicity Committee, Mon Yin Lung reported that the AALLC brochure had been updated. The copies she brought to the business meeting were quickly and enthusiastically claimed.
The members present then unanimously elected Jonathan Franklin Vice President/President-Elect. Whereupon, the meeting was adjourned.
*The Mentor Committee, consisting of Paul Fu and Xinh Luu, held an open session during AALL meeting, fielding questions ranging from participation and activities within AALL to the pros and cons of pursuing a law degree. They welcome questions (via E-mail) that members may have after the meeting.
Minutes of the FCIL-SIS Asian Law Working Group Meeting
Hua Li, Creighton University Law Library
Present:
Yan Hong, University of Connecticut Law Library
Martha Kiszely, New York Law School Library
Aaron Kuperman, Library of Congress
Joan Liu, New York University Law School Library
Mon Yin Lung, University of Kansas Law Library
Wei Luo, Washington University Law Library
Xinh Luu, University of Virginia Law Library
Hua Li, Creighton University Law Library
Bill McCloy, University of Washington Law Library
Mirela Roznovschi, New York University Law School Library
Maria Smolka-Day, University of Pennsylvania Law Library
Tracy Thompson, Yale University Law Library
Dan Wade, Yale University Law Library
Yuan Yao, Georgetown University Law Library
The Asian Law Working Group business meeting was held at the Renaissance hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 18, 1999. The chair of the working group, Joan Liu, Serials Librarian, New York University Law Library, opened the meeting. The meeting began with attendees reporting on new developments regarding Asian laws of their respective institutions. Major issues discussed at the meeting are as follows:
I. Asian Law Collection Development
Wei Luo, Washington University, reported that his library has developed a respectable collection for Chinese law. He has collected about six hundred volumes of Chinese law books published in recent years for a relatively small sum of about $6,000. He had purchased them directly from China, and thus managed to pay significantly less money for his books.
Wei Luo also reported that, after publishing his book, The 1997 Criminal Code of the People's Republic of China: with English Translation and Introduction, in April 1998, W.S.Hein &Co. decided to publish a Chinese Law Series. Wei's next two books in this series are: (1) The Contract Law of the People's Republic of China: withEnglish Translation and Introduction, which had been submitted to Hein; and (2) The Amended Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China: with English Translation, Introduction, and Annotation, which was in its final draft at the time of the meeting.
Maria Smolka-Day, University of Pennsylvania Law Library, reported on her library's efforts to purchase vernacular Chinese law materials directly from China. Maria solicited suggestions for overcoming the language bariers in dealing with Chinese vendors and publishers.
II. Electronic Asian Legal Resources
Joan Liu mentioned that she has been exploring a new Chinese business law database--SinoLaw Legal Online <http://www.sinolaw.com.cn/>. SinoLaw is a fee-based English language database which provides timely English translations of all major Chinese business laws and regulations. The database is developed and maintained by legal experts and professional legal translators in mainland China. For new laws, SinoLaw Legal Online promises to provide an English translation within 5 business days after the new law is publicized. The service supplies unlimited, simultaneous-users access with comprehensive search capabilities.
The attendees also discussed the utilization of CD-ROM and the Web version of some vernacular China law databases including CEILaw and CHINALAW Retrieving System. Tracy Thompson,Yale University Law Library, shared her experience helping Chinese law faculty and students at Yale to access CEILaw's CD-ROM products. Generally, her patrons feel that CD-ROM products offer more advanced search capabilities than their Web versions.
Bill McCloy, University of Washington Gallagher Law Library, reported that he just wrapped up his research guides on Chinese law and Japanese law which will be accessible via the Web soon. Joan Liu reported that her pathfinder on Chinese law hyperlinks individual titles to NYU Law Library's Webpac, so students can go directly to the OPAC from the pathfinder. The pathfinder, along with a compilation of Internet Chinese legal resources, is available at NYU Law Library homepage: <http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/chinalaw/internet_china_law_index.html>.
III. Wade-Giles/Pinyin Conversion Project
Bill McCloy reported on the Library of Congress Pinyin Conversion Project. The conversion will be implemented sometime in the year 2000. The Research Libraries Group, Library of Congress and OCLC are working together to make the conversion successful. Various tests are done on name authority and 245, 260 and 500 fields. The conversion will adopt a new way of romanizing Chinese characters. Both place names and personal names will be romanized in one word; others will be romanized character by character. The Pinyin conversion will not only affect Chinese language materials, but also affect those materials written in English by Chinese authors. The conversion will be based on what the National Library of Australia did on their Pinyin conversion project. Attendees discussed the impact of the Pinyin conversion on local online catalog. Attendees were also interested in an effective way of converting local records as well as related costs. Detailed information about the LC Pinyin Conversion Project is located at LC homepage <http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/pinyin/>.
Bill McCloy has been elected Vice President/President-Elect of the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL). Due to the early resignation of CEAL President, Bill became Acting President, effective Spring 1999. Bill will serve one year as Acting President and then three more years as President.
The allotted time of one hour was up before the group got to the remaining topics on the agenda, namely the Asian law Webpage and the on-line union list of materials on China law. Whereupon, the attendees agreed to discuss these issues later via E-mail and other channels.
Taiwan Adopts Pinyin
According to news reports from Taiwan, the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China adopted, on July 27,1999, Hanyu Pinyin Fang'An, a Chinese romanization system which is popular around the world and has been widely used in the Mainland. Vice Premier Liu Zhaoxuan said that the Ministry of Education would issue standards and coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation and local governments to change all romanized street names. The exceptions are places with cultural or historic significance which may retain their current transliterated names. Translation of personal names to conform with the new Pinyin system is not enforced. Nor is there any plan to change the names on existing passports.
For decades, Taiwan had rejected Pinyin, refusing to share the same transliteration system as the Mainland, chiefly due to ideological or nationalistic principles. It is thus a historic breakthrough that the Executive Yuan decided to adopt the Pinyin system.
U.S.- China Legal Cooperation Fund Request for Proposals
Revised in August, 1999
The U.S.-China Legal Cooperation Fund invites proposals of projects that the Fund might support to further U.S.-China cooperation in the field of law.
Background. The U.S.-China Legal Cooperation Fund ("the Fund"), established in June 1998, is a program of The China Business Forum, the education and research arm of the U.S.-China Business Council. The U.S.-China Business Council is the principal organization of U.S. businesses engaged in trade with and investment in China.
The Fund was established by donations from members of the U.S.-China Business Council in recognition of the importance of the commitment that Presidents Bill Clinton and Jiang Zemin made in October 1997 and June 1998 to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of law.
Contributors to the Fund share the belief that the people and the economies of the United States and China will benefit from further development of strong, transparent, impartial, and equitable legal institutions in both nations, and by the active cooperation of the United States and China in attaining that long-term goal.
Prior Grants. On April 30, 1999, the Fund awarded grants to support the following projects undertaken jointly by American and Chinese organizations.
* A symposium to develop legal aid services in China.
* An analysis of administrative law procedures in four Chinese cities.
* Publication of an English-to-Chinese legal dictionary.
* A study of human rights and judicial systems of mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
* An administrative law program to develop administrative laws and processes, conduct pilot programs, and train officials.
Scope of Grant Program. The Fund will conduct a competitive grant program in three semi-annual rounds in 1999 and 2000. Approximately US$75,000 will be available for awards in late 1999 and approximately $US150,000 for awards in 2000.
Initially, the Fund will emphasize support of activities in the areas of legal cooperation enumerated by Presidents Clinton and Jiang, including judicial and lawyer training, legal protection of human rights, administrative law, commercial law and arbitration, and legal aid for the poor. The Fund will consider, however, proposals in other areas of US-China legal cooperation as well.
The Fund seeks to make small grants for projects seeking results of broad, long-term significance to enhanced U.S.-China legal cooperation. Fund grants will generally be small, and no grant will exceed US$50,000. Grants will not be made for projects budgeting overhead at more than 20%. The Fund will not provide support for compensation of employees of a government.
Projects proposed for funding may be segments of broader programs, or they may be independent projects, in either case with well-defined goals and specified completion dates. Proposals may seek funding for existing projects or for new activities. Grants by the Fund must be expended on approved purposes within the time limits specified by the Fund on a case-by-case basis.
Preference will be given to projects having other demonstrated financial resources, to which a Fund grant might make a significant difference. Preference will be given to projects having financial support from both U.S. and Chinese sources.
The Fund will make grants on a one-payment or installment basis, depending on the specific nature of the program being funded.
Eligibility. To foster the Sino-American cooperation envisioned by the two Presidents, the Fund encourages joint submission by Chinese and American individuals or organizations of proposals for projects to be conducted jointly or in close collaboration. Grants will not be made to individuals who do not demonstrate continuing institutional affiliations, nor for projects not having active Chinese institutional cooperation or participation.
Proposals must be in English, will become the property of the Fund and will not be returned. Decisions as to award of grants will be made by the Trustees of the Fund in their sole discretion. Proposers will be notified of Fund decisions as promptly as feasible after the award date. Proposals should include an e-mail or other address for communication with proposers. Successful proposers will be expected to commence funded projects as soon as possible following receipt of notification.
Proposal Requirements. Each proposal should include:
* Project Description, including purposes, the current state of work in the specific field of the proposed work, time line for implementation of the proposed project, and description of the expected contributions or applications or future uses of the project's results. Clarity and brevity will be important factors in determining the Fund's evaluation of each proposal. Project descriptions must be no more than five double-spaced pages.
* Budget, showing carefully itemized expenses for the proposed project and a full listing of established or pending sources of financial support for the project. Applications for Fund support of component programs in larger "parent" programs must also provide expense and resource budgets for the larger programs.
* Biographic/Background Information, detailing the professional qualifications of principal U.S. and Chinese participants in the proposed program.
Financial Reporting Requirements. The Fund will provide support in U.S. dollars, subject to all pertinent laws and government regulations in the country or countries in which the recipients reside and/or the proposed activities are to be conducted. All recipients of Fund grants will be required to furnish reports on the use of Fund grants periodically during the conduct of the supported program and at the conclusion of the supported program.
Schedule for Grant Rounds. The submission deadlines and award dates for the three contemplated future rounds of awards will be as follows:
Submission Deadline: September 15, 1999; March 15, 2000; September 15, 2000.
Award Date: October 31, 1999; April 30, 2000; October 31, 2000
Submission Information. Projects proposed for consideration in any semi-annual round should be submitted as early as possible and no later than the deadline stated above for that round. Proposals should be addressed to the Fund and delivered, faxed or e-mailed to one of the following addresses:
Coordinator, U.S.-China Legal Cooperation Fund
1818 N Street, N.W. - Suite 200, Drawer K
Washington, D.C. 20036 USA
FAX Number (U.S.): 202/775-2476
E-mail Address (US):
Proposals@uschinalegalcoop.org <mailto:Proposals@uschinalegalcoop.org>
Applicants wishing to confirm receipt by the Fund of submissions should arrange for appropriate confirmation by postal or e-mail services.
Further information may be obtained e-mail inquiry to: info@uschinalegalcoop.org <mailto:info@uschinalegalcoop.org> , or by mail or fax to an address given above.
Recent Publications on Chinese Law
Hua Li
A Professional's Guide to PRC Land Legislation (loose-leaf). Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1999-.
Cao, Pei. Real Estate Law in China. Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1998.
Chinese Intellectual property: law and practice. Mark A. Cohen, et al. eds. Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1999.
Customs Regulations and Tariffs of the People's Republic of China. 2d. ed. Sydney: CCH Asia Pacific, 1998.
Gauthier, Jean-Paul. Insurance in China: a Holistic Approach to Understanding the Chinese Insurance Market. London: FT Financial Pub., 1999.
A Guide to China's Tax and Business Laws. Gensler, Howard, ed. Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1998.
Hêakansson, Cecilia. Commercial Arbitration under Chinese Law. Uppsala: Iustus Fèorlag, 1998.
Khoon, Tan Loke and Clifford Borg-Marks. Trade Mark Law in the People's Republic of China. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998
China Investment Manual. Donald Lewis, ed., 2d. ed. Hong Kong: Asia Law & Practice Publishing Ltd., 1998.
Mo, John Shijian. Shipping Law in China. Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1999.
Moser, Michael J. China Tax Guide. 3d. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Randolph, Patrick A., Jr. and Lou Jianbo. Chinese Real Estate Law. Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1999.
Securing Loans in the PRC. Hong Kong: Asia Law & Practice, 1998.
IP Protection in China: the Law. Clare Speight, ed. Hong Kong: Asia Law & Practice, 1998.
The 1997 Criminal Code of the People's Republic of China, (with an introduction and annotations by Wei Luo.) Buffalo, N.Y.: W.S. Hein & Co., 1998.
Tokley, I.A. and Tina Ravn. Company and Securities law in China, Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1998.
Wang, Guiguo. Wang's Business Law of China, 3d. ed. Hong Kong: Butterworths Asia, 1999.
Chinese Law. Guiuo Wang and John Mo, eds. Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1999.
Xue, Hong with Zheng Chengsi. Software Protection in China : a Complete Guide, Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1999.
Zhong, Jianhua and Mark Williams. Foreign Trade Contract Law in China. Hong Kong: Sweet & Maxwell Asia, 1998.
Zimmerman, James M. China Law Deskbook: a Legal Guide for Foreign-Invested Enterprises. Chicago: American Bar Association, Section on International Law and Practice, 1999.
Words from Editor
Hua Li
I have great news for those of you who did not attend the AALLC business meeting this year. In advance of the meeting, I submitted my entry to the Newsletter's Title-Naming Contest, and I won by default. I was the only one to submit an entry! Too bad we did not have more entries from which to choose, but at least we now have a proper name for our Newsletter: Asian Law Link. Mon Yin presented me with the grand prize: a coffee mug and an elegant T-shirt from the Smithsonian Museum! Thank you, Mon Yin!
At the risk of sounding immodest, I am quite pleased with the title of our newsletter - Asian Law Link. The title appropriately reflects the missions of our newsletter and organization. Asian Law Link will continue to serve as a bridge between AALLC members and between members and friends interested in Asian laws.
In other news, I am very happy to report that Xinh (pron. "Sing") Luu has joined me on the Newsletter Committee. This issue is the result of our joint efforts. Xinh is International & Foreign Law Librarian and Lecturer in Legal Research at the University of Virginia Law School of Law. Xinh is a 1996 graduate of the Master's Program in Law Librarianship at the University of Washington. She also holds a J.D. from the University of Utah and degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Xinh has practiced law in Colorado, including two years devoted exclusively to patent law. She is a member of the Colorado Bar and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Xinh can be reached by phone at (804) 924-3970 or by E-mail at xtl5d@virginia.edu. I am sure Xinh will bring lots of new ideas to enhance our newsletter. Thank you, Xinh, for volunteering.
With a new name and a new member on the Newsletter Committee, Asian Law Link is now better able to achieve its mission: sharing news and information with AALLC members and friends.
To contact the editor, please send email to huali@culaw.creighton.edu.
Contact the Editor
This Newsletter is edited by Hua Li, Cataloging/Reference Librarian, Creighton University Law Library. For comments or suggestions, please call the editor at (402) 280-2283 or email: Huali@culaw.creighton.edu.
For technical assistance, please contact the webmaster for the Newsletter Wei Luo (LUO@wulaw.wustl.edu), Washington University School of Law Library, St. Louis, MO.
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Volume 4, No. 4, Spring 1999 (ISSN 1084-9068)
Content
1. President’s Message
2. Asian-American Law Librarians Caucus Business Meeting Agenda
3. Nomination for Vice President/President-Elect
4. Membership News
5. Electronic Corner: Macros!
6. Law in Market Economy and Legal Research at the Electronic Era: the 10th Program of the China Center for American Law Study
7. LC Created Home Page for Pinyin Conversion
8. The New Millennium: Words from the Editor
President’s Message
Mon Yin Lung
By the time you read this message, we will be meeting each other very soon in DC. So here are something I like to call your attention to:
Our business meeting will be at the same time slot: Monday, July 19 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., location to be announced in the AALL program. You will find the agenda following this message. On top of our business meeting, this is the chance for us to get together to exchange greetings and give me the final count for Tuesday night’s dinner. But this year we have something extra:
Extravagance no. 1: The membership will vote to decide the title of our online newsletter. Anyone whose entry is chosen will receive a mystery prize. There is no limit of entries one can enter. You may send your entries to me via e-mail ( before July 16 or put it in a special box right before our meeting. So put on your thinking cap. I guarantee that the prize will be fun to have.
Extravagance no. 2: Our Mentorship Committee Paul Fu and Xinh Luu will hold an open session throughout the entire AALL conference. Paul will share his experience and knowledge of professional organization activities with any AALLC member who asks. (And I can tip you off by saying that Paul is very experienced in teaching and any other aspect of law librarianship, too.) Xinh will share with us her experience of studying for a J.D. as an immigrant from Asia. She is also willing to answer questions about her experience in other aspects as a law reference librarian. I already know I will have few questions on how to score better in law school for Xinh. So don't pass this golden chance to get in touch with two well-experienced members in an informal but informative setting.
Extravagance no. 3: Last year Frank Liu and Paul Fu gave such a successful seminar on career development. Our Program Chair Wei Luo decides to follow suit by mounting a similar effort. This year Wei will chair a seminar on career in middle management featuring our two other heavy weights Bill McCloy and Heija Ryoo. Their talks will be related to career choice and would be very close to home to most of us.
So folks, how can you pass over such a rich, fun-filled and beneficial program?
However, if you have more urgent affair than career development and camaraderie, we can offer you a second chance: Our traditional Tuesday night dinner is set at 7 p.m. at China Garden featuring authentic Chinese cuisine. Please contact me no later than Monday evening if you plan to attend because the restaurant needs a head count. Look to the conference daily and bulletin board for direction to get there. Guests are welcome as usual.
This is the eleventh years of AALLC. When several of us asked all the Asian faces we could find to get together for a meeting at the 1986 Conference to gauge the interest to establish a group, I would have never dreamed that one day we would become a formal, inclusive caucus as we are. As my last presidential message to you, dear folks, stick together no matter what you do and no matter who you are. There is power in numbers.
I know I am getting windy, but please bear with me one more time. During this one year, some projects and ideas were realized, some had to be chalked up to the "learn this lesson" department, while others never went beyond mere thoughts. Yet I want to thank folks who lend me ideas and helpful hands. I am particularly indebted to Frank Liu for his example of leadership, Haibin Wu for always being a good sport, Kai-Yun Chiu for her good sense, Hua Li for her innovative ideas and work, Paul Fu for his time (especially when he has to move his library again), Wei Luo for his never-failing enthusiasm and hard work, Bill McCloy for lending me his sense of humor, Jonathan Franklin for his candid talks, Xinh Luu, Frank Bae, Heija Ryoo, and Dan Wade for their personal advice and support. Finally my ultimate thanks go to the whole membership: thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve.
Asian-American Law Librarians Caucus Business Meeting Agenda
July 19, 1999, 5:30-7 p.m.
1. Call to meeting and membership self-introduction
2. Approval of the minutes of the meeting of July 13, 1998
3. President's remarks
4. Report on AALL
5. Report from Secretary/Treasurer
6. Committee reports
a) Directory and Communication
b) Membership and Recruiting
c) Mentorship
d) Newsletter
Newsletter title competitione) Nominations
f) Program
g) Publicity
7. Election of New Officer
8. New business
9. Adjourn
10. Panel discussion: Career in Middle Management
Nomination for Vice President/President-Elect
The Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee is glad to announce that Jonathan Franklin accepts our nomination to be the candidate for Vice President/President-Elect. Jonathan served as our Secretary/Treasurer from 1996 to 1998 and currently is, among other things, AALL Representative to ALA Education Summit Steering Committee. Thank you, Jonathan, for being willing to serve AALLC again.
Membership News
Submitted by Haibin Hu
Haibin Hu (haibin_hu@law.wfu.edu), presently Reference Librarian at Wake Forest University Professional Center Library, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has recently accepted a position of Head of Reader Services at Gonzaga University Law Library, Spokane, Washington. He will start at Gonzaga University in August 1999. In addition, Haibin has been appointed as the Chair of the AALL Committee on Mentoring and Retention, which he will begin in late July.
Clement Chu-Sing Lau (cclau@UBmail.ubalt.edu), formerly Technical Services Librarian at University of Baltimore Law Library, Baltimore, Maryland, has recently been promoted to the position of Assistant Director for Technical Services.
Mon Yin Lung (mylung@falcon.cc.ukans), Public Services Librarian at University of Kansas School of Law Library, Lawrence, Kansas, has an update on her correspondences. Starting on June 15, 1999 her e-mail address is mylung@falcon.cc.ukans.edu and phone numbers is 785-864-9253 and fax number 785-864-3680.
Bill McCloy (wbmccloy@u.washington.edu), Assistant Librarian for East Asian Law at University of Washington Gallagher Law Library, Seattle, Washington, has been elected Vice President/President-Elect of the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL). Due to the President's early resignation, he became "Acting President" in Spring. Bill will serve one year as Acting President and three years as President.
Cossette T. Sun (csun@admin2.mail.co.alameda.ca.us), Director of the Alameda County Law Library in Oakland, California, has been elected to the AALL Executive Board. She will serve a term of three years on the Board beginning in July 1999. Congratulations, Cossette!
Jin Wang (Jin.Wang@Law.Widener.EDU), formerly a Research Librarian at the University of San Diego Law Library, is now the Reference/Computer Services Librarian at Widener University Law Library, Wilmington, Delaware.
Macros!
Vianne Sha, University of Missouri-Columbia Libraries, ShaW@missouri.edu
Macros are lifesavers for those who hate typing repetitive data and performing repetitive computer tasks. Macros can also play a substantial role in streamlining workflow. Check out the following Web sites for macros and enlighten yourselves with ideas of automating library operations. You may then find yourselves start creating macros and become an excellent macro writer. But be aware that free downloads are not always free from virus infection. Always scan for viruses before installing or running any macros and programs downloaded from the Internet, particularly from unknown sources.
OCLC Macros:
1. CatME for Windows Macros
(http://www.oclc.org/oclc/catme/catmacros.htm)
A place supported by OCLC for users to upload and download OCLC CatME for Windows macros. Macros will be available for download soon.
2. Dewey Cutter Macro
(http://www.nelinet.net/tech/cat/dcutter.htm)
"The OCLC Dewey Cutter macro provides an automatic Cuttering function for Dewey Decimal Classification numbers. When invoked, the macro creates a Cutter number from either the main entry or any highlighted text in a bibliographic record, pastes it into the 092 field, and reformats the record. When the record is reformatted, the OCLC system copies subfield a of the 082 field into subfield a of the 092 field."--NELINET.
3. Macros (OCLC Passport for Windows)
(http://www.oclc.org/oclc/passport/macros.htm )
This page offers macros supported by OCLC and supplied by users and lists other sites with OCLC macros.
4. Macros for PfW (MIT)
(http://macfadden.mit.edu:9500/ colserv/cat/oclc/passport/macros.html)
This page contains a collection of macro books for general use, for monograph and serial cataloging, and for acquisitions.
5. Macros to Go! (SOLINET)
(http://www.solinet.net/oclcserv/macros.htm)
This page contains macro books for both Passport and CatME.
6. OCLC ILL Tricks (Mark Beatty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin InterLibrary Services)
(http://www.wils.wisc.edu/oclcupd/tricks/tricks 1.html)
This online presentation features a section on creating PfW macros for ILL functions.
7. OCLC NACO Macro Examples (University of California-Los Angeles)
(http://www.library.ucla.ed u/libraries/cataloging/passport/nacomacro.htm)
This page shows examples of how the NACO macro works with OCLC Passport for
Windows.
8. OCLC Passport for Windows Macros (Harvey E. Hahn, Arlington Heights Memorial Library)
(http://www.ahml.lib.il.us/pfw)
This page contains a collection of macros for OCLC and INNOPAC.
9. OCLC Passport for Windows Macros (Walter F. Nickeson, Library Support Staff Resource Center)
(http://www.lib.rochester.edu/ssp/oclcmacr/ oclcmacr.htm)
The page contains eighteen macros for searching authority records and copying fields, editing cataloging records, managing sessions, printing labels, and displaying and printing ALA character set.
10. PfW Macros for use with OCLC (Joel Hahn)
(http://www.enteract.com/~aardy/pfw/oclc.html)
There are three types of macros in this page. The OCLC Passport for Windows macros allow users to navigate the authority file, batch change holdings, edit, print, save, and export fields and records.
11. PrintRecordNoGraphics Macro (Karin Wikoff)
(http://www.lib.rochester.edu/ssp/oclcmacr/ prntmacr.htm)
This macro was designed for PFW version 1.10. It prints OCLC records with the special characters stripped.
12. A Sampler of MULS Macros (Dave Linton, MINITEX/MULS)
(http://kinglear.lib.umn.edu/muls/mulsmacros.htm )
The macros listed on this page are designed for positioning the cursor in the right spot for editing a workform or LDR field, making change to the fixed field elements and the LDR fields.
13. Setting Up Macros in Passport for Windows (Nebraska Library Commission Network Services)
(http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/netserv/nebas e/PfWMacros.html)
This page includes instructions on how to create macros and show the programming codes of some printing macros.
14. TPOT: Passport for Windows Software (University of California-San Diego)
(http://tpot.ucsd.edu/Pass/passport.html)
This page contains macros for INNOPAC, OCLC, and miscellaneous stuff such as displaying the current session.
15. WILS Passport for Windows Macros (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin InterLibrary Services)
(http://www.wils.wisc.edu/oclcupd/wilsppma.html )
This page contains macros that change modules in OCLC, call up a form for inputting ILL request, edit, print, and display records in various ways.
RLG Macro:
Producing Authority Records with RLG's Authority Assistant
(http://www.rlg.org/marc/aracreat.html)
This program/macro allows NACO catalogers using the RLIN terminal software to quickly create an authority record based on an existing bibliographic record.
Library Automated Systems Macros:
1. DRA
Using PFW to Create DRA Macros (Tim Shearer, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) (http://ils.unc.edu/SerCat/pfw.htm)
These macros allow users to perform logon, map commands to keys, and edit records in DRA.
2. GEAC Libs+
PfW Macros for Use With Libs+ (Joel Hahn, Niles Public Library District)
(http://www.enteract.com/~aardy/pfw/libs.html)
These macros allow users to more easily move around and edit records in LIB+ system, as well as transfer information back and forth OCLC and Libs+ system.
3. INNOPAC
TPOT: Passport for Windows Software (Jim Ferguson, University of California-San Diego) (http://tpot.ucsd.edu/Pass/innopacmacros.html)
These macros allow users to key authority records in INNOPAC without leaving the Database Maintenance module Update mode and transfer ISSN number from OCLC bibliographic record to INNOPAC record.
Macros for Use with INNOPAC (Harvey E. Hahn, Arlington Heights Memorial Library) (http://www.ahml.lib.il.us/pfw/innopac.html)
"A collection of macros for this page is currently under construction and will appear here gradually."--Title screen.
Simple Macro to Convert III Files to Delimited Text (Kyle Banerjee, Oregon State University)
(http://ucs.orst.edu/~banerjek/papers/iiidelimit er.html)
This page contains the programming codes of the macro to convert INNOPAC files to delimited text format.
4. NOTIS
User's Guide to CLARR, the Cataloger's Toolkit (Dorothy Van Geison, Northwestern University) (http://www.library.nwu.edu/clarr/home.html)< /P>
This is the online version of the user's manual for CLARR, the cataloger's toolkit. This manual shows users how to use CLARR to perform many time-consuming, repetitive, and error-prone cataloging activities.
Word Processing Macros:
1. Barry MacDonnell's Toolbox for WordPerfect for Windows: Macros and Templates Library
(http://ourworld.compuserve.co m/homepages/macdonnell/Macros.html)
This page contains annotated macros and templates for use with WordPerfect for Windows.
2. The Electric Editors: Macro Library
(http://www.ikingston.demon.co.uk/ee/mac_01.ht m)
"The Electric Editors macro library contains a selection of macros for Microsoft Word (Windows or Macintosh) and WordPerfect for Windows. Most of them are geared to editorial tasks, but some have more general uses."--Title screen.
3. Kevin's Lotus Macro Home Page (http://www.primenet.com/~kmcmanu/)
This page includes some useful macros that address problems commonly found in lotus systems. It contains macros for batch printing control, home directory specification, consolidation file handling, and data input control.
4. Word Info: Add-ins and Macros
(http://www.wordinfo.com/links/ailist.htm)
This page collects dozens of commercial, shareware, and freeware programs, templates, macros, and utilities that work with Microsoft Word.
5. WordPerfect Wiz: Free Macros
(http://www.wpwiz.com/macros.html)
This page compiles free macros for WordPerfect for Windows.
Law in Market Economy and Legal Research at the Electronic Era:
the 10th Program of the China Center for American Law Study
Joan Liu*
Since the founding of the Committee on Legal Education Exchange with China (CLEEC) in 1984, CLEEC had played a crucial role in assisting China to establish a modern legal system and to realize the rule of law, that has won a great reputation in Chinese legal community. After CLEEC dissolved in 1997, a few key members of the former CLEEC board, including Professor Kathleen Price from New York University School of Law Library, and Professor Sharon Hom from the City University of New York School of Law, a prominent clinician and former Fulbright Scholar at China University of Politics and Law, initiated and organized the 10th program of the CLEEC summer class — The Chinese Center for American Law Study.
The last summer class ended the first decade of the CLEEC programs
CLEEC shifted its primary goal from bridging exchanging faculty and students between the Chinese legal educational community and the world to playing an important role in facilitating legal research and continuing legal education for both American and Chinese professionals. The China Center for American Law Study summer classes organized by CLEEC has been well received in Chinese legal society. The 10th program was held from June 3rd to 18th, 1998 in Beijingand co-directed by Professor Price and Professor Hom. Its topics continued to focus on the Law in Market Economy. The program was hosted by People’s University which has one of the best law programs in China. The American Council of Learned Societies, the successor of CLEEC, provided the logistical support for the program which is funded by United States Information Agency (USIA).
Student composition showed a wide variety. Among them, there were young academic faculty, judges, arbitrators, lawyers, and editors. Young teachers were not only from the former nine CLEEC member law schools, which includes People’s University School of Law, China University of Law and Politics, CASS Law Research Institute, Fudan University School of Law, Jilin University School of Law, Peking University School of Law, East China Institute of Politics and Law, South West Institute of Politics and Law, and Wuhan University School of Law, but also from some provincial universities that had less opportunity to learn western teaching methods.
The teaching team of the program consisted of both American and Chinese law faculty members. American faculty were selected from a variety of top law schools in the U.S., including Professor John Donohue from Stanford University Law School who taught corporations and law and economics, and Professor Marsha Echols from Howard Law School, a former trade negotiator with the Department of Agriculture, who taught international trade, in addition to Professor Hom and Professor Price. Several famous American legal scholars and practitioners gave lectures as well. Three Chinese lecturers were Professor He Jiahong and Professor Zhao Xiuwen from People’s University and Professor Zhu Lanye from East China Institute of Politics and Law. These Chinese scholars had been trained and studied in both China and the U.S. and have extensive legal practice and research experience on China law. They contributed substantially to the program by offering translation and providing additional background and information of the subjects discussed.
The excellent composition of the faculty established a solid foundation for the great success of this two-week workshop. The curriculum of the program covered a variety of topics. It introduced to the participants the fundamental areas of American laws; explored the critical relationship between law and the operation, assumptions and values of a market system; and provided opportunities for interactive discussion of interesting issues and hands-on experience of skill training.
Computer technology in legal research
One unique feature of the 10th program was the inclusion of the topic of computerized legal research to the curriculum. Professor Price, a fifteen-year CLEEC veteran, has devoted her efforts to emphasizing the importance of legal resources and the methodology of legal research for Chinese legal professionals since her first visit to China as a member of a University of Minnesota delegation. She was one of the first American legal educators who realized that one of the fundamental impulses to "rule of law" in China is the establishment of a modern legal information system and training of law researchers and practitioners with proficient research approaches. In 1987, she organized the Fudan Workshop for Law Library Directors. She has been a consultant with Tsinghua University Law School to build its law library, which will be the first one in university law schools in China with a technology focus.
For this program, Professor Price designed a teaching plan based on the reality of computer technology in China. Though Internet has became a popular tool for legal study, teaching, practice, and research in the United States and most of the developed countries, it is still in its infancy in China. Internet access for most of academic researchers was yet unaffordable. For most of participants, Internet was not a common word. Based on a brief survey conducted at the class, it was found that only about 10 % of the participants were using Internet, primarily e-mail, on a regular basis. Therefore, Professor Price contemplated to provide interactive illustration and hands-on experience to small groups of students, giving them some basic and central concepts about legal resources access via Internet. The lectures emphasized research strategy and guides to find legal information on foreign and international law as well as Chinese legal resources via Internet, while hands-on practice aimed at basic skills to navigate Internet and to utilize other electronic databases.
People’s University School of Law has a spacious computer room with about 30 PCs in the new Law School building. However, there were no direct connections to Internet; only one single dial-in line could connect to an outside network. Therefore, the plan of hands-on exercise was changed to a series of demonstrations for small groups of students. The Internet infrastructure of communication system in China was far short of needs; there were only four official gateways that provided connections to outside of China. The speed of access was also very slow. Nevertheless, we had been able to connect to homepages of many interesting databases and websites on legal resources and to provide a workbook of downloaded material for later reference. Students were surprised to find so much useful legal information in Internet and were amazed to see how fascinating the new technology is for legal information retrieval.
Due to the network problem, Westlaw (which is only available in Peking University Law Department in China for online searching without downloading) could not be accessed by individual students. However, tutorial materials were installed on computers at the laboratory. In addition to watching the demo of exciting information access and retrieval from Westlaw, the students had the opportunity to browse general information of this database. For the part of simulation in the curriculum, the case materials were searched in Westlaw and other Internet resources. Students watched the searching process and experienced for the first time both the sweetness and frustration of electronic information access. Exposure to Chinese online databases was very exhilarating. Very few participants had ever used full-text China law services, such as CEILaw by the State Information Center or Chinalawinfo by Peking University.
From all of the lectures and demos, students sensed that the lack of legal information availability and accessibility, in all formats, was one of the fundamental obstacles for the advancement of Chinese legal system. It was believed that the electronic legal information would be a significant supplement to the existing, increasing resources in all legal institutions in China. We hope that the students had not only been trained with new skills but also acquired new vision for the future development in legal study from this workshop.
New generation of legal professionals
It was not hard to find that the new generation of legal professionals has become more sophisticated and skillful since China opened herself to the world in late 70’s. The participants of this program seemed to be better prepared for appreciating western legal systems as well as legal education pedagogy. Among the over sixty students who were from different fields of the Chinese legal community, about half of them had studied or researched abroad. The majority of them spoke fine English which greatly helped their communication with American professors in class.
Though exhausted by Beijing’s hot weather and the heavy preparation for the class, the students committed themselves on acquainting with electronic legal resources and Internet searching skills. With limited knowledge and hands-on experiences, they tried very hard to understand this new notion from lectures and demos. Both Professor Price and I prepared our lectures from the beginning; we attempted to introduce to students all aspects of Internet access from the basic concepts of Internet to the application of this new technology in legal research. Armed with booklets and detailed references of the electronic resources from us, the students were well prepared for further searching after returning to their home institution. Their ability to solve our hypothetical questions after the lectures was the evidence.
These students were not only quick learners and interested in new things, but also were full of self-confidence. After cramming these new fancy concepts in a short period of time, they believed that they had obtained a good foundation from the lectures and demos for electronic research techniques. Not frustrated by the difficulties of Internet access, they were confident that surfing on the web to catch legal information was more than possible. They realized that Internet, the library without walls, would allow them to cope with jurisdictions better than conventional libraries.
After we came back to the States, a number of students from the workshop and other legal professionals who had chance to be exposed with the discussion on this issue or read our handouts, sent us e-mails (some of them used their friends’ e-mail accounts) expressing their appreciation of this training and their excitement of this research approach.
Where to go for next one?
In order to fulfill the goal of the second round of the workshops, which is to strengthen the competency of teaching faculty in legal educational settings, especially to continue the education for those who studied in the West, Professor Price and her colleagues are proposing an ambitious and creative plan, with the focus on developing a teaching method and styles, e.g. clinical method, which will train students to think, analyze, and solve problems independently.
Where to go for the next program? Jilin, one of the former CLEEC member law schools was overwhelmingly recommended by the participants and faculty members for its symbolic position (it was the place where the first program of the first round took place), and for its excellent reputation on legal scholarship and the convenience of logistical arrangements for the participates. Professor Price had a site visit last spring. She was impressed by the enthusiasms of the law school administration and its potential capabilities to handle new technology for the teaching.
For the upcoming program, the designers are planning a new direction. The proposal of the new program intends to have two steps. The first phase of the workshop will be centered on Training the Trainers and focus on teaching methods. The participants will be taught how to utilize Internet for substantive law research. An Internet discussion group will be set up for course materials, syllabus, and discussion. A second will be running workshop in which students will be taught by American Chinese teams trained in clinical method.
Because of the dramatic development of computer and network technology in China, more and more legal professionals are ready, intellectually and financially, for conducting their research in an electronic world. A recent Chinese visiting scholar at NYU law school brought a laptop with a whole set of the 1998 version of Chinese Law on CD-ROM for his research in the States, though he is practically a layman for the computer. It is gratified to see the tendency among Chinese legal professionals — sensing the new trends of the era and committing themselves to the new fields of legal research. That is the goal of the former CLEE as well as its accomplishment.
______________
*Serials Librarian, New York University Law School Library, New York, New York. The author would like to thank Professor Kathleen Price for offering the opportunity of presenting Chinese legal resources on Internet to the workshop as well as her support and advice for the article
.
LC Creates Home Page for Pinyin Conversion
The Library of Congress has announced the creation of a Pinyin Conversion Project home page. It is located on its Cataloging Directorate home page. The URL is: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/pinyin
This site will timely provide information and documents related to the Pinyin conversion Project. The contents include:
Project Definition
- Announcement: Library of Congress Pinyin Conversion Project
- Pinyin Conversion Project Outline
- "Wade-Giles to Pinyin Conversion Will Affect Everyone!" (RLG Focus article)
Timeline
- Pinyin Conversion Project Timeline (text)
- Pinyin Conversion Project Timeline (graph)
Status reports on tasks in progress
- New Chinese Romanization Guidelines -- Advance copy
- Classification schedules: Chinese literary authors (1949-1999) -- Draft
- Classification schedules: Chinese literary authors (2000-) -- Draft
- Chinese conventional place names: a status report
A special chart has been created on the CPSO home page to provide up-to-the-minute status reports on changes to headings for Chinese conventional place names.
- Chinese Geographic Names: Related Resources
The New Millennium: Words from the Editor
Hua Li
No matter the new millennium begins with the year 2001, or with the year 2000 as many people think, we certainly walk to her closer and closer. I do not worry about the Y2K problems, although they may affect my work and daily life. I have confidence on thousands of thousands computer programmers or software engineers. If there are any problems, they will find ways to fix them. After all, they are professionals just like us librarians. They devote their lives to computers and customers as we devote ours to books and patrons. I see Year 2000 as a positive turning point that we can set new goals and dreams for the new century and new millennium.
Every one of us has to review his or her work at the end or the beginning of the year. We look back in order to look forward. Many people like to make new-year resolutions as well. Why don’t we do that as a group? The review time frame will not be a year, but a century. It will be a very interesting project, if someone likes to write a sound article about Asian American law librarians of the 20th century. Perform a historical research to find out who we were as a group, where we came from, what we achieved and what we contributed to the American law librarianship on the century long journey. Conduct a scientific survey to see who we are today, what we want to achieve in next century, and what image we like to leave to the next generation of Asian American law librarians. I am sure the finding will be very interesting and inspiring.
When AALL founded in 1906, the Asian American law librarians, if there were any at the time, would be surprised to know that two Asian American law librarians serve in the AALL executive board at the end of the 20th century. If you take a look at the AALLC directory, you will find out many of the AALLC members are law library directors or department heads. Undoubtedly, Asian American Law librarians have contributed a great deal to the American law librarianship. However, do we have any weakness? Is there anything that we need to change? Are we ready to meet the challenges of the next century? What effects will the global economy have on us? Thirty-six Years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke to the world that he had a dream. Do we have a dream, a dream that needs group effort, a dream that will take a decade even a century to pursue?
The Asian American Law Librarians Caucus has been existing for eleven years. Many Asian American law librarians have found professional support, personal advice, and pure friendship from AALLC. This Caucus is an organization not just for Asian American Law Librarians, but also for all the librarians who are interested in Asian law. Those librarians who do not have Asian background share with us the common interest -- Asian law. Together we have learned each other’s cultures, exchanged expertise, ideas and information about the laws in Asian countries, and built a strong friendship among us. As we embrace the next century, our legal information services will be challenged not only by the rapid development of global economy, but by the changes of laws and legal systems in some major Asian countries as well. What can AALLC do to help us face tomorrow's challenges?
I would like to suggest AALLC to conduct such a study on Asian American law librarians and on what AALLC can do to help our members in the 21st century. If we do not care about ourselves, who will? Am I going to have the honor to publish the study results on the first issue of the AALLC newsletter in the next millennium, i.e. year 2001?
To contact the editor, please send email to huali@culaw.creighton.edu.
Contact the Editor
This Newsletter is edited by Hua Li, Cataloging/Reference Librarian, Creighton University Law Library. For comments or suggestions, please call the editor at (402) 280-2283 or email: Huali@culaw.creighton.edu.
For technical assistance, please contact the webmaster for the Newsletter Wei Luo (LUO@wulaw.wustl.edu), Washington University School of Law Library, St. Louis, MO.