Sustaining collections in the digital age/ Asian studies collections in the digital age I

Roundtable Convenor(s)

• MM

  Marielle Morin

  GIS Asie, France

Roundtable Chair(s)

• JS

  Jérôme Samuel

  INALCO-CASE, Paris, France
• KK

  Keng We Koh

  Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Roundtable Participant(s)

• AG

  Aditia Gunawan

  National Library of Indonesia, Indonesia
• AG

  Annabel Teh Gallop

  British Library, United Kingdom
• CL

  Cheryl Loo

  ISEAS Library, Singapore
• CL

  Chia Tsun Lin

  Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Singapore
• CV

  Chuong-Dai Vo

  Centre des Récollets, Paris, France
• ES

  Esmond Soh

  Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• HF

  Hilmar Farid

  Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
• IN

  Ibrahima Niang

  Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal
• 

  Marieke Bloembergen

  Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian & Caribbean Studies (KITLV), Netherlands
• MH

  Mohomodou Houssouba

  University of Basel, Switzerland
• NA

  Nur Diyana Abdul Kader

  National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
• RP

  Ryan Pratama

  Jember University, Indonesia
• 

  Surajit Sarkar

  Kerala Museum, India
• ST

  Szan Tan

  National Gallery Library and Resource Centre, Singapore
• TH

  Tom Hoogervorst

  Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian & Caribbean Studies (KITLV), Netherlands
• VC

  Viki Chua

  ISEAS Library, Singapore

Amidst the effervescent debates on the decolonisation of the social sciences and humanities, and more specifically of area studies, we would like to focus on the issue of collections, considered as a broad term referring to library collections, archives and artefacts. We would like to bring together researchers in Asian studies from different parts of the world and professionals who work and reflect on building and providing access to various types of collections.

Aspirations for more equal production of and access to knowledge come up against very real obstacles. Attempts to overcome and/or bypass these obstacles are being made through digital technology, which is not without raising a number of issues.
Following an overview of the issues, and a review of initiatives and projects carried out in different places rooted in local contexts, we hope to open a debate that will enable us to examine the idea of collections, rethink collaborations and develop new approaches and solutions around collections and the institutions that house them. The roundtable hopes to contribute to charting a path towards more inclusive, equitable, and relevant knowledge circulation.

The roundtable discussion will be structured as an interactive session, encouraging open dialogue, discussions, with Q&A session. Participants will be invited to share experiences, best practices, and innovative approaches. This roundtable is aimed at librarians, archivists, educators, researchers, policymakers.

The roundtable will address the following questions:
- Critical aspects of limited access to information, archives and artefacts, and its impact on scholarly endeavors and global research.
- Challenges faced by researchers from the Global South, their dependence on resources produced/located in the North, and efforts towards decolonization in research practices.
- Challenges of South-South area studies: how to study Africa in Asia, and vice versa, without relying on institutions, collections and resources produced and located in Europe or North America?
- Importance of digitization for broader accessibility while addressing the threats faced by on-site libraries and archives, including destruction and restricted access.
- Exchanges between librarians, archivists and curators of major area studies institutions with their counterparts worldwide and with significant cultural organisations.