Page 142 - Universitas Terbuka Center of Excellence In Asia 2010 and The World 2020 (A Journey Towards a Leading Open and Distance Education Institution 1984-2008)

1996, UT started to develop virtual networking. Its Computer Center and Media
Research Center conducted trainings to its staff in order to develop a web-based

system for UT. From the training , each unit at UT was expected to develop a
website containing information related to its units. The staff of UT library also
participated in the trainings. At the same time, libraries in all over the world

developed what was called digital library, virtual library, or electronic library. As
a university library which has students spreading throughout Indonesia, even

abroad, UT has been challenged to develop an electronic library. It has actively
sent its staff to participate in trainings and seminars related to digital or
electronic library conducted by several institutions outside UT, such as

University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, and the Indonesian
Academy of Sciences (Lembaga 1/mu Pengetahuan Indonesia or LIPI).
The development of information and communication technology has

supported and enhanced the development of digital library. UT plan to develop
mini library in each Regional Office has been moved to the development of digital
library since the cost can be potentially cheaper and more efficient.

One of supporting factors in developing digital library was the automation of
catalogue collection process , since UT library catalogue has been programmed in

CDS/ISIS and stored in a data base. The problem was at that time ISIS could not
access through the internet. Experts from abroad and Indonesia, then developed
ISIS under windows program so that the catalogue can be accessed via internet.

After that, UT library transferred CDS/ISIS 3.07 version into windows program
and then developed digital library. In 1998, its catalogue can be accessed via
internet. In the same year, in an Asian Associ ation Open University (AAOU)

meeting at Hong Kong Open University, there was an agreement to make a
library network among the AAOU members. However, that idea was not yet
realized , it was only an information exchange among the members by electronic

mail.
Even though its format was still elementary, UT library information can be
accessed through UT website since 1999. The UT library has also developed

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