Preservation and Archives in Vietnam

Citation

Pearson, C. (1998), "Preservation and Archives in Vietnam", Collection Building, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 180-181. https://doi.org/10.1108/cb.1998.17.4.180.3

Judith Henchy, head of the Southeast Asia Collection at the University of Washington, has been investigating the status of libraries and archives in Vietnam over the past decade. Here she has put together a very useful and concise analysis covering the history of library and archive collections in Vietnam, the problems caused by lack of bibliographic control, and the just as serious problems resulting from the lack of any preservation policies and activities.

“Vietnamese libraries and archives are poised between the pressures of modernity and the weight of tradition and political inertia” ‐ this sums up the current situation. There are few books and manuscripts in the collections prior to the last ruling dynasty of the Nguyen (1802‐1945) due to their destruction through invasions, wars and political divisions; and what are left have been split and moved around between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These problems are exacerbated by poor biographic control and preservation management of library and archive collections held in Vietnam and overseas. There is no complete picture of what is held where and its condition. Attempts are being made to improve the situation, such as the creation of an online public catalogue of the National Library holdings to be made available on the Internet.

The collections are in very poor condition, suffering from mould growth, insect attack and overcrowding, and good housekeeping is rarely practised. The National Archives are making some improvements, but there are still serious problems with the use of chemicals for pest control. Both Judith Henchy and John Dean (from Cornell University Library) recommend the use of simple cost‐effective techniques such as cleanliness, air movement, light control and protective enclosures to reduce deterioration problems. There is little use of permanent paper in the production of books, so those less than 20 years old are likely to be yellow and brittle. As copying facilities are poor, compounded by the bleed‐through from the use of heavy printing processes, copying is not a simple solution.

There has been considerable international co‐operation and involvement with libraries and archives in Vietnam through consultancies, workshops and training programmes, particularly from Australia and the USA. Henchy has found it frustrating working in Vietnam ‐ although the Government is beginning to take a responsible attitude to preservation, there is little understanding of the long‐term needs, including the urgent requirement to upgrade the status of librarians.

At the end of this very informative article, Henchy provides recommendations for improving the current situation through the establishment of a National Commission for Preservation, and also through more adequate training, reformatting, conservation activities and the use of permanent paper for publishing purposes.