Report with Recommendations: the Result of Six Months Working for the Royal University of Bhutan

Abstract

During my six months working in and observing practices in the libraries of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) network, I felt a disconnect between what was said at the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC), and what was actually happening, or not happening, at the college libraries. To some extent this is to be expected, as the OVC has an oversight and planning role. The disparity, however was so great between the reality and the desirable that it is worth initial comment. The problems are the result of a number of factors; - rapid growth in the Higher Education sector in Bhutan; - insufficient funding to adequately support development across all areas; - lack of resources, and efficient centralised utilisation of resources, for the constituent libraries; and - a failure to grasp what is possible and necessary to build a library of academic standard on the part of library staff. This latter may be due in part to a lack of training on the part of library staff.