Ran annim. The 12th annual conference of the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries and Archives was held at the Truk Stop Hotel, Weno, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, November 18-23, 2002. Lynn Sipenuk, Chuuk School/Public Library, chaired the PIALA coordinating committee. The committee included Kieko Kanemoto, Saramen Chuuk Academy and President of the Chuuk Association of Libraries; Jamie Aisek and Elfriede Suda, Xavier High School; Mason Fritz, FSM Visitors Bureau; Imengel Mad, Palau Community College Library; Jean Thoulag, Learning Resource Center, College of Micronesia-FSM; Carmina Lihpai, Pohnpei Public Library; Arlene Cohen, RFK Library, University of Guam; plus many volunteers and supporters.

The theme this year was "Libraries, Museums and Archives: the Coconut Trees of Life." The program was planned to highlight the importance of libraries, museums and archives to the everyday needs and wants of people. In the Chuuk Islands, as in many islands across the Pacific, the coconut tree is considered the single most important plant. It gives us shelter, food, and even clothing. Similarly, libraries, museums and archives give us the information we need to provide ourselves with shelter, food and clothing. As with the network-like roots of the coconut tree, these three institutions help keep us connected with our past, our present and our future.

Monday, November 18:

The "Bring a Book Campaign" collected a suitable children's book from each participant who registered, to help build the collection of the new Public Library and the numerous school libraries that are being set up in Chuuk. The official conference t-shirt, designed by David Syne, College of Micronesia-FSM, was a popular item for sale. Roderick and Sharon Calkins of Gumdrop Books had a display and took orders.

Pre-conference activities began in the afternoon with a meeting of the Federated States of Micronesia Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums (FMS-ALAM) convened by President Jean Thoulag. Members from Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae updated the 1999-2003 five-year plan for libraries, discussed on-going projects, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) sub-grants, future training needs and strategies for reducing telecommunication costs for educational institutions.

Tuesday, November 19:

Two pre-conference workshops on cataloging were presented in the PC lab at the College of Micronesia-Chuuk. Christopher Bull, Library Director, College of the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan, showed how to search library online catalogs and bibliographic utilities on the Internet for "Copyloging" and then download the cataloging information to either print catalog cards or input into local computerized library catalogs. Ruth Horie, Catalog Librarian, Hamilton Library, University of Hawaii at Manoa, explained how to do "Original Cataloging of Pacific Materials," determine subject headings, and assign call numbers in either Dewey or the Library of Congress classification. Teacher Atkin Buliche set up 20 PCs which were shared by the 32 participants. During the lunch break participants visited the Chuuk Visitors Bureau and Museum and enjoyed a presentation on Chuukese history and culture by Mason Fritz, FSM Visitors Bureau.

Wednesday, November 20:

The conference opened with a blessing by Father Adalbert Umwech, followed by speeches by Governor Ansito Walter, Senator Mori, and Kongichy Welle, executive director, Chuuk State School System. Our Chuukese hosts adorned the participants with many beautiful marmar made with ylang-ylang and other fragrant flowers and greens. Conference attendees from different islands shared their coconut traditions.

The first site visit of the day was to Xavier High School, which was the former Japanese communication center for the Pacific, tours were led by students from the different island groups. The tours concluded with a delicious lunch hosted by Father Jim Corgan and Principal Lynn Polloi. The second site visit was to St. Cecelia Elementary School, where the librarian and a Peace Corps volunteer showed us the library.

Franda Liu, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), made a presentation "There Is Always Something New in Web Searching." She reviewed web realities, described searching tools, explored new resources, and gave practical searching tips. See also: http://www.prel.org
Jane Barnwell, Pacific Collection, University of Hawaii at Manoa, showed the "New Pacific Collection Website" and invited feedback on what people would like to see included from Micronesia. See: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~speccoll/pacific.html

In the evening Governor's representative Herlip Nowell hosted a welcome reception at Chuuk High School. Board of Education member Dr. Siana Riales attended, as well as PIALA Acting President Christine Scott-Smith.

Thursday, November 21

Nancy Lane, PREL, coordinated discussions by island entities on "Library Training Needs in the Pacific," which included starting a library, training library assistants, certification for library technicians, continuing education, cataloging, distance education, bibliographic instruction, and keeping up with new technologies.

Arlene Cohen, RFK Library, University of Guam, and Jean Thoulag, COM-FSM Learning Resource Center, reported on "International Associations' Meetings" including activities and publications of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations), the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (http://www.ecai.org/), IAMSLIC (International Association of Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers), IASL (International Association of School Librarianship), ASLA (Australian School Library Association), ICA (International Council of Archivists), and PARBICA (Pacific Regional Branch, International Council on Archives).

Elsa Velasco, Micronesian Seminar, gave an online introduction to the "Micronesian Seminar Photo Project" and what's new at MicSem. http://www.micsem.org/photos.htm

Site visits began with the Mwan Elementary School Library, organized by Peace Corps volunteer Jeremy Rausch. While there, volunteer David Lennington outlined his progress in starting a new library at the PPO (Polle, Paata, Wolei) Junior High School. Kieko Kanemoto welcomed us to the library at Saramen Chuuk Academy and offered a refreshing lunch.

Rodrick Calkins of Gumdrop Books gave several free books as door prizes as well as a generous monetary donation.

Nancy Lane presented "A Pacific Preview of the NSDL (National Science Digital Library)" that will be launched in December 2002, funded by the National Science Foundation to provide online access for students, teachers, librarians and researchers.

Bruce Robert, COM-FSM Learning Resource Center, reported on the email archives management session that he attended at the "Australian Archives Society" conference.

The PIALA Board dinner meeting was convened by Acting President and Guam representative Christine Scott-Smith. Representatives from Chuuk (Lynn Sipenuk, Newsletter editor), Kosrae (Aaron Sigrah), Marshalls (Lydia Tibon), Northern Marianas (Chris Bull), Palau (Imengel Mad, Treasurer), Pohnpei (Carmina Lihpai, Secretary), and Yap (Isabel Rungrad) were present, and observer Ruth Horie from Hawaii.

Friday, November 22:

Jane Barnwell, Pacific Collection, University of Hawaii at Manoa, coordinated informal round table discussions and reports from member states on "Management of Grey Literature" in and from the Pacific.
Atarino Helieisar, COM-FSM, gave an introduction to U.S. government documents and U.N. materials available on the Web.
Jane Barnwell described the "Pacific Ethnomedicine Bibliography Project" and how we can participate in it.
Jean Thoulag previewed the "FSM Digital Library and Archives Project" and talked about the development and future plans for this exciting project. http://www.comfsm.fm/library/digitallibrary

Site visits went to the College of Micronesia Chuuk Campus, and the Chuuk School/Public Library, where we enjooyed a wonderful lunch. Arlene Cohen gave an "Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Ariel Demonstration" at Chuuk High School and showed how loans can be handled and how to improve patron services.

The PIALA general business meeting was chaired by Acting President Christine Scott-Smith. She observed that the main challenges in the region are budget, logistics and infrastructure, but that where there is a will there is a way. Kieko Kanemoto, President of the Chuuk Association of Libraries, and Lynn Sipenuk presented Chuuk masks to each of the conference presenters. Jane Barnwell read a tribute to Dakio Syne by Karen Peacock. A memorial fund in his memory to provide travel support for new librarians to future PIALA conferences was proposed and established with contributions from those present. Additional funds will be raised by silent auction at the next conference in Pohnpei 2003.

New officers elected and representatives announced:
President, Carmina Lihpai, Pohnpei
Vice President, Imengel Mad, Palau
Secretary, Lynn Sipenuk, Chuuk
Treasurer, Lydia Tibon, Marshalls
Guam, Arlene Cohen
Northern Marianas, Chris Bull
Kosrae, Romeo Aliksa or Aaron Sigrah
Yap, Isabel Rungrad

Ruth Horie distributed copies of the Hawaii Library Association (HLA) newsletter which had articles about its annual conference in September, the upcoming Nov. 2002 PIALA conference, the Online Audiovisual Catalogers (OLAC) conference in St. Paul, Minnesota that Lucy Oducado (COM-FSM) and Ruth Horie both attended, and the OCLC training sessions that Lucy, Ruth, and Steven Lin (American Samoa) attended.

Christine Scott-Smith described the Guam Public Library program funded by IMLS for internet access and library services for seniors. She closed the meeting by reading "To everything there is a season," a children's book to be donated to the Chuuk Library.

Saturday, November 23:

Raku Narayanan and Rajen Munoo, Singapore Library Board, team-taught the all-day post-conference session "Internet as a Research Tool" at the COM Chuuk PC Lab. They led the participants on a hands-on tour of the Internet, using search tools, search strategies, forming search statements, and evaluating websites. An appetizing buffet lunch was provided at the Truk Stop Hotel's Hard Wreck Café, following a number of ethnic songs sung by participants. Despite power interruptions, Ruth Horie was able to do some cataloging of Pacific books for the Chuuk School/Public Library, and demonstrate searching online library catalogs to Atkin Buliche, teacher in charge of the PC lab.

Conference participants began departing for home on Saturday afternoon. By Monday morning nearly everyone had been seen off at the airport by our most hospitable Chuukese hosts, whom we will always remember with great fondness.