A significant step has been made as regards access to electronic resources for Lao researchers in the framework of the Inter-University Cooperation Project. Last November 2019, the University of Luxembourg has successfully signed an agreement with the organisation “EIFL” (Electronic Information for Libraries), a non-profit organisation having extensive experience in setting-up e-libraries around the world in developing countries, to set-up an electronic library (E-library) for the Faculty of Law and Political Science of NUOL. The E-library provides access to a large collection of e-resources including legal and interdisciplinary material and foresees to train the librarians in the use of these resources.
The E-library is accessible from the FLP website (https://flp.nuol.edu.la/e-library/). The e-library offers access to e-databases such as ESBCO, HeinOnline, Taylor and Francis, JSTOR, Cambridge University Press journals; Oxford University Press journals, Edward Elgar Development Studies & Environment e-books and Law journals, Duke journals and OpenEdition Journals. The databases include digital versions of books (e-books), academic journals and other resources such as magazines and newspapers, relevant for law and political science but also for other fields since some databases are inter-disciplinary. The e-library also provides links to open access repositories that hold research papers and theses in Thai language. Subscriptions have been made for NUOL as one institution, and the e-library is technically available to all faculties since access is provided through NUOL’s institutional IP address (with no authentication once connected via NUOL’s internet).
On 24-25 February, the FLP welcomed Ms. Rima Kupryte, Managing Director of EIFL. She came to meet all the relevant actors to promote this e-library and to prepare the future trainings of the librarians and teachers. Several meetings were hold together with Dr. Perrine Simon facilitated by LuxDev (LAO/031) with the FLP library and the NUOL Central Library, including with the Vice-President of NUOL Dr. Oudom Phonekhampheng. Some interdisciplinary electronic databases available for the FLP could also benefit NUOL’s other faculties. The e-library portal should be indexed soon on the website of NUOL’s Central Library.
The development of the e-library is a priority to improve higher legal education and research skills.