Library News

Dr. Paul W.T. Poon, the University Librarian, has recently been elected a member of the Executive Committee of the OCLC Asia-Pacific Regional Council for his leadership and contribution to the library world, especially with regard to his achievements at the UM Library.  OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), with headquarters in Ohio, USA, is the largest international library cooperative.  It has more than ten thousand library members from over 100 countries, and it maintains the largest union catalog of many library collections in the world.  In addition, it also provides a large number of inter-library cooperative services.  Dr. Poon is the first librarian from Macau to be elected to its Executive Committee, the task of which is to lead, plan, and promote library development in the Asia-Pacific region.  The region includes countries and territories such as Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau.
 
Dr. Poon is a veteran academic librarian for over half a century.  Before he assumed his position as the UM’s University Librarian, he was the University Librarian at New Asia College, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong.  He also taught in the library and information schools at University of Michigan, USA, and Simmons College in Boston, USA.  In addition, he is the Adjunct Professor of Shanghai Jiaotong University.  Last year, Dr. Poon was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award given by the School of Information, University of Michigan.