Rangoon University Library
Chief Librarians include
- “K” (BBS U Khin Zaw, GBNF)
- “Zawgyi” (U Thein Han, GBNF
- U Thaw Kaung
There were also libraries for some faculties.
Social Science Library
While I was still a high school student, my uncle Saya U Than Lwin (Eric, GBNF) took me to the Social Science Library. He was a Lecturer in the Economics Department and also served as Librarian for the Social Science Library. Daw Myint Myint Khin (Hazel, GBNF) was an assistant librarian. She was later promoted to Librarian for the Rangoon Institute of Technology.
Most sayas (from the Economics, Commerce and Statistics Departments) would not remember the “Char Taik”. My uncle gave rides to Saya Dr. Maung Shein and several sayas. My uncle introduced me to Saya Dr. Than Tun (History, GBNF) at the Recreation Center.
Selected Libraries
Engineering
Saya Dr. Maung Maung Kha (GBNF) then Interim Dean of Engineering, requested Saya U Ba Than (GBNF) to help the engineering library by compiling and/or recommending journals and text books.
Medicine
U Tun Aung (GBNF), Librarian for IM(2) passed away due to a stroke after taking several baths on a hot day in Mandalay.
Northern Illinois
Daw May Kyi Win (GBNF), Assistant Librarian for the Central Library, took courses at UCC. She won a DV (Diversity Visa) to migrate to the US. She worked at NIU (Northern Illinois University), which has an “Asian Collection”. She maintained the “Burma” section of that collection.
Saya Dr. Than Tun (GBNF) wrote some of his books during his stay at NIU.
Saya U Saw Tun (former Head of RIT Burmese Department) was active with RIT Ah Nyu Pyinna Athin (Saya U Moe Aung and team). For a commemorative Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung, he recounted how he and Saya U Moe Aung were summoned to the Ministry and told to “stop” Swel Daw Yeik troupe activities. Saya was and may be still at NIU teaching and researching Burmese.
Ko Wunna Ko Ko, designer of the second RIT web site, studied and also worked as a research associate at NIU. He is an expert of NLP (Natural Language Processing).
St. Paul’s High School
I was admitted to Section (D) of IVth Standard at SPHS (St. Paul’s High School). There was a theory that students who did not join SPHS from KG could/should be tested by placing them in Section (D) instead of the elite Section (A). Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint had a similar experience. Only after proving our worth for four years, we were finally transferred to Section (A) of VIII Standard.
Brother Canice picked me from among the IV standard students to volunteer at the School Library. That was my first hands on experience working with a Librarian.
In High School, we had a Class Library. Brother Austin, our teacher for English and “Morals and Manners”, would allow us to borrow books not only from the Class Library but also from the School Library (where he served as a Librarian). We were asked to review the book that we had borrowed. Brother Austin would also reward those who do well in the tests with a book from the Class Library. I won “History and Atlas of North America”.
RUCL
I joined BRS (Burma Research Society) as a student member. I would go to the RUCL every three or six months to pick up my copy of the BRS journal. The journal uses transcription for the Burmese words.
RIT
Ko Mya, Assistant Librarian at RIT, was friendly and helped the students looking for journals …
USIS / USIA
In July 1969, I wrote a poem “Men on the Moon”. My mentor, who is the Buddhist Archbishop of Latvia and a Laureate Poet, submitted my poem to the Guardian newspaper and to Mr. Hall, an officer with USIS/USIA. The poem was sent to NASA.
Mr. Hall registered me as a user of USIS publications (Lin Yaung Chi and monthly or bi-monthly translations).
Daw Rita Tin Aung, Librarian for USIS, provided access to UCC staff. She would also photocopy articles that we requested.
Family & Relatives
My parents and uncles have their personal libraries. Collectively, we have access to encyclopedias (in English and Burmese), dictionaries (of various sizes) and books (on science, technology, religion, history, fine arts …)
Internet
With the advent of Internet, I had access to e-libraries.
We hope that the “YTU Modernization Project” would be implemented successfully and that YTU will get accredited from ASEAN and beyond.
HlaMin 