Volume 49, Issue 2

This paper describes the Virtual Ganjali Khan Project, an ongoing research initiative that is using 3D scanning and immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies to document a large historical landmark in the desert city of Kerman, Iran, the Ganjali Khan Complex. It describes the intellectual merits of these emerging technologies for preserving and providing new forms of access to cultural heritage sites, outlines the procedures of data collection and 3D processing, and describes the current work and next steps of the project. This paper will be of interest to scholars and institutions considering using 3D and VR technologies for supporting cultural heritage preservation, digital humanities projects, or other types of interdisciplinary research.

Balinese dance is the intangible cultural heritage which has become one of the main tourism draws in Indonesia, and worldwide that offers various cultural wealth with its unique qualities. It has strong characteristics, shown through the movements, music, and costumes. The richness of Balinese dance has attracted people, both scholars and tourists, to learn it. Unfortunately, it also presents a challenge for people who have just begun to learn it, due to their unfamiliarity with its terms taken from the local Balinese language. An Android-based application aimed at remedying this problem has been developed and has been evaluated for its main features and functionality. Several suggestions from initial users have been obtained and utilized for further development of the dictionary. By maintaining the multimedia features, the dictionary has become not only a reference for terms but also a practical reference for the dance movement itself. The results of the user survey suggested that further development using advanced technology could deliver more appealing experiences in learning Balinese dance. Furthermore, most of the respondents stated that the current development is appropriate as an early step in the efforts to preserve the record of Balinese dance.

Disaster preparedness activities are important for libraries, as they collect and provide access to information and knowledge of human intellectual ideas and work. This study aims to identify potential disasters that may be experienced by academic libraries in Indonesia as well as their disaster preparedness activities. A quantitative approach was used to survey 85 academic library representatives who attended an academic librarian forum in Jakarta, Indonesia. The results identified the many types of natural and manmade disasters that have already and continue to threaten collections and services of respondent libraries. In addition to earthquakes and floods, threats include risks from human actions such as theft and vandalism, as well as problems arising from unstable electrical power supplies, and hardware and software malfunctions. This study also found that the majority of libraries participating in the study do not have a disaster preparedness plan.