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This pilot study was designed to explore Lanna culture in order to determine the direction of the thesis and establish the final research questions for the main study. Five individuals – an anthropologist, language experts and librarians – were selected to provide an understanding of Lanna culture, including current social norms and the cultural meaning of Lanna resources. Semi-structured interviews were used as the primary data collection technique.

One of the objectives of the pilot study was to choose a specific focus. A number of potential cultural practices of interest were explored, such as PLMs, weaving and wisdom classrooms. The pilot study helped the researcher to choose PLMs because they represent valuable cultural material. At the same time, the findings helped the researcher to omit weaving from the study, a decision made due to the time constraints involved in identifying participants from among an entire community, and the limited amount of data likely to be generated from such interviewees.

The researcher found that it was difficult to access the weaving community to collect data through participant observation because it was not the best time to be in the field. Weavers start weaving only after they finish harvesting, their main job. They also weave when they have orders from customers; this happens occasionally, not regularly. Moreover, there were few weavers in the communities, which is why the number of key informants for interviews was insufficient. Also, although wisdom classrooms would have been a good subject for observation, given that they might have offered first-hand experience of members of the community learning Lanna, it was

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decided at this stage that it would be too time-consuming to analyse them, in that the researcher had only a relatively short time in the field in which to collect the data. On the other hand, PLMs had more interesting features and close connections with information and library science services.

It was also found that large numbers of PLMs remained in monasteries, waiting for interested people to discover them, manage them and make them accessible to the public. Therefore, this researcher selected PLMs as the case through which to study cultural artefact management by exploring the views of community members and experts about their historical and contemporary significance.

The pilot study also showed that most community members believed PLMs to be the most significant part of their culture. This reinforced the idea that PLMs needed to be prioritised in the main study. A third insight gathered from the pilot study was the importance of identifying specific events for observation and particular tools for data collection and interviews, which would help generate the richest data. When conducting interviews in the temple, the researcher also realised that participant observation would be an appropriate approach in the main study because it was clear that sharing in community activities would provide many insights into people’s views and experiences. Moreover, it was realised that using a photographic inventory would show the evidence, objects and social contexts of events and collections, in a way which verbal description could not achieve by itself.

The findings of the pilot study also showed certain weaknesses in the initial four research questions. Thus it became necessary to rephrase these questions. In terms of the first research question – 1) How are Lanna and its people defined? – it became apparent that this question was too broad. Thus, this research question was reworded to become: 1) What is the place of PLMs in Lanna culture? The next research question – 2) What is the value of Lanna culture? – was also reworded to it clearer. It became: 2) Where do palm leaf manuscripts or wisdom culture fit into Lanna culture? The third and fourth research questions were adjusted and made more specific.

Originally they were: 3) How can Lanna collections be managed in culturally sensitive ways, to respect indigenous beliefs and practices of ownership, organisation, categorisation, access and other services, storage, preservation, and promotion? and 4) Are professional libraries equipped to manage Lanna collections in culturally sensitive ways? These research questions were revised:

3) How do stakeholders believe Lanna collections should be managed, in terms of authorship, ownership, organisation and access? And 4) How do stakeholders (the community, community leaders, experts on Lanna culture and librarians) think they should be managed? Following that, a new research question was created in order to connect more fully with the aim of this study.

This became the fifth research question: 5) What would a collaborative model of collection development be like?

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After this initial revision of the research questions from the pilot study, the research questions were changed again later and produced as a final list. Research Question 1 was deleted due to its having emerged in the literature review. The research questions were revised and reworded to be clearer and more consistent, which would allow similarities and differences in the views expressed by community members and experts to be identified. The third and fourth research questions were combined and adjusted to become clearer; these research questions were merged and became Research Question 2. In addition, it was decided to place more focus on community participation in Research Question 3: What similarities and differences are there in the ways community members and experts think the community should participate in the management of PLMs? (Table 3.15.)

Initial RQs Revised RQs Finalised RQs

1. How are Lanna and its people defined?

2. What is the value of Lanna culture?

3. How can Lanna collections be managed in culturally sensitive concern raised by the pilot study was the need to include community members as interviewees, in order to compare their views to those of experts.

In relation to PLMs specifically, the pilot study helped the researcher to familiarise herself with the meaning of Lanna culture, its values, characteristics and people, in order to gain more understanding of the culture and community members’ perceptions of it. Key issues, such as ownership, management, access and participation were identified. It became clear that the perceived value of PLMs, Lanna collection management and community participation were also very important themes. The pilot study further indicated the significant impact that globalisation is having on the culture and people observed in this research.

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As stated, PLMs were chosen as the objects to be studied in relation to management and community participation issues. The status and role of PLMs in Buddhist temple museums was one aspect of the study which also related to the role of libraries as places for the storage of printed material and rare resources in special collections. A PLM is an ancient document used to record the Buddha’s teaching, and is seen as a very sacred text. The preservation of these holy scriptures by ancient people is seen to bring eternal merit, so many Buddhists have adopted the manuscripts as an important tradition. In addition, PLMs have another value: the precious and artistic tracery of their covers and rim decorations.

3.9 Conclusion

This study takes the worldview of an interpretive approach and some aspects of a critical paradigm to understand PLM management in terms of the value of a collaborative model of collection management based on community participation in northern Thailand. Interview-based qualitative research was undertaken in two phases, a pilot study and a main study. Community members and experts were the two main types of participant in this research. The main issues which arose were: perceptions of the value of PLMs; expectations regarding the management of PLMs; community participation in PLM management; and an appropriate collaborative model for community-based PLM management. Thematic analysis and coding was selected for the data analysis. To achieve research quality, rich rigour, credibility-triangulation, thick, rich description, and prolonged engagement in the field were used in this study.

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4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the study findings about community views on PLMs and how manuscripts should be managed. It is divided into four sections: community-held beliefs about PLM authorship, ownership, organisation and participation. Each theme is assessed in order to determine what the community feels to be the most appropriate form of PLM management.