This paper serves as an introductory guide for document retrieval by businessmen, students, and researchers interested in Southeast Asia. Bibliographic and full-text databases accessed through Internet, on-line, and CD-ROM searches provide information on how to locate books and journals and journal articles. Directory-type or referral databases for organizations and other research institutes and specialists on Southeast Asia are also described. Furthermore, information is provided on how to acquire these documents by electonic means such as CD-ROMs, electronic journals, and newsletters, and by ordering them from on-line bookshops.

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The paper describes"Digital Divide"seen in South-East Asia, and identifies four factors behind the divide ; telecommunication infrastructure, literacy & publishing, political democracy, language and writing system.

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Cooperative Program for the Exchange of Experiences, Expertise, Information in S&T in South East Asian Countries(CO-EXIST-SEA), a program by Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST)Malaysia Office, and S&T information activities in South East Asia are introduced as its outcome. The program aims to establish cooperative relationship between the S&T information center under government from 5 participating countries among ASEAN 10 and JST. Under the Program, JST organizes an Annual Workshop, and provides a training course. IT attracts much attention in the area. It is common that networking is already made available at urban area but unavailable at their rural area. So, information should be disseminated stili via CD-ROM or printed matter. Bibliographic DB is constructed only in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. Directory DB is available at every country. The most critical and common issues they were facing were"insufficient ability to collect information resources"and"a lack of skilled information professionals."

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Kinokuniya Singapore was set up 17 years ago to retail Japanese books and magazines to the local Japanese population. At present, we are operating a 43, 000 sq ft flagship store, touted as Southeast Asia's largest bookstore, and labelled as the most popular mega-bookstore with local customers. In addition, we are also overseeing the operations of our branches in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. While we pursue the changes in merchandise and distribution tactics that shape us into what we are today, we are also able to observe the distribution trends of books in Singapore and Asia, as well as distinct social trends ; both of which intertwine with our bookstore. It really seems then that a bookstore's merchandise mix is a mirror reflection of its society.

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This paper attempts to present an overview of the present stage of the library in the Southeast Asia. It highlights three regional library organizations that are CONSAL(The Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians), CDNLAO(The Conference of Directors of National Libraries of Asia and Oceania)and IFLA(International Federation of Library Association and Institution)Core programs. It is especially emphasized 11^th CONSAL programs and the project named"Library 2000"in Singapore. Finally based on the CONSAL's country paper, I introduced five Southeast Asian countries library.

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