TKDL: A New Tool in Protecting and Managing Traditional Knowledge of China

As traditional cultures around the world face the evermore prevalent threat of extinction, there has been a growing need to preserve these traditional cultures and traditional knowledge (TK). With the development of electronic information and communication technologies (ICTs) and a change in what the intellectual property (IP) system considers as prior art, information professionals can play an important role in the management and preservation of traditional knowledge by providing resources and expertise in the collection, organization, storage and retrieval of TK. Digital libraries containing TK provide one appropriate subject for such a study by offering insight into the potential role of ICTs in preserving and perpetuating TK. The success of TKDL in India should be an example of its benefits to developing countries like China. This paper introduces how the TKDL can be used as a new tool in the protection and management of the TK of China's ethnic groups.