Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Although Asia has a rich cultural heritage, with written records extending back some 4,000 years, libraries were slow to emerge in the region. Temples and centers of religious learning established most of the earliest Asian libraries that had sizeable collections. These institutions developed in the period that roughly corresponds to the European Middle Ages, from about the 5th century to the 15th century. At the same time, court libraries grew to coexist with religious libraries in most Asian countries. Use of these libraries was restricted to court officials or to religious leaders. It was not until the early 20th century that Asian libraries became accessible to a wide public, and for the most part, public library systems did not emerge until after World War II ended in 1945.
In general, Asian libraries have been slow to automate their operations, although many libraries in China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan do have computerized systems. In the late 1990s most computer use in Asia was limited to microcomputer management of circulation. However, the public has access to online catalogs in increasing numbers of Asian libraries, particularly in documentation centers and national libraries. The high cost of international telephone lines and the slow delivery of documents from overseas have inhibited more rapid growth of online searching.
