Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the experience of establishing and operating a Learning Resource Centre within a University in northern Vietnam from a western perspective. It examines what is required to establish an LRC in a developing region, and then examines the difficulties that can be encountered when applying western library management theory to a different cultural environment. It looks at what are considered the essential knowledge, skills and operational requirements for a new Learning Resource Centre in a Vietnamese educational context . It suggests that the western model of a student centred learning focus is at a different stage of development and has a unique applicability in this region and also offers discussion on issues of international partnership, collaboration and long term sustain ability of similar projects.