Conference – Workshop to summarize the 5-year operation of the public library system (2011-2015)

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To implement the 2016 Work Plan, from 2-3/6/2016, in Da Lat city, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a Conference - Workshop to summarize the 5-year operation of the public library system and implement targeted programs for culture (2011-2015). Attending the Conference - Workshop, to the central agencies, we have Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mrs. Vu Duong Thuy Nga – Director of Library Department; Mrs. Kieu Thuy Nga - Director of National Library of Viet Nam; Mr. Pham The Khang - Chairman of Vietnam Library Association; to Lam Dong province, we have Mr. Phan Van Da – Provincial Commissioner,Vice Chairman of Lam Dong People’s Committee; Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nguyen - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism ... and representatives from central agencies, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the libraries in the public library system, representativeness of the Management Board of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Project – Viet Nam.

In the past 5 years (2011-2015), under the leadership of the Party, the country has successfully implemented many policies, targets and tasks identified in the 11th Congress Resolution of the Party; gone through five years of implementing the Platform for national construction in the transitional period to socialism and economic - social development strategy (2011-2020), two years of implementing the 2013 Constitution, 30 years of operating the innovation, the whole sector of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the country, including the library has played a crucial part in the overall progress of the country and nation. Library sector activities take place in the context of the country's economy going through hard times, the national target program for library investment is cut down, and reading culture precedes culturally significant audio-visual challenge. Facing with that context, the national library sector remained steadfast promotion of the dynamic, proactive work to fulfill its mission of providing library services - information diversity, supporting the access to domestic and international information, contributing to knowledge improvement, promoting reading culture among the people. Therefore, every year, the public library system continuously strengthens and improves the quality of materials in order to meet capital requirements of the public’s increasing usage of books and newspapers. Currently, the total number of the public library system throughout the country is over 37,961,114 copies of books; on an average, it is 232.855 copies per provincial libraries, 11.092 copies per district libraries; reaching 0.42 copies per a citizen. The whole system has also attracted 18 million readers per year, with 36.7 million books circulated per year...

Accompanying the library provinces/cities, districts, towns, townships ... the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) implemented excellently functions and tasks of the central library of the country. Since 2011-2015, the NLV has acquired through copyright deposit sources 81.332 documents with 301.871 copies of books, 1,000 titles of periodicals and magazines of all kinds, 3.893 the doctoral thesis; adding documents through international exchange sources, sponsors, donations with a total of 51.412 titles. The library was open for 1674 days, on average of 6,500 readers/day at the library headquarter and online reading through the website: www.nlv.gov.vn which is displayed in 03 languages: Vietnamese-English-French of the NLV. Parallel to the work of serving, the NLV has actively promoted professional activities, gradually improving its position and role in the international arena; maintaining exchange relations and cooperation with existing partners, expanding cooperation and exchange, also enlisting the help of potential new partners, to develop and promote activities of Viet Nam library sector to international colleagues; enhance training, train human resources of the library to be more qualified, meet the requirements of the management, organization and operation of modern libraries in the integration period.

Besides the attained achievements, however, the presentations, speeches at the Conference also pointed out some problems and difficulties in the public libraries, also referred to the resolutions such as: Continue to raise the awareness of society, local authorities and the industry at all levels about the role and functions of library work; Accelerate the application of information technology, consolidate, develop and enhance the operational efficiency of the library; Develop and maintain a library at the grassroots; Guarantee policy, Improve the living standards for librarians, Enhance the quality of training, professional training for people working in the library sector…

Speaking at the Conference - Workshop, Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai has appreciated the contributions of library team, while emphasizing the great role of the public library system in building a society of learning, forming reading habit, spreading the reading culture among people and contributing to the culture of healthy lifestyles, improving social morality. Besides, facing the new challenges of the era of digital technology development, the public library system of Viet Nam should constantly continue to evolve and become the center of information, culture and education which are useful for lifelong learning of all people.


At this Conference – Workshop, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also summarized the 5-year implementation of The national target program on culture in the field of libraries in 2011-2015; discussed and suggested for the Draft Legal Document about the operation of the library provinces and cities under Central/district libraries, towns, cities under provincial/library communes, wards and townships; And successfully organized the 4th Singing Festival of library branch.

Pictures of the event:

Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai – Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism delivering his opening speech

Executive Board of the Conference - Workshop

Mrs. Vu Duong Thuy Nga – Director of Library Department presenting Summarizing Report of 5-year operation of the public library system in the period of 2011-2015

Mrs. Kieu Thuy Nga – Director of the National Library of Viet Nam presenting at the Conference - Workshop

Mr. Pham Binh Nguyen – Director of Thai Nguyen Provincial Library presenting at the Conference - Workshop

Mrs. Tran Thi Riet – Deputy Director of Binh Duong Provincial Library presenting at the Conference - Workshop

Mr. Pham The Khang – President of Viet Nam Library Association delivering his speech at the Conference - Workshop

Awarding the certificates of merit from Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to excellent Libraries

Awarding a medal for the cause of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Mr. Pham The Cuong - representing Private library

Some of the highlighted performances in the 4th Singing Festival of Library branch


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News: Phương Lan; Photos: Đình Chiểu