From June 16-19, 2025, the 19th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL XIX), hosted by the National Library of Malaysia in collaboration with the Librarians Association of Malaysia, took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia under the theme “Inclusive Knowledge: Bridging Divides, Empowering All.”
The Congress gathered over 1,200 delegates, including 262 international delegates from 11 Southeast Asian countries and some countries outside the region such as China, Taiwan (China), Japan, India, and the United States. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of The National Library of Viet Nam (NLV), along with Mr. Nguyen Huu Gioi, President of the Viet Nam Library Association (VLA) , and nearly 40 representatives from the NLV, public libraries, academic libraries, special libraries, military libraries, and the People’s Public Security libraries.
The Congress featured two plenary sessions and 16 parallel sessions, where 89 papers were presented (including 8 from the Vietnamese delegation) focusing on the role of libraries as strategic partners in community development, catalysts in creating inclusive knowledge ecosystems for disable and marginalized communities, and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bridging social divides.
At the Opening Ceremony, attended by ambassadors from the 10 ASEAN countries, representatives of the government, relevant ministries, departments and agencies of Malaysia, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, and the Minister of National Unity, YB Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, highlighted the importance of CONSAL XIX as a platform to promote libraries as agents of social transformation and community empowerment in alignment with national sustainable development goals and regional solidarity; emphasized the power of knowledge and the role of libraries in collecting, connecting, and disseminating knowledge, guiding users to access information resources, and learn the way to deal with artificial intelligence. The speeches also acknowledged the role of librarians in building library models that adapt with the new substances, transforming libraries into vibrant, open, alive, connected, and related to the culture and the arts spaces that house not only books but also pod cards, films, databases, e-books, and a variety of media that reflect how people learn and explore today. As a collective effort, together, librarians need to inspire younger generations to arouse their interest in reading, form reading habits and nurture the love for books to get the reading culture back.
In the Plenary Sessions, keynote speeches by the Founder and Chairman of iGroup and the CEO of the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur highlighted the context of libraries at the crossroads of innovation which requires bridging knowledge, technology, and communities; at the same time it also stressed that knowledge is for all, libraries should build bridges, not gaps. Country Reports clarified the organizational structure, tasks and functions, achievements and development orientation of national libraries, library associations, and library systems of CONSAL member countries. The report of Viet Nam, delivered by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, director of the NLV covered all activities of the Vietnamese library industry in the past five years, garnering great interest from delegates.
In parallel sessions, 87 papers were presented by speakers from 10 CONSAL member countries and guest speakers from India and the United States, providing knowledge and sharing models and practical experiences on 04 main topics: (i) The changing roles of libraries from gatekeeping to empowerment and fostering inclusivity in society; (ii) Bridging divides through SDGs as libraries make the impossible, possible; (iii) Building knowledge ecosystems for the disabled and marginalized; (iv) Libraries as partners forging new synergies in community development. In addition, the Pecha Kucha postgraduate forum, held for the first time within the framework of the CONSAL Congress, provided an opportunity for postgraduate students to present in-depth research on various topics in the field of library information science. The presentation of the National Library of Viet Nam entitled “Public-Private Partnership – The way to build and share benefits for the community of the National Library of Viet Nam” highlighted the process of forming and developing the cooperative relationship of the NLV through cooperation projects with domestic and foreign organizations and enterprises with the goals of enhancing facilities, information resources, training staff and promoting activities to spread cultural and intellectual values.
At the ASEAN Cultural Night, the CONSAL XIX Outstanding Librarian Awards were presented to: Ms. Chin Loy Jyoon (Malaysia) – Gold Award; Ms. Woro Titi Haryanti (Indonesia) – Silver award; Ms. Tassana Hanpol (Thái Lan) and Ms. Elvira B. Lapuz (Philippine) - Bronze Awards; The CONSAL XIX Young Librarian Award was presented to Ms. Mayasari binti Abdul Majid (Malaysia).
At the closing ceremony, Mr. Edy Irwan Zulkafli, Director-General of the National Library of Malaysia cum Co-Chair of CONSAL XIX, officially adopted the Congress Resolution consisting of six key points:
First, librarians reaffirm their commitment to transforming libraries from traditional gatekeeping institutions into exclusive, empowering spaces that champion equity, access, and representation.
Second, librarians support the transformation by promoting accessible services, embracing technology, and curating diverse, representative collections that reflect the needs of all communities.
Third, libraries, by aligning with the UN SDGs, play a vital role in transforming social challenges into opportunities for sustainable and equitable development.
Fourth, to build inclusive knowledge ecosystems that prioritize the needs of persons with disabilities and marginalized communities by creating supportive environments that ensure equitable access to information and empower those facing barriers in traditional learning.
Fifth, libraries be recognized as key partners in forging new synergies for community development through meaningful collaborations and innovative initiatives that enhance the well-being and growth of the communities they serve.
Sixth, acknowledge and support the valuable contributions of postgraduate and institutional research on diverse topics within the library and information science domain as a means of advancing research, innovation, and professional development in the field.
A formal ceremony was also held to hand over the CONSAL XX flag to Singapore, the host country for the 2026-2028 term in the presence of the entire Congress.
In addition to the official program of the CONSAL XIX Congress, the delegation of the NLV and the VLA participated in the 3rd CONSAL XIX Executive Board Meeting and the Workshop entitled “Restructuring the Strategic Roadmap for CONSAL”, held at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre. The discussions focused on CONSAL's ongoing and upcoming programs, projects, and activities, including: the Project of Updating Profiles of Librarians and Library Associations of CONSAL member countries; the ASEAN Digital Library Project; the Action Plan for implementing the Mutual Recognition Agreement on librarian qualifications among ASEAN countries; revisions and amendments to the CONSAL Constitution; procedures for admitting Timor-Leste into CONSAL; and strategic planning for CONSAL’s future, including the re-establishment of a Permanent Secretariat, legal registration of CONSAL as a recognized entity, and a proposal to integrate CONSAL into the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) to facilitate the mobilization of support for its future programs and projects.
A satellite conference themed “Inclusive Knowledge in the Age of AI: Empowering libraries to bridge divides and amplify impact” was held on June 16, 2025, at the Sunway Putra Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Key sessions included: (i) The AI Revolution: Will libraries survive? (ii) Scholarly Communication, AI Strategies and IEEE; (iii) AI adoption in libraries: From inception to execution; (iv) AI in universities: Ethical use and citation case studies; (v) Selecting the right AI tools for library users.
During the Congress, leaders of the NLV engaged in bilateral meetings with partner libraries, exchanged books with national libraries from Laos and Myanmar, and the National Taiwan Public Information Library, and held discussions with the National Library Board of Singapore. Delegates also visited the library technology exhibition booths located within the Congress venue.
Established in 1970 in Singapore, the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL) currently includes the 10 ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Held every three years, the CONSAL Congress is the region’s most prestigious and largest specific forum in the field of Library and Information Science. It provides a valuable platform for member countries to explore new trends and practices, present national achievements, share experiences, and seek opportunities for regional and international collaboration in the library sector.
Photos of the same event:
Overview of the Opening Ceremony of the CONSAL XIX
Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, delivers the Opening Speech at the CONSAL XIX
Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim rings the gong to officially open the CONSAL XIX
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the NLV, presents the Country Report
Mr. Edy Irwan Zulkafli, Director General of the National Library of Malaysia cum Co-Chair of CONSAL XIX, delivered the closing remarks at the Congress
Handling over the CONSAL XX flag to the host country Singapore
Highlights of the Vietnamese delegation’s participation at CONSAL XIX:
Delegation of the NLV and the VLA participate in the 3rd CONSAL XIX Executive Board Meeting:
Book exchange and networking with libraries from other countries:
Presentations by Vietnamese speakers at the Congress:
MLIS. Hoang Thi Thu Trang, the National Library of Viet Nam, presents the paper: “Public-Private partnership – The way to build and share benefits for the community of the National Library of Viet Nam”
B.A. Le Dinh Quoc Huy,, the General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City, presents the paper: “General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City as an essential partner in community development”
MLIS. Bui Thi Hanh, the General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City, presents the paper: “General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City: Activities and services to support the visually impaired in accessing knowledge and integrating into the community”
M.A. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, the University of Library and Information Science - School of Hospitality and Tourism, Hue University, presents the paper: “A sustainable open educational resources model in Vietnamese Universitiy Libraries”
M.A. Le Thi Huyen Trang, the Institute of Scientific Information - Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, presents the paper: “Bringing knowledge and empowerment to people with disabilities in Viet Nam”
B.A. Pham Ba Toan, the University of Science Library, Viet Nam National University in Ho Chi Minh Citypresents the paper: “Developing reading habits among university students through collaboration with book club and library: A case study at the University of Science, Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City”
M.A. Toni Tin and M.A. Ha To Tam, VinUniversity, present the study: “Impacts of innovative applications of immersive technology in Vietnamese academic libraries: A case study of VinUniversity Library”
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News and photos: Bui Thi Thuy