From November 26 to 29, 2025, at the invitation of the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV), a delegation of experts from the National Library of China (NLC) paid a working visit to the NLV in Hanoi. The delegation included Mr. Rong Jie, Director of Stack Management and Reader Services Department, and Ms. Luo Chong, Deputy Director of the Coordination and Operation Management Division. Within the framework of the meeting at the NLV, the two sides exchanged professional expertise to enhance mutual understanding, connectivity, and expand cooperation between the two national libraries. The discussions focused on the theme “Library products and services in the digital environment,” a key element in the digital transformation process of modern libraries. The Chinese experts provided an overview of reader services of the NLC based on their latest smart library initiatives. Notable models and solutions included: (1) The application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in library services: Utilizing indoor positioning systems, RFID technology, and smart bookshelves to optimize stack management and support users in quickly locating materials; (2) Immersive interactive technologies: Leveraging Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance the reading and learning experience; (3) Introduction of the National Smart Library System of China, with particular emphasis on the Smart Service Platform for Ancient Chinese Books, launched in April 2025. The platform was developed with the participation of the NLC and more than 180 institutions across 31 provinces and cities, providing “one-stop” access to 13,000 titles comprising over 140,000 volumes of rare ancient books.

In accordance with Decision No. 1503/QD-BVHTTDL dated May 23, 2025 by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on November 27, 2025, in Lang Son Province, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) organized the Conference – Workshop “Library Services and Products in the Digital Environment.” Library services and products play a crucial role in determining the operational quality and social influence of any library. If a library is regarded as an institution that connects knowledge with the community, then its services and products are the direct tools ensuring that knowledge is delivered effectively, equitably, and sustainably to users. This also serves as a benchmark reflecting the library’s capacity to meet information needs, its level of innovation, and its adaptability within various developmental contexts. In this context, the Conference – Workshop entitled “Library Services and Products in the Digital Environment” was organized to provide an academic forum for managers, experts, researchers, and technology providers to share experiences, present research findings, identify new trends, assess current situation, and propose feasible solutions for the next development phase of Viet Nam’s library system.

In implementation of the 2025 work program of the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) and Decision No. 1504/QĐ-BVHTTDL dated May 23, 2025, of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) regarding the organization of digital transformation training program for the library sector, from September 24–25, 2025, the National Library of Viet Nam, in collaboration with relevant agencies, organized a training workshop entitled "Solutions for Preservation of Digital Information Resources" in Hue City. Digital transformation is an inevitable trend in the development of modern libraries, creating a foundation for expanding access to knowledge, improving service quality for citizens, and meeting the requirements of building a Digital Government and a Digital Society. However, within this process, the preservation of digital information resources, including ensuring data integrity, availability, durability, and security is a fundamental step that determines the sustainability of digital library systems.

From 18 to 21 August 2025, the 89th World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA WLIC 2025) took place in Astana, Kazakhstan. Marked as the Congress with the largest attendance to date, this year’s event attracted nearly 1,700 participants from 114 countries, including directors of national libraries, information specialists, researchers, educators, librarians, interns, as well as representatives from leading publishers and library equipment enterprises worldwide.  Under the theme “Uniting Knowledge, Building the Future”, more than 80 professional sessions and 15 sideline events were held during the Congress, covering such topics as artificial intelligence, big data, digital libraries, collection preservation, inclusiveness, and standards. In her opening address, IFLA President Vicki McDonald (2023–2025 term) emphasized: “The Congress is a platform for sharing values and strengthening the collective voice of the library sector, affirming the importance of demonstrating that libraries are unafraid of change and are ready to embrace innovative solutions to better serve their communities.”

On the morning of August 19, 2025, H.E. Marcos Antonio Bednarski, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic to Viet Nam, paid a courtesy visit to the National Library of Viet Nam. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, received the delegation. Ambassador Marcos Antonio Bednarski thanked the National Library of Viet Nam for the warm reception and expressed his admiration for the library’s long-standing history, rich collections, and diverse cultural exchange activities. He emphasized his wish to strengthen cooperation between the Embassy of Argentina and the National Library of Viet Nam, particularly in the areas of materials exchange, promotion of Argentine culture and literature, and the organization of cultural events for the public. At the end of the reception, Ambassador Marcos Antonio Bednarski and his delegation toured the library’s event spaces and reading areas, gaining further understanding of the NLV’s reader services and professional activities.

e morning of July 22, 2025, a delegation from the China Cultural Center in Ha Noi, led by Mr. Zhang Deshan, Director of the Center, paid a courtesy call and visited the National Library of Viet Nam. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, warmly received the delegation. The visit took place in the context of both countries organizing various meaningful activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and China, as well as the Year of  Viet Nam–China Humanistic Exchange 2025. During the meeting, the Director of the National Library of Viet Nam provided an overview of the library’s mission and its key activities, while also engaging in a cordial exchange on the prospects for cooperation in the field of library and information services between the two sides. The meeting contributed to strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding, and opened up many opportunities for professional collaboration and cultural exchange in the future between the National Library of Viet Nam and its Chinese partners.

From June 16-19, 2025, the 19^th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL XIX) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Under the theme “Inclusive Knowledge: Bridging Divides, Empowering All”, the Congress gathered over 1,200 delegates from the ASEAN member countries and several countries outside the region. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of The National Library of Viet Nam, along with the President of the Viet Nam Library Association and nearly 40 delegates representing different library systems in Viet Nam. 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.

From May 26-30, 2025, the Silk Road International Library Alliance (SRILA) Conference took place in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China. With the theme "Cultural Inheritance and Sustainable Development of Libraries", the Conference brought together more than 80 directors and expert representatives of 26 national libraries of 15 countries in the Alliance, along with representatives of The National Library of China and some provincial, municipal and major university libraries in China. The delegation of the National Library of Viet Nam, led by Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Deputy Director, attended the Conference. Speaking at the opening of the Conference, Ms. Chen Ying, Party Secretary and Deputy Director of The National Library of China, highlighted three major achievements of SRILA in recent years including: The influence of regional cooperation has steadily expanded with 02 conferences and 04 forums successfully organized; The professional talent training mechanism has been established and refined with 03 professional training courses for library staff in the Alliance; A solid platform for resource co-construction and sharing has been established with the launch of the Silk Road Digital Library (SRDL) from 2022.

From May 18 - 26, 2025, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung - Director of The National Library of Viet Nam attended the annual General Assembly of the Francophone Digital Network (RFN) held in Quebec, Canada. The event was attended by 13 delegates from 12 member institutions, marking an important milestone in the process of strengthening cooperation and sharing experiences among libraries and archives in the Francophone community. This year's conference, themed "Digitalization - From Preservation to Artificial Intelligence", reflects current issues in modern library activities, especially the trend of digital transformation, development of data technology, and application of AI in the preservation and promotion of the value of Francophone cultural heritage. The main activities of the conference included the General Assembly plenary session, a series of seminar, and scientific discussions with the participation of leading experts in thefields of libraries, information and technology.

In the morning of May 19, 2025, a delegation of officials from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Library (China), led by Mr. Luo Yu, Party Secretary, visited and worked with The National Library of Viet Nam on the occasion of the Year of Viet Nam-China Humanistic Exchange. Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy Director of The National Library of Viet Nam, chaired the reception. The two sides had a lively and open discussion on issues of mutual interest, notably the digitization of materials, application of technology in exploiting documentary heritage, improving the efficiency of serving readers and developing modern library models.