On 27^th April, 2016, at the Headquarter of Organization internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Paris – France, General Assembly of Francophone Digital Network (RFN) has held a meeting with the participation of representatives from OIF and Directors of network’s member libraries. To the National Library of Viet Nam, we have Mrs. Kieu Thuy Nga – Director attending the meeting which is held on the 10^th Birthday occasion of RFN. Speaking at the meeting, the RFN Secretary General emphasized the role of the network in promoting cultural diversity, maintaining and preserving French heritage through a digitization program to documents stored in the member libraries. This content has been emphasized at the session of RFN in Dakar - Senegal in 2015, which aimed to facilitate readers in Francophone to access French-language knowledge. During the past year, a number of pilot projects have been implemented by some members with technical assistance from French, Belgian, Canadian members, especially the Project provides digital materials for portal Gallica Marque Blanche of the National Library of France.

In responding to Viet Nam Book Day April 21^st; World Book and Copyright Day April 23^rd, in the morning of 21^st April, 2016, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) has opened the Book Festival 2016 with the theme: “Book – Renovation, Integration, Development”. By inheriting successes after 10 years of implementing this event at the NLV, Book Festival Day 2016 is organized with a variety of activities. Participants will be open to opportunities to meet up and exchange with authors, literary critics, historians, librarians, readers… in the series of activities carrying social and educational meaning such as: Documentary exhibition “Book – Renovation, Integration, Development”; Round table discussion between authors – the works; The 11^thViet Nam Book Award - 2015 ceremony;…

From 09-11 March 2016, the 24^th annual meeting of the Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNL-AO) and the seminar “Adding value through international cooperation” has taken place at the National Library of New Zealand, Wellington with participation of 27 delegates representing 17 National Libraries in the region. Speaking at the Opening session of the conference, Minister of the Internal Affairs of New Zealand (Ministry in charge of the library sector) has highlighted the value of reflecting national identity of the cultural heritage documents which are currently preserved by national libraries and expressed his desire that national libraries in the region should further promote the accessibility to these heritage documents, especially to inspire and engage the youth in the heritage conservation and promotion activities in each country.

H.E.Mr. Jean-Noel Porier, France’s Ambassador to Vietnam, on March 9 in Ha Noi presented the French Order of Arts and Literature to Mr. Pham The Khang, former Director of the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV). Mr. Pham The Khang has made great, valuable contributions in popularizing the French language and culture to Vietnamese people, including the preservation of French- language cultural materials, as well as boosting the cooperation between the National Library of France and the National Library of Viet Nam, said the French Ambassador at the award ceremony. Currently, NLV is still actively deploying professional activities related to the preservation, restoration, digitization the old French books for the purpose of facilitating the access to the precious knowledge stored in digital form for wider public users, while conserving the original, historical documents.

On 2^nd March, 2016, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) held a Board meeting of evaluation and acceptance of science and technology subject at Ministerial level "Renovating managerial organization and operation methods of Vietnam libraries ". Deputy Minister of MoCST Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai holds the Chairman position of the board. Managerial organization and library operation play important roles which are crucial to the library performance efficiency. In recent years, library operation in our country is dramatically affected by the achievements of science and technology, especially information technology and communications, plus the trend of increasingly profound international integration that is making Vietnam libraries face new challenges in the organization of management and operation. Therefore, innovations are necessary in order to meet existing and future users’ requirements, fulfill the missions of libraries well to the society and the country.

In the afternoon of January 15, 2016 in Ha Noi, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and Ministry of Education and Training (MET) signed a Cooperation Program on improving the efficiency of national management in library and enhancing activities about education, lifelong learning at libraries period 2016 – 2020. Attending the Ceremony there were Mr. Pham Vu Luan, member of Party Center, Minister of MET; Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh, member of Party Center, Minister of MCST; Mr. Huynh Vinh Ai, Deputy Minister of MCST, together with representatives from Departments, Bureaus, Units of MET and MCST. The Signing Ceremony of Cooperation between MCST and MET expects to increase the cooperation between the two Ministries in order to enhance the quality, effectiveness of public library and school library system’s operation, promote maximum the existing resources, abilities of two fields to develop programs, organize educational activities through this system. Besides, to promote propaganda activities, exchanges, serving books and newspapers to create reading habit, increase the sense of self-study, initiative, positive, creative of learners, help to promote the quality and effectiveness of education, meet the need of life-long learning of the people; Collaborate to solve difficulties, limits affect negatively to the school library’s activities.

To celebrate the 12^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the 86^th anniversary of the establishment of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (3/2/1930 – 3/2/2016), in the morning of January 15, 2016, National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) – Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) organized the Book, documentary exhibition: “Communist Party of Viet Nam – From Congress to Congress”. The exhibition displays more than 800 books, newspapers, documentary photos and films, digital documents… has reappeared lively the 86-year journey history of establishment and development of the Communist Party of Viet Nam; the role of President Ho Chi Minh in founding and training the Party; the Party’s guidelines and policies through 11 Congresses; the milestones and glorious achievements of the country in which special emphasis the Nation Revolution initiated and led by the Party, which turns 30 years with 6 tenure of the Congress. In addition, the exhibition also introduces some memoirs and documents about life, career of the Party’s Leaders through periods, and many articles, talks that were gathered and published as books.