On November 23, 2022, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) organized a Conference on "Position and role of the National Library of Viet Nam in the digital transformation of the library industry in Viet Nam - Tasks and solutions" to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the National Library of Viet Nam's founding. Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, and Ms. Doan Quynh Dzung, Deputy Director of the Library Department, presided over the Conference.

Attending the Conference, there were following invited delegates: Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen - Deputy Director of the Information Technology Center (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), Mr. Nguyen Huu Gioi - President of the Vietnamese Library Association, Ms. Mac Thuy Duong - Director of the Military Library, Mr. Pham The Khang - Former Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, Dr. Ta Ba Hung - Former Director General of the National Agency for Science and Technology Information, Dr. Nguyen Huy Chuong - President of the Northern Academic Library Association, MSc. Cao Minh Kiem - General Secretary of Viet Nam Association of Science and Technology Information, Dr. Chu Ngoc Lam - Former Director of Ha Noi Library, Assoc.Prof.Dr.Tran Thi Quy - Former Dean of Faculty of Information and Libraries, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi. Leaders and staff of the NLV, representatives of agencies and units under the ministries, central and Ha Noi branches, professional associations, leaders, and colleagues from provincial/city libraries, specialized libraries, university libraries, armed forces libraries, and information-library training institutions from across the country also attended the Conference.

The National Library of Viet Nam - over a century of constructing, striving, and developing, today possesses the most total amount of information resources in the country, with over 2.5 million print items and more than 10 million pages of self-created and acquired digital resources. NLV has taken the lead in adopting computerization of library activities from the mid-1980s and developing digital libraries since the early 2000s, keeping up with the development trend of information technology and the digital revolution. At the same time, from its inception, it has been a pioneer in organizing library services in the country. Until today, NLV has maintained its status and essential role as a leading library via the effort of its librarians, making several contributions to the national library system. NLV has efficiently supported library information agencies around the country and arranged professional assistance, and technical training, thanks to a staff of experienced, talented, and highly trained librarians and specialists in the computerization of library activities, the application of worldwide professional standards, cataloging, material preservation, and so on. At the same time, with the strength of being an official member of international and regional library organizations, NLV has collaborated with libraries and information agencies from many countries, creating opportunities to exploit and enlist the help of international colleagues to standardize professional work step by step, bringing all activities of Vietnamese libraries to quickly integrate with libraries from other countries in the region and in the world.  

Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga - Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, Head of the Organizing Committee, stated at the Conference's opening speech: "In the master plan to implement the Digital Transformation Program of the Library Industry to 2025, with an orientation to 2030, NLV was tasked by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism with implementing two major projects: Digitizing National Records and building National Union Catalog. These are huge projects that will serve as the foundation for NLV to continue to invest in developing, and achieving advances in expanding digital capability, constructing an integrated technological platform, processing enormous volumes of data, and creating technology infrastructure, a library industry-shared data center to conveniently distribute, exchange, and interact with libraries at home and abroad.

This Conference serves as a forum for managers, experts, scientists, and librarians interested in clarifying tasks and identifying specific solutions for NLV to continue promoting its position and central role, in collaboration with national library systems, in order to complete the contents of the Program on the digital transformation of the Vietnamese library industry.

The Conference listened to 11 reports and several serious, responsible and enthusiastic exchange of opinion on major subjects such as the Party and State's directives and policies on digital transformation of the library sector in Viet Nam; NLV's tasks in Digital Transformation; NLV's position and role in the creation of the National Digital Library; Building Union Catalog; NLV’s role in building modern libraries; Issues of standardization (data standards, cataloging standards, etc.); Collaboration, linking, and sharing of knowledge resources at home and abroad; Tools to support professional activities (keyword dictionaries, subject headings, etc.); International exposure; models of national libraries in the world; Strategies, plans, development orientations and proposals, recommendations, and solutions for improving the quality and efficiency of digital transformation in the future; proposed models, equipment, and technological solutions, as well as resource management and exploitation; Lessons gained and endeavors to efficiently integrate digital transformation in library activities.

Furthermore, the Conference decided to establish a number of particular orientations for NLV to well perform its responsibilities in the Digital Transformation Program in the future period and strengthen NLV's position and role in the library sector's digital transformation, as follows:

- Constructing and developing electronic libraries and national digital libraries in the direction of modernism, centralization, and common usage, as a focal point for integrating and exchanging digital data for domestic and worldwide libraries. Connect to and integrate with major libraries of different library types;

- Create centralized digital collections, which are data sharing centers for national and international libraries through open standards (OAI). Digitizing 10 million pages of precious and rare documents, documents of high value, widely disseminated on the Internet;

- Do cataloging, centralized data processing, and build the National Union Catalog Database, which serves as a hub for integrating and distributing centralized data for domestic and foreign libraries via shared professional standards.

- Build a centralized search system, which can support users to search all types of materials and all information resources of NLV on a single interface.

- Research and organize the implementation of modern library models, smart libraries, application of new technologies such as RFID, Internet of Things, Big Data, Block chain, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality… Continue to build libraries according to a highly centralized model (both infrastructure and data), expand the connectivity, the integration, and support different types of libraries nationwide.

- Building smart applications, reading and presentation devices, and utilities that can easily and conveniently access and exploit the Library's digital information resources;

- Implement the program of Digital Deposit, and at the same time digitize the legal deposit collections for the long-term preservation of national knowledge in digital form;

- Building a National Digital Preservation Center with the goal of long-term preservation of national digital collections according to international standards.

The Conference "Position and role of the National Library of Viet Nam in the digital transformation of the library industry in Viet Nam - Tasks and solutions" took place successfully, obtaining many scientific results.

Some photos of the same event:

Overview of the Conference "Position and role of the National Library of Viet Nam in the digital transformation of the library industry in Viet Nam - Tasks and solutions"

Ms. Kieu Thuy Nga - Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, Head of the Organizing Committee delivered the opening speech of the Conference

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Anh – Deputy Director of the National Library of Viet Nam presented the Conference’s Lead Report

M.A. Doan Quynh Dzung - Deputy Director of the Library Department spoke and exchanged at the Conference

M.A. Cao Minh Kiem - General Secretary of Viet Nam Association of Science and Technology Information presented the presentation "Digital deposit and some thoughts about the case of Viet Nam"

Dr. Nguyen Huy Chuong - President of the Northern Academic Library Association spoke and exchanged at the Conference

M.A. Nguyen Thi Minh Trung - Viet Nam Institute of Information and Social Sciences presented the presentation "Building a national digital library - Some international experiences and suggestions for Viet Nam"

Mr. Pham The Khang - Former Director of the National Library of Viet Nam spoke and exchanged at the Conference

M.A. Nguyen Huu Gioi – President of Vietnamese Library Association gave the presentation "Digital transformation and modernization of the National Library of Viet Nam to maintain the brand name as the central library of the country"

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Thi Quy - Former Dean of the Faculty of Information and Libraries, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University, Hanoi, delivered the presentation "Centralized cataloging model – a systemic theory approach for Viet Nam's public library system facing the requirement of digital transformation”

M.A. Do Thu Thom - Acting Head of Culture, Arts and Library Division, Department of Party and Political Work, Ministry of Public Security gave the presentation "The position and role of the National Library of Viet Nam and proposed projects based on experiences of the Korean National Digital Library”

M.A. Le Duc Thang - Head of Information Technology Division, National Library of Viet Nam gave the presentation " Development of Digital Library at the National Library of Viet Nam: Current status and solutions"

Mr. Mai The Manh - Director of Dine Bien Provincial Library spoke and exchanged at the Conference

 

M.A. Nguyen Ngoc Mai - Vice Dean of Library Information Faculty, Hanoi University of Culture spoke and exchanged at the Conference

Delegates attending the Conference took souvenir photos

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News: Thuy Hang; Photos: Thuy Dzung