Pursuant to Decision No. 875/QD-BVHTTDL dated 17 April 2026, issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) held the Conference–Seminar entitled “Vietnamese libraries in the digital age: Shared data – Synergistic value” on 29 October 2026 in Can Tho City. The event provided a forum for management authorities, libraries, educational institutions, experts, researchers and technology enterprises to exchange views on the current situation, development orientations and solutions for advancing shared library data in the digital environment.

The Conference was attended by Ms. Doan Quynh Dung, Deputy Director of the Authority of Publishing and Libraries; Mr. Nguyen Huu Gioi, President of the Viet Nam Library Association; Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Can Tho City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; experts and researchers; leaders and library professionals from provincial and municipal libraries, special libraries, university libraries, armed forces libraries and library and information science training institutions nationwide; as well as representatives of technology enterprises.

Overview of the Conference–Seminar

In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, emphasized that digital transformation in the library sector involves more than simply digitizing materials or investing in software, it also requires the integration of information resources, the improvements of data quality, and the organization of user services within an interoperable environment. In this context, data created by individual libraries must be capable of being shared, interconnected and reused. This would help reduce duplication in technical processing, promote cooperative cataloguing, develop interlibrary services and broaden the community's access to knowledge.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dung, Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, delivering the opening remarks at the Conference–Seminar.

The NLV Director noted that developing shared library data is a long-term collaborative process, rather than a matter of selecting a single software platform for all libraries. The priority is to improve data quality and consistency, standardize data connectivity methods, gradually develop shared authority data, and establish governance mechanisms and clearly defined responsibilities among stakeholders. He proposed that the Conference focus on discussing practical solutions that could be implemented and tailored to the conditions and capabilities of different types of libraries.

Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Can Tho City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivering the welcome remarks at the Conference–Seminar

Opening the professional program, MLIS Doan Anh Duc, Head of the Science Research and Professional Guidance Division of the National Library of Viet Nam, delivered the keynote presentation entitled “Building a shared data ecosystem: From standardization and interoperability to knowledge synergy.” The presentation clarified the need to shift from an approach to data that primarily serves internal needs towards a data-driven mindset that enables connectivity, sharing and utilization across the entire library network. It also raised key issues concerning the standardization of professional practices, authority data, cooperative cataloguing, interoperability between systems, and coordination mechanisms.

Keynote presentation entitled “Building a shared data ecosystem: From standardization and interoperability to knowledge synergy” by MLIS Doan Anh Duc, Head of the Science Research and Professional Guidance Division of the National Library of Viet Nam

The Conference–Seminar featured three in-depth sessions. Session 1: “Building and developing digital resources: From data standardization to intelligent management” focused on data quality, descriptive metadata standardization, identification, discoverability and the retrieval and use of digital resources. Participants agreed that the digitization of materials can only realize its full value when accompanied by high-quality, consistent descriptive metadata that can be exchanged across systems.

Speakers discussing at Session 1: “Building and developing digital resources: From data standardization to smart management”

Session 2: “Interoperability and resource sharing: Optimizing data resources across the library network”explored in greater depth various models of data sharing, exchange, cooperative cataloguing and data reuse, with the aim of reducing duplication in professional efforts, saving resources and improving the quality of bibliographic records.

Session 3: “Shared data – Synergistic value: Driving comprehensive digital transformation in the library sector”broadened the discussion to encompass data governance, policies, copyright, technical infrastructure, resources and coordination mechanisms among stakeholders within the library ecosystem.

Speakers discussing at Session 3: “Shared data – Synergistic value: Driving comprehensive digital transformation in the library sector”

Throughout the sessions, participants emphasized that technology is an essential enabling factor, but cannot replace professional standards, data quality or governance mechanisms. The development of shared data infrastructure requires a phased roadmap that builds upon existing systems and takes into account the readiness of individual institutions. At the same time, a clear distinction must be made between bibliographic data and the full text of documents, with clear provisions governing access and use conditions and responsibilities relating to copyright.

A key highlight of the program was the Can Tho 2026 Conference–Seminar Message, which outlined common orientations for the development of shared library data. The message identified data standardization and professional innovation as the foundations of interoperability. It called for continued efforts to improve the quality and consistency of bibliographic data, strengthen authority control, identification, and the development of shared authority data, thereby providing a basis for library systems to match, connect, and reuse information.

The message also emphasized that technology must be aligned with governance mechanisms and practical implementation capabilities. National-level shared data infrastructure and discovery services should be scalable and support data exchange, synchronization and reuse. This also entails developing data governance personnel, ensuring adequate operational resources, and maintaining data quality and information security. Emerging approaches and technologies such as RDF, Linked Data and BIBFRAME, should be studied and piloted according to an appropriate roadmap, building upon the standards and systems already in use.

Regarding cooperation mechanisms, the Can Tho 2026 Message affirmed that shared data cannot be established and sustained through the efforts of a single agency or library alone. Management authorities are responsible for providing a supportive policy framework; libraries should take the initiative in standardizing, contributing, updating and using data; educational and research institutions should contribute to professional development and human resource training; and technology enterprises should work collaboratively to develop solutions that meet professional requirements. The NLV will continue to strengthen its role as a coordinating institution in standardizing professional practices, facilitating cooperation, developing shared bibliographic data and supporting the establishment of authority files.

In the immediate future, the Conference identified several priority actions: reaching consensus on minimum data requirements; assessing the quality and interoperability of high-value datasets; and selecting representative institutions from different types of libraries to pilot mechanisms for data exchange, matching and reuse. These activities will provide a basis for refining professional workflows, technical requirements and operational mechanisms before scaling up implementation.

Ms. Nguyen Ngọc Anh, Deputy Director of the National Library of Viet Nam, delivering the closing remarks at the Conference–Seminar

The central message of the Conference emphasized that shared data is built not merely through technology, but through a common commitment to standards, mutual trust in cooperation and shared responsibility for maintaining data quality. Synergistic value can only be achieved when data is shared responsibly, interconnected effectively and reused in practice. This represents a shift from viewing data as the asset and resource of individual institutions to recognizing it as a shared resource for the entire library sector.

The Conference concluded in a spirit of connectivity, sharing and knowledge synergy, with the aim of establishing a sustainable data cooperation framework across the library system, enhancing the capacity to serve users and promoting the role of libraries within the digital knowledge ecosystem.

Photos from the event:

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News, photos and video: Ngoc Phuong