On August 4, 2017 morning, in Ha Noi, the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) and The Asia Foundation (TAF) held the signing ceremony of the agreement to continue the project of donating English books to Vietnamese libraries in the period 2017-2022.
Attending the ceremony, from TAF were Mr. Michael DiGregorio – Country Representatvice of the Viet Nam office, Mrs. Dinh Kieu Nhung, Office manager and Educational programs officer, from invited guests were Mrs. Vu Duong Thuy Nga – Director of the Library Department, Mr. Nghiem Xuan Dong – Head of America-Africa Division, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Hoang Hai Long - Office Manager, Publishing, Printing and Distribution Department, Ministry of Information and Communication; Mr. Pham The Khang – President of Vietnamese Library Association, Mr. Vu Hung Cuong, Director of the Institute of Social Sciences Information, Mrs. Tran Thi Bich Hue, Director of the Military Library; from the NLV were Mrs. Kieu Thuy Nga, Director and deputy directors, head of the library divisions.
The Asia Foundation is a non-governmental organization registered in the United States as a non-profit educational institution. With the aim of helping people in the Asia-Parcific region have more opportunities to access the rich and up-to-date English language education resources from the U.S. publishers, TAF has been implementing the English books donation to libraries throughout Asia.
In Viet Nam, under the permission of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, since the year 2000, the NLV has become TAF’s partner of the project “Books for Asia” by TAF. During the 16 years of implementing the project, with 5 project successive stages, more than 500,000 English books worth about US$ 20 million have been received and distributed to more than 200 selected libraries nationwide. For Vietnamese libraries, in the context of budget constraints, the English books sponsored by TAF have become a valuable material resource of the library and a companion of many generations of readers. These materials help Vietnamese readers access to a rich source of foreign language books with useful and advanced educational content, serving the activities of research and study to improve scientific knowledge, and promote development of career and people’s lives.
As part of the project activities, the NLV and TAF have jointly implemented many meaningful activity, such as: distrubution of books to public, special, academic libraries and reseach institutions, giving books to elementary school children, exhibition of TAF donated books,…
Signing of the agreement together to continue the project make the NLV and TAF have stronger commitments and more closely cooperate for the common goals pursued by both parties. Specifically, the two sides continue to formulate a five-year project extention through which TAF will donate an additional 160,000 books to Vietnamese libraries, worth over US$ 7 millions, will ship between 30,000 – 40,000 books per year to Viet Nam. 100 percent of the donated materials will be new books in a wide range of educational fields and levels. The educational fields will include natural science (e.g., mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology), technical science (e.g., agriculture, industry, medicine, computers), mathematics, social science (e.g., economics, sociology), humanities (e.g., history, culture, foreign languages), and various professional fields (e.g., law, business administration). Additional materials may include books for children, maps, and computer software in the form of educational CD-ROMs. The NLV is the TAF’s local counterpart for this project, is responsible for distributing these books to selected libraries.
With the determination and commitment of the two sides, the project English books donation to Vietnamese libraries period 2017-2022 will surely bring about the most effective effects for the development of the foreign language materials of Vietnamese libraries, increasing the opportunities to access to English language resourses to many readers.
Photos of the same events:
Panoramic view of the Ceremony
Mr. Michael DiGregorio – TAF Country Representative in Viet Nam delivers speech at the ceremony
Mrs. Kiều Thuý Nga – the NLV’s director gives remarks at the ceremony
Mrs. Kiều Thuý Nga – the NLV’s director and Mr. Michael DiGregorio – TAF Country Representative in Viet Nam sign the agreement to continue to Project period 2017-2022
Mrs. Kiều Thuý Nga gives the TVQG’s gift toMr. Michael DiGregorio - TAF Country Representative in Viet Nam
Delegates taking joint photo
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News: Thanh Hà; Photos: Hùng Mạnh