Towards a modern library model

Reporter (PV):

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: Immediately after the Project "Developing reading culture in the community until 2020, orientation to 2030" according to the Prime Minister's Decision was deployed, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense , and the General Department of Politics paid attention to issuing a system of leadership and direction documents to create a synchronous and unified political-legal corridor for the development of the Army library system. Library work in the entire army has been effectively implemented; many aspects have had clear progressive changes, contributing to improving the spiritual and cultural life of soldiers, successfully completing the political tasks of the unit.

General Secretary To Lam and leaders of the Ministry of National Defense visit the exhibition of the 11th National Army Emulation Congress.

The timely and complete issuance of documents has helped units to be proactive in allocating human resources, funding, materials, organizing activities and implementing methodical solutions, contributing to bringing policies and guidelines into life quickly and effectively. The General Department of Politics , the Propaganda Department, and the Military Library have proactively guided and organized many reading promotion activities associated with emulation movements. Party committees and commanders of units have paid attention to leading and directing the development of reading culture, including it in resolutions and work plans. 100% of units have seriously deployed, developed and issued specific plans of their units, in accordance with the specific tasks, practical conditions and ensuring consistency and effectiveness.

Currently, after merging, establishing new units, and reorganizing a number of agencies and units, the library system in the entire army currently has 476 libraries, with positive changes in the period 2021 - 2025, especially in terms of organization and operation, meeting the requirements of developing reading culture and digital transformation, towards a modern library model; connecting and sharing resources in libraries throughout the army, contributing to improving operational efficiency.

President Luong Cuong and leaders of the Ministry of National Defense visited the exhibition of the Military Library at the 12th National Congress of the Military Party Committee.

The library system in the Army has been strengthened and upgraded by the Party Committees and commanders of agencies and units in the Army, combining the allocated budget and mobilizing other sources to invest in purchasing materials, library equipment, reading rooms, actively supplementing books and documents suitable to the characteristics of their units. The source of documents is carefully selected, ensuring quantity, quality, correct orientation, content focusing on key areas such as politics, military, science and technology, history, culture, law and soft skills necessary for officers and soldiers. Priority is given to developing digital document collections about President Ho Chi Minh, the Army's tradition, the history of revolutionary struggles, military professional topics and valuable internal publications serving political and ideological education.

Serving millions of readers every year

PV:

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: With the characteristics of military activities, the Army Library and the library system in the Army must have a scientifically designed and flexible service plan, helping readers access the library as easily as possible. In the past time, our reader service work has ensured good order and quality of reader service, closely combining on-site service and mobile service; providing quick and timely information, with a dedicated and thoughtful service attitude, meeting the needs of readers. Coordinate and promote the circulation of books, newspapers and documents to grassroots units serving the army; bookshelves and training ground newspapers are replicated in units and schools to serve officers and soldiers in their studies and training.

The Military Library also organizes the compilation and design of information products and directories with the right political orientation, good quality, closely following important events, domestic and foreign political situations, on schedule and timely.

Lieutenant General Do Xuan Tung, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, inspected digital transformation work at the Military Library.

Based on the actual situation, the Army Library and the library system in the entire army have organized many models to develop reading culture with rich and diverse forms such as: Displaying, exhibiting books and newspapers, exchanging, discussing, oral propaganda, introductory video clips, storytelling, arranging art books, book rotation, training ground bookshelves, shared bookshelves, one book a day, mobile libraries, young readers' clubs, organizing Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, launching the contest of Reading Culture Ambassador in the Army...

The above models have significantly contributed to increasing the number of books served, the number of readers coming to the library and the number of digital document accesses, contributing to forming reading habits and skills, creating positive changes in awareness, creating a healthy and rich cultural environment in the unit; improving the level of awareness, critical thinking, self-study and research ability for officers and soldiers; contributing to building political mettle, revolutionary ethics and training the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new period.

Every year, the Army library system serves millions of readers; organizes more than 1,200 exhibitions, displays, and discussion exchanges; serves nearly 2,000,000 books, newspapers, and documents; digitizes nearly 18,000 document titles with more than 2,400,000 pages. Successfully organizes the launch of Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day at the military level (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025); 5 Reading Culture Ambassador contests in the Army; participates in the National Book Promotion and Introduction Festival of Library Staff and wins high prizes...

Promote propaganda on social networks

PV:

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: We attach special importance to the application of information technology and digital transformation in developing a reading culture. The Army Library and the entire army library system pay special attention to promoting propaganda on social networks such as fanpage, facebook, youtube, on websites and electronic information portals, attracting many readers inside and outside the Army to pay attention and follow, creating a great influence in the online community, bringing high efficiency, creating fundamental and positive changes in developing a reading culture in the Army.

Previously, there were only printed books, now officers and soldiers can access thousands of e-books, electronic newspapers and magazines, and multimedia documents through technological devices. This makes reading more flexible, convenient, and attractive, in line with the development trend of society, especially useful for units stationed in remote, border, and island areas, where access to traditional libraries is limited.

Many people do not have the habit of using digital libraries.

PV:

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: We have very basic advantages. The Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and the General Department of Politics always pay attention to leading and directing the organization of building and developing a reading culture throughout the army; the competent authorities promptly guide and create conditions; Party committees and commanders at all levels have a correct understanding of the position, role, and importance of reading culture and promote responsibility for serious implementation.

The Army Library has played a good role in advising, proposing, and actively coordinating with agencies and units inside and outside the Army to organize and implement quality, practical, and effective reading culture activities; creating a strong change in awareness among officers and soldiers about the role and importance of reading culture in the new context. A number of libraries have been significantly modernized in terms of facilities, equipment, and information technology applications; diversifying resources and services, better meeting readers' needs. Many creative and effective reading culture development models have been formed and replicated, creating a great influence, contributing significantly to improving professional qualifications, political mettle, ideology, ethics, and life skills for officers and soldiers.

However, the digital transformation of the library system in the entire army is also facing some difficulties. The implementation of the program, content and objectives of the Government's Project on developing reading culture in some units is sometimes still formal and irregular, the content and form are not rich, the quality is still low; the reading movement is not very effective and has not been maintained as a regular routine.

In particular, although network infrastructure has been improved, the network infrastructure system in some units, especially in remote, border and island areas, is still not synchronized, affecting the ability to access digital documents and use online services.

Regarding human resources, many librarians have not been properly trained and hold multiple positions; the level of application of information technology and modern library management skills is still uneven, not fully keeping up with the requirements of the digital transformation process. In addition, the inertia and habit of reading printed books of a number of officers and soldiers is still high, they do not have the habit of using digital libraries. Or due to the nature of the task, there is still little time for officers and soldiers to read books, newspapers, and research documents.

Three important experiences

PV:

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: I think we have three very important experiences in this work.

There must be close, regular, unified and consistent leadership and direction from Party committees and commanders at all levels in the entire army, considering library work and reading culture as an important political task, a decisive factor in the quality and effectiveness of library organization and operation.

Focus on training, fostering, improving professional qualifications and information technology skills for library staff; innovating and creating forms of organizing activities; promoting information, propaganda and education work to raise awareness and form reading habits throughout the army, making reading a personal need of each officer and soldier.

It is necessary to have a plan to invest financial resources, facilities, and human resources in a reasonable, focused, and key manner, prioritizing breakthrough and sustainable projects. Harmoniously combine the maintenance and development of traditional libraries with promoting the application of information technology and digital transformation.

Colonel, MSc. Mac Thuy Duong, Director of the Military Library.

Five solutions need to be implemented synchronously

PV:

Colonel Mac Thuy Duong: The Board of Directors of the Military Library has proposed 5 solutions that need to be implemented synchronously to the superior agency, and at the same time requested that Party committees and commanders of units throughout the army also deploy these 5 solutions.

Continue to thoroughly grasp and seriously implement the Government's Project on developing a reading culture in the Army, creating a change in awareness and action among Party committees and commanders of units about the position, role and importance of reading culture. Strengthen the leadership and direction of Party committees and commanders at all levels; the role of the team of cadres in organizing, participating in building and developing a reading culture, making reading and studying books a regular activity, maintaining reading habits and strengthening the role of libraries.

Develop a modern library system, increase the dissemination of books and documents. Innovate the organization of reading activities in a creative way, ensuring diversity, richness, liveliness, attractiveness, effectiveness, and suitability to the characteristics of the situation, tasks, and conditions of the unit's facilities, equipment, and means. Foster experience, guide reading skills and methods suitable for each target, focusing on students and soldiers; orient and promote healthy reading trends and tastes.

Diversify service forms at libraries, reading rooms, and Ho Chi Minh rooms to ensure efficiency; promote coordination and connection between libraries in units with community learning centers, post offices and cultural points in communes in the stationed areas; increase the circulation of books, newspapers, and documents between libraries, reading rooms, and Ho Chi Minh rooms.

Ensure the quality of information content in publications; diversify publications, focusing on books and documents on life skills education, national pride, healthy lifestyle, civilized and compassionate behavior, disseminate knowledge to cadres, students and soldiers, books on traditional education, legal education, books on studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, and literary and revolutionary war topics to serve the lives of cadres, students and soldiers currently working.

Strengthen inspection, review, and experience sharing; exchange and learn new and creative contents and measures to apply to the actual conditions of the unit to achieve higher efficiency. Actively equip facilities and equipment to better serve the needs of reading, searching, and finding information of readers.

It can be said that in the past 5 years, the development of reading culture in the Army has had many positive changes, contributing to the cultivation of knowledge, improving political capacity, building personality and a good lifestyle for officers and soldiers. However, in the face of the requirements of building a modern Army and the strong development of technology, the task of developing reading culture poses many new requirements.

With practical experience and proposed solutions, I believe that by 2030, the Army library system will truly become a digital library and knowledge center, promoting and spreading the culture of reading, contributing to building a healthy cultural environment, improving the overall quality and combat strength of the Vietnam People's Army.

PV:

HUONG VAN NGOC (performed)

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/cuoc-thi-viet-vung-buoc-duoi-co-dang/de-he-thong-thu-vien-trong-quan-doi-thuc-su-tro-thanh-trung-tam-tri-thuc-so-849228