In early October 2025, Typhoon No. 11 made landfall, causing historic floods in the former Bac Giang area. Numerous commune libraries were deeply submerged, with water flooding into the book storage areas, soaking thousands of books, damaging shelves, computers, and documents. Libraries in Tan Yen commune, Viet Yen ward, Lang Giang commune, and others were left in a state of disrepair, with books molding and rotting, and equipment severely damaged. Residents worried about when the libraries would reopen.
At this time, Bac Ninh Library No. 1 quickly stepped in. Within a week, Director Nguyen Dac Hong led a team of officials directly to the affected communes, along with a team that urgently mobilized donations from philanthropists and local businesses, securing 50 sets of tables and chairs, 20 computers, and hundreds of new bookshelves. Simultaneously, the provincial library urgently transferred over 2,000 books from the provincial book collection and other sources supporting the National Target Program for New Rural Development to the commune libraries.
Immediately after the establishment of the new Bac Ninh province on July 16, 2025, the Standing Committee of the Bac Ninh Provincial Party Committee issued Document No. 74-CV/TU, requesting that the Party Committees of communes and wards consolidate all bookshelves from the Project to equip grassroots units with books, the old district bookshelves, and other central and government sources into "Grassroots Bookshelves". At the same time, the Provincial Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department was tasked with advising on regulations for managing and classifying books, preserving public assets, and submitting periodic reports.
On August 1, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to lead professional training, prioritizing the renovation of merged agency headquarters into reading culture facilities, investing in computers with internet access, supporting online reading on thuviencoso.vn, and implementing special policies for library management staff. Following the issuance of guiding documents, Bac Ninh Library No. 1 organized training on building "Community-based Bookcases" for 85 communes and wards (including 160 trainees) across a total of 99 administrative units.
Most communes and wards issued decisions to establish public libraries at the commune level as soon as they received guidance from the Department. Bac Giang and Da Mai wards, and Son Dong, Tan Yen, Xuan Cam, and Kep communes, promptly advised their respective People's Committees, ensuring uninterrupted library operations. For example, the Bac Giang ward library inherited its old premises, covering 570 m² (with a reading room and book storage of 250 m²), while many others integrated libraries into People's Committee offices or administrative centers, still providing convenient access to books and newspapers for the people.
Mr. Hong affirmed: “Restoring libraries in communes is not only a professional responsibility, but also a political mission. If we let the bookshelves at the grassroots level ‘lie dormant,’ we will lose the opportunity for cadres, Party members, and the people to access official information. Reading culture must start from the grassroots, because only when people in villages and hamlets can read good books, look up laws, and learn about production experiences can we build truly sustainable new rural areas. We are applying technology to guide people to read e-books on thuviencoso.vn, connecting the digital library with smartphones. That is how libraries not only survive but also develop more strongly.”
To date, Bac Ninh Library No. 1 has donated 80 books to each of 10 communes; the National Target Program has provided 6,120 books to 19 communes and 6,624 books to 32 villages. 35 commune libraries have been built and are operating effectively. All libraries implement measures to protect against termites, maintain open storage, and provide guidance on searching using thematic catalogs. Publicity is being promoted through commune radio stations, electronic information portals, and by displaying quotes about books at the headquarters.
However, currently, most commune-level libraries still lack their own premises; they are inadequately equipped (bookshelves, catalog cabinets, tables and chairs); and funding for book acquisition is limited. The workforce mainly consists of part-time staff from the Public Service Center, lacking specialized library skills. Readers are primarily students, the elderly, and retired officials; workers and civil servants visit the library in small numbers. The development of mass media has led to a decrease in the demand for physical books...
Regarding funding, although most commune libraries do not have independent budgets, the social mobilization model has proven effective, mobilizing books from the Provincial Library, old books from before the merger, and other social contributions. In terms of human resources, although still performing multiple roles, through training, library managers in the communes have learned how to organize books by subject and arrange books for regular circulation to schools.
This serves as the foundation for developing a library development plan for the period 2026-2030, aiming towards 2035 with a focus on digital transformation and the application of information technology. Bac Ninh is gradually making "Library Shelves at the Grassroots Level" a symbol of closeness to and service to the people.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/bac-ninh-xay-dung-van-hoa-doc-tu-co-so-post949873.html
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