Need to promote digital transformation of libraries to attract readers

(Baoquangngai.vn)- The provincial library sector is aiming to gradually turn libraries into information centers, self-study and research environments for all readers. Therefore, digital transformation is an inevitable task to attract a large number of people to be interested in and use library services.

The first steps

The Provincial General Library is storing more than 210 thousand copies of 15 thousand books of all kinds. This is a place that attracts children during the summer. Wishing to give their children a useful and meaningful summer and help them form a reading habit, many parents have brought their children to the Provincial General Library to read books every day.

Le Hoai Anh (12 years old), from Nghia Thuong commune (Tu Nghia) is not afraid of the 8km distance, cycling to the library every week to read books. “The library has many good books that I have not read yet, so I often come here with my friends to learn. The library has computers so we can look up and borrow books and stories easily and quickly.”

Students use computers to look up and search for books in the Provincial General Library.

Implementing the Project to build an electronic library, from 2019 to present, the Provincial General Library has been equipped with a server system and operating software for management. This is a major step from a traditional library to a modern library. Currently, book searching and cataloging have been digitized, applying information technology, thereby creating favorable conditions for arranging, storing and managing books in the library.

The Children's Reading Room is now equipped with air conditioning, providing comfort, relaxation, and stimulating the interest in reading in children. During the service process, the library staff always proactively guides and introduces books to readers, creating conditions for readers to find the fastest and most suitable books.

Ms. Vo Thi Bich Ngoc, in charge of the Children's Reading Room, said that since the library management software was introduced, it has created many conveniences in professional work. During the summer, although more than 30 readers come to read and borrow books every day, all searching and looking up operations are very quick and convenient, without having to wait long.

Thanks to library management software, searching, cataloging, and managing books becomes convenient and easy.

Grasping the trend of shifting to reading books on online platforms, the Provincial General Library has focused on promoting the application of information technology, bringing newspaper and magazine publications to digital platforms such as: Building a column to introduce new works, information publications on the provincial library website system, facebook, youtube... In particular, on the fanpage " Quang Ngai Provincial General Library", every week there is a column to introduce new books to a large number of readers on social networks.

There are many difficulties

Although there is library management software, the Provincial General Library has not been connected to the public library system in the localities. This makes it difficult to share information resources and has not attracted many people to district and commune libraries to look up books.

Many students come to the Provincial General Library to self-study and review for exams during the summer vacation.

Director of the Provincial General Library Phan Dinh Do said that every year, the unit organizes training courses to guide libraries at all levels in installing library management software. However, to connect, it is necessary to have large resources to build the infrastructure system.

According to Plan No. 165 dated October 14, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee on implementing the Digital Transformation Program of the library sector by 2025, with a vision to 2030 in the province, the goal for the period 2022 - 2025 is to have 70% of documents of special value on history, culture, and science collected, collected, and managed by the provincial library digitized.

Currently, the Provincial General Library stores 210 thousand copies of 15 thousand titles.

However, in reality, there are currently only 156 documents on Quang Ngai geography that have been digitized. “To move towards building digital documents, the provincial library needs to have a specialized scanner. The unit is currently asking for funding to invest in this equipment,” Mr. Phan Dinh Do shared.

Every year, the Provincial General Library welcomes about 20 thousand readers, the busiest time being during the 3 summer months. However, this number is not much for a provincial library. One of the reasons is that the unit's facilities are still limited. The reading space is cramped and hot, due to being built more than 30 years ago, making readers less interested in reading books at the library.

During the summer, many children come to the Provincial General Library to read books and have fun.

The Provincial General Library has planned to consult with superiors to supplement funding for renovation, construction of green spaces, investment in new equipment, and modern audio-visual equipment to meet the needs of the people. Thereby, promoting digital transformation of the library sector and expanding the space for children's entertainment, gradually becoming a destination to attract readers.

Article and photos: T.PHUONG

Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/phong-chong-dai-dich-covid-19/cong-dan-so/202406/can-day-manh-chuyen-doi-so-thu-vien-de-thu-hut-ban-doc-ed84aae/