Students of Minh Khai 1 Primary School during reading time at the library.
Diversify the ways you read books.
In our province, over the past years, the Thanh Hoa Heritage Conservation Center, Museum, and Library have made many efforts to innovate, gradually modernize, and improve their capacity to serve readers. However, given the strong development of digital technology and the changing approach to books by readers, library activities need more resources for even stronger innovation.
The Thanh Hoa Heritage Conservation Center, Museum, and Library currently manages approximately 430,000 books, including many rare and valuable books at risk of loss or damage due to their age or exposure to natural and environmental factors. In addition, the provincial library is preserving and storing numerous royal decrees and over 1,000 Han Nom documents. To better serve the research and information needs of readers, the provincial library has scanned over 10,000 pages of documents and updated them on its website. Digitization has helped reduce storage space, management and operating costs, prevent document damage, and save time in searching and sharing information quickly.
However, currently, the library is unable to digitize all its books and materials due to a lack of funding, machinery, and equipment. Mr. Le Hai Nam, Deputy Head of the Cataloging and Information Technology Department, Thanh Hoa Heritage Conservation Center, Museum and Library, stated: “Currently, the library has 110 computers, 80 of which are located in the multimedia reading room. All computers were purchased in 2015, so they have low specifications and have become damaged after many years of use. Therefore, changing the way we serve readers is still limited. Digital transformation in library operations is currently only limited to the application of information technology and the digitization of some materials. Readers can search for information and documents on the library's website 24/7. The library has also managed and operated its operations using the integrated iLib v8.0 Electronic Library software system, which supports the automation of these processes.”
Regarding library activities in schools, there has been a significant shift in recent years from traditional libraries to friendly and digitized libraries. Dinh Hoa Primary School in Dinh Hoa commune is one of the first schools to implement an electronic library management model starting from the 2024-2025 school year, thanks to the deployment of the electronic library model on the VnEdu software system.
The school library has completed the integration of over 2,000 books into its electronic library; the books are scientifically categorized and organized into thematic folders on the internet, such as textbooks, reference books, exercise books, law books, books about the homeland's islands and seas, and a system of exam question repositories from previous years has been established. Teachers, students, and parents can search, access the electronic library, and register to borrow books by scanning QR codes.
Ms. Le Thi Hong, in charge of the library at Dinh Hoa Primary School, said: “During the implementation of the electronic library, the school organized training for teachers and guided students on how to effectively access materials on the electronic library through instructional links, thereby contributing to the formation of reading habits in students from their early years of schooling. Teachers can also easily search for information and reference materials on the school's electronic library system, thereby contributing to the development of digital skills and the application of technology in lesson planning and teaching.”
There are still many difficulties.
In the digital age, school libraries need to innovate by creating a modern, integrated reading environment that utilizes digital technology. However, currently, due to a shortage of personnel, facilities, and resources, many school libraries are operating at a minimal level, lacking innovation and failing to achieve the desired results.
At Minh Khai 1 Primary School in Hac Thanh Ward, the school's green library also attracts a large number of students to read books during recess and reading time. In addition, the library is equipped with 5 computers so that students and teachers can access information.
The principal of Minh Khai 1 Primary School, Duong Thi Thu Ha, said: “In previous years, the school had a contracted librarian, so the library operated very effectively. However, from the 2025-2026 school year onwards, due to a lack of funding to contract a librarian, teachers in the school are having to teach overtime because of the teacher shortage and cannot take on additional duties, so the library's activities are being neglected.”
The shortage of library staff is a common difficulty for many schools in the province. Ly Tu Trong Secondary School in Hac Thanh ward is one example. Although there is a part-time library staff member, due to a lack of facilities and equipment, the library is almost non-functional. Each classroom has small bookshelves where students can exchange books, but the number of books is still very limited.
An efficiently functioning library will contribute to fostering a love of reading, building a reading culture in schools and communities, and forming a lifelong learning habit... To continue implementing the digital transformation program for libraries, in the period 2026-2030, the Provincial Library aims to complete the digital library, ensuring the ability to share, connect, and provide digital resources to the people quickly and effectively; striving for 100% of existing materials to be digitized; 100% of students and citizens to have free access to the digital library; and interconnecting with the province's digital library system.
Text and photos: Linh Huong
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/chuyen-doi-so-trong-hoat-dong-thu-vien-291039.htm
