Creating a new step forward for Can Tho City library activities

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City is implementing the process of merging Can Tho Library, Hau Giang Library and Soc Trang Library. After the merger, the new Can Tho City Library will have increased information resources and expanded service area. That also requires library staff to make more efforts and be more creative in activities of bringing books to people and organizing reading promotion programs in the community. Thereby, the reading culture will be spread, creating a foundation for the integration and development process of the city.

Spread reading culture

The 3 local libraries have many effective models and methods in developing a reading culture in the community.

Leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City visited the book display during a trip to inspect facilities at Soc Trang Library. Photo: DUY KHOI

Although operating in a temporary facility, Can Tho City Library has organized many large-scale book exhibitions on holidays and anniversaries since the beginning of the year, attracting a large number of readers. The unit also organizes mobile book services on the occasion of city events. Currently, Can Tho City Library is participating in the exhibition of National Achievements in Hanoi .

The highlight is that the city library has coordinated with many public and private units to exhibit books, organize book festivals, reading promotion programs, etc., creating positive effects. Last summer, the program "Happy Summer Reading" in collaboration with ASTON English Center attracted a large number of students. The children read books, practiced English, and practiced communication and presentation skills. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ngan, a parent of a student, said: "My child participated in the program for many weeks in a row, he really enjoyed it. This is a great summer playground."

In the first 8 months of 2025, Can Tho Library added nearly 7,000 books; organized to serve over 3 million readers, exceeding the annual target. Notably, out of nearly 7 million information resources serving readers, there were more than 5 million accesses to electronic information resources.

For Hau Giang Library, in the past 8 months, the unit has added over 1,600 books, received 853 donated books, increasing the total number of books to nearly 144,500 books and 3,327 electronic documents. The unit has served over 119,000 people with over 238,000 information resources. In addition to developing on-site reading, borrowing, mobile services, and via the internet, Hau Giang Library has also effectively maintained models such as "Uncle Ho's Bookshelf", "Sending knowledge", "We love books" Children's Club... The rotation work for libraries in communes, wards and some units such as commune cultural post offices, schools, Provincial Police Detention Center, Channel 5 Detention Center... is ensured with over 8,000 books.

Ms. Lam Ngoc My, Director of Soc Trang Library, said: The unit has coordinated with schools in Soc Trang City (old) to organize extracurricular activities, helping students visit and experience library activities; organize reading promotion activities, guide reading skills, search skills, exploit and use information... Soc Trang Library also focuses on exploiting multimedia mobile library vehicles at many schools and remote areas. In the past 8 months, Soc Trang Library has issued over 1,000 cards and served nearly 136,000 visits, nearly 322,000 information resources.

Digitizing library operations

According to Ms. Lam Ngoc My, Soc Trang Library has increased the application of information technology, especially digital technology, to improve the efficiency of library operations and form a modern network. At the same time, it ensures the provision of library services to better meet the diverse needs of users in the digital age. Specifically, the library maintains the application of information technology in the technical processing of new books, effectively promoting the electronic reading room with 12 computers. The website https://thuviensoctrang.org.vn has increasingly rich content: searching for documents, introducing new books, introducing library activities, serving readers using digitized geographical documents and e-books (Ebooks)... The website also links to the YouTube channel "Reading with you" of the Department of Grassroots Culture, Family and Library (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), the Sunflower Audiobook Library for the visually impaired.

Hau Giang Library also promotes the implementation of the "Digital Transformation Program for the Library Sector to 2025, with a Vision to 2030" approved by the Prime Minister. The unit focuses on communication activities on the Hau Giang Library Electronic Information Portal and social networking platforms. Periodically manages software and stores Mylib data at the provincial, district and communal levels. Manages and effectively promotes computers sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation under the Project "Improving Computer Use and Public Internet Access in Vietnam".

Can Tho Library is a typical example of digital transformation, with many effective models such as electronic libraries, e-books, digitizing newspaper and magazine excerpts, creating digital accounts, etc. The number of visits to the electronic library and the interaction of readers on the cyberspace of Can Tho Library is very high. The unit is continuing to deploy the application of small and medium digital library management software DiLib.2025. Maintenance, data storage, and updating of management software application levels are also focused on.

Unite to grow

Leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City have just surveyed the libraries, recorded the proposals and recommendations, as a basis for the Can Tho City Library to operate more effectively after the merger. Regarding facilities, the Soc Trang Library headquarters was completed and put into use in October 2003, consisting of 3 floors with 3 connected blocks, with a total land area of ​​2,600m2. The project is quite large, airy and convenient. However, after more than 20 years of operation, the Soc Trang Library headquarters has deteriorated in many places, affecting the exploitation and organization of professional activities.

Perspective design of Can Tho City Library project. Photo: Contributor

The current Hau Giang Library headquarters has been temporarily borrowed from the old Vi Thanh City Party Committee headquarters since 2020, with a total area of ​​6,722m2, including 2 floors. However, due to the change of function, the organization of professional activities is not really suitable and effective. Meanwhile, Can Tho Library is temporarily operating at 29 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ninh Kieu Ward, while waiting for the construction of a new headquarters at the former location of 1 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ninh Kieu Ward and the expansion of the land of the Department of Foreign Affairs (old).

According to the approved design, the Can Tho City Library headquarters after completion will have an open, modern space, promising to be a highlight of Can Tho city. The project consists of 1 main building, 1 basement, 6 floors and 1 technical floor; floor area of ​​about 8,673.6m2, including functional blocks such as event hall, cultural activities, book exhibitions; self-selected book storage system (open storage); document storage system (closed storage); operations and document processing...

While waiting for the competent authority to approve the Project to establish the new Can Tho City Library, Can Tho Library, Soc Trang Library and Hau Giang Library (old) are urgently preparing to merge the organization and database, ensuring uninterrupted service to readers.

Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City, said: It is expected that after the merger, the headquarters of the new Can Tho City Library will be in Ninh Kieu Ward, the current Soc Trang Library and Hau Giang Library will become the Vi Thanh and Soc Trang branches of the unit. The Department also assigned the leaders of the 3 current libraries to coordinate with 103 communes and wards to review, compile statistics and record the current status of libraries and reading rooms at the commune level. This will serve as a basis for proposing and arranging facilities for the facilities.

"The goal is that all 103 communes and wards must have libraries or reading rooms to serve the reading needs of the people," Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Thuy emphasized.

DANG HUYNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tao-buoc-tien-moi-cho-hoat-dong-thu-vien-tp-can-tho-a190385.html