China Library Annual 1996

Author: Editorial Committee of the China Library Annual
Editor-in-Chief: Zhou Wenjun and others
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-10-01
Features:
1. The China Library Annual is the first professional annual in China, with the aim of providing decision-making references for macro-management of the library cause at all levels, basic literature, data, research achievements, and new work experience for library staff and teaching/research personnel, as well as various information resources related to libraries for the general public.
2. The content of this annual primarily covers literature and information from January 1990 to December 1995. As it is the first volume since the founding of the nation, some retrospective materials have been included.
3. The annual was organized and compiled by the Editorial Research Group of the China Library Society’s Translation and Publication Committee. Special correspondents were appointed from library associations or professional publications in all provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and systems across the country. Most entries and materials were written and provided by professional researchers and staff.
4. The annual is divided into fourteen parts: Special Features, Featured Articles, Library Cause, Library Work and Research, Library Education, International Exchange, Cross-Strait Relations, Academic Exchange, People, Regulations and Documents, Statistical Data, Chronicles, Directories, Appendices, and Index.
Special Features: Documents related to the 62nd IFLA Congress held in Beijing in August 1996 are listed at the beginning of the volume to reflect the latest developments.
Featured Articles: Authored by authoritative experts from various disciplines, these articles focus on discussions of macro-level or specific field developments. They are categorized and listed after Special Features.
Library Cause: Includes an overview of the development of the library cause in China, as well as the progress of libraries in various systems, provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
Library Work and Research: Covers reviews of basic library science theories and research in various branches, academic trends, academic conferences, and introductions to new publications.
Library Education: Includes an overview of professional education, introductions to information management departments in higher education institutions, and brief introductions to secondary and adult education.
International Exchange: Covers China’s participation in IFLA, international academic conferences held in China, visits by Chinese scholars and delegations, and visits to China by foreign scholars and groups.
Cross-Strait Academic Exchange: Introduces the status of academic exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan.
People: Includes resumes and academic achievements of figures in the library field, national representatives, CPPCC members, the 4th leadership team of the China Library Society, and library science supervisors.
Regulations and Documents: Collects laws, regulations, and rules related to library work issued by national authorities.
Statistical Data: Derived from the Ministry of Culture and national statistical departments, all data has been reviewed for accuracy.
Chronicles: Records major events in the library field from January 1990 to December 1995.
Directories: Lists addresses, postal codes, and phone numbers of public libraries at or above the county level, as well as some major research and educational libraries.
Appendices: Includes charts and tables of interest to readers, such as lists of professional publications, core journals, and brief tables of library associations in various regions and systems.
Index: An analytical subject index arranged in pinyin order.
Excerpt:
In my socio-economic series of investigations, I have consistently observed a phenomenon that grows alongside the development of rural economies: the development of rural culture and the urgent need for knowledge and culture among farmers. To practice scientific farming, they need scientific knowledge; to manage businesses, they need market knowledge; and to adapt to socialist economic construction, they demand to improve their cultural literacy. Rural areas beginning to prosper must combat illiteracy and uncivilized practices. Those regions with developed township economies are all committed to education and cultural development—first by establishing schools, and second by establishing libraries. Township libraries, rural reading rooms, and even personal libraries of farmers are flourishing. For example, cities like Suzhou, Wuxi, Wujiang, and Zhangjiagang are leading the way. Wuxi has achieved a library in every village, with an average collection exceeding 10,000 books per library. The Changzhou Library, with a collection of 1 million books, was the first to surpass the benchmark of one book per capita. In the Pearl River Delta, for instance, a village in Shenzhen invested 800,000 yuan to build a library with tens of thousands of books. The statistics are endless. China has a population of 1.2 billion, most of whom live in rural areas. There are 50,000 townships and over 600,000 villages nationwide. The rise of rural libraries in townships holds immense potential. It will undoubtedly accelerate regional economic and cultural development, and I firmly believe in this.
In my lifetime, spanning most of the 20th century, I have witnessed the transition of traditional rural culture in China to modernization. If one were to describe the development of Chinese culture from a personal perspective, it would be a shift from private book collections of a few scholars to public libraries in rural areas, from a knowledge domain monopolized by a few to a system where knowledge and information are shared by the masses. This transformation and development also outline China’s future social and cultural trends.
III. The Mission of Libraries in the New Global Landscape
At this point, let us broaden our perspective from individuals and townships to the entire nation and look ahead to the world entering the 21st century. Currently, the world economy is developing rapidly. Developed countries have significantly advanced global market economies, while developing countries are striving to do the same. Socialist and former socialist countries are also transitioning from planned economies to market economies. China is confidently deepening reforms and moving toward a socialist market economy. The hallmark of a market economy is commodity exchange, where a commodity can reach the world unrestricted by region or border through trade. The development of commodity economies has made the interests of regions and countries interconnected, forming a powerful force that gradually pushes the world toward integration. As people describe it: the world is becoming smaller, and the globe is turning into a vast village. Technological and economic development has laid the necessary conditions for global integration. At the same time, we must recognize that the growing closeness of the world economy has not only strengthened the awareness of interconnectivity among people but also reinforced individual self-awareness, national autonomy, and democratic consciousness. Moreover, the current imbalance in the world’s political and economic development, along with significant differences among nations, ethnic groups, and individuals, has led to social and cultural diversity. This diversity coexists with economic integration.
Culture, as a form of ideology, is deeply influenced by historical inheritance and possesses relative independence and uniqueness, further strengthening diversity. In an economically integrated world, cultural diversity will undoubtedly display its vibrant colors. Economic integration is formed on the foundation of cultural diversity because only when all nations and ethnic groups develop fully can cooperation and exchange between them be promoted, thereby facilitating global economic integration. Conversely, cultural diversity is also developing under the impetus of economic integration, as the latter creates conditions for cooperation and exchange among nations, driving their development and contributing to global cultural diversity. The two are mutually reinforcing and complementary, jointly driving the world economy and social progress. Overemphasis on one at the expense of the other is detrimental to world development. Integration and diversity are interdependent, requiring various economies and cultures to interact and complement each other, rather than clash.
Given that economic integration is an objective requirement of development, why can’t different cultures communicate with one another? The Chinese people have profound insights into this from the history of their own culture. The Chinese nation has a history of over 5,000 years. It originated in the Yellow River Basin and was known as China or Huaxia. Over time, with economic and social development, it absorbed multiple ethnic groups, forming a nation dominated by the Han ethnic group, which created splendid Chinese culture and spread its influence across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and even the world. Currently, the 56 ethnic groups in China live harmoniously, each pursuing its own goals and united in striving for China’s socialist modernization. The formation of this diverse yet unified cultural landscape is the cornerstone of the Chinese nation’s survival and development. It is unique in the world and embodies the characteristics of Eastern civilization.
The formation of China’s diverse yet unified cultural pattern, while influenced by economic, political, social, and cultural factors, owes significant importance to the role of information dissemination and exchange. The Chinese people have always attached great importance to the role of knowledge and information, as well as to writing, books, papermaking, printing, and libraries. Over 3,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Chinese people invented writing. Over 2,000 years ago, the people of the Chinese continent had a common script, known in historical records as “uniform writing,” meaning that a vast information network had already formed on the mainland. Over 1,800 years ago, Cai Lun invented papermaking. Over 1,300 years ago, during the Tang Dynasty, emerged. Over 800 years ago, Bi Sheng invented movable-type printing, marking the birth of true books. Books became the most effective medium for information, greatly facilitating mutual understanding between different regions and ethnic groups and promoting the process of diversity and unity, ultimately creating the brilliance of Chinese culture.
On such a vast land and with such a large population, it is unimaginable that consensus could be reached on fundamental ideas and lifestyles, and coordinated action could be taken without a common information system. Looking ahead to the 21st century, the world will seek survival and development within a framework of diversity and integration. The key to achieving this lies in the dissemination and exchange of information among more diverse cultures, thereby bridging the gaps and conflicts arising from economic, political, social, and cultural imbalances and differences.
Today, in terms of ideology, there are many differing views on human rights, gender, values, and life philosophies. Everyone has their own perspective, indicating a lack of mutual understanding. Due to different historical developments and national conditions, solutions to various problems must be diverse, not rigidly adhered to a single model, nor imposed on others. The only viable approach is to enhance understanding and tolerance, enabling the billions of people living on the same planet to comprehend, resonate with, and empathize with one another.
To achieve this, we must rely on more effective information exchange and the rapid development of the global library cause to meet the urgent needs of people worldwide.
Libraries, as repositories of knowledge since ancient times, are the centers for disseminating and exchanging knowledge and information, important ideological and cultural battlegrounds, and have a history spanning thousands of years. At the turn of the century, we not only see the further reform and development of this traditional tool as a pressing need for peaceful coexistence and progress but also observe that this need is gradually being realized due to technological advancements. Libraries are undergoing significant transformations.
Advances in computer technology centered around the internet, communication technology, information digitization, and international language computing are pushing traditional, fragmented libraries toward a new era of global integration and networking. Libraries are truly breaking free from geographical constraints, becoming an integral part of the world’s “big library” and making every user a part of the global library network. Libraries in China, including the vibrant folk libraries in townships and rural areas, will become nodes in this global library network. Global information resources will be shared in a timely, accurate, and convenient manner, allowing people to access the information they need from their workplaces or homes via computers. They can explore text-based information, as well as multimedia content involving sound and images.
In summary, modern libraries will greatly expand people’s ability to seek information, change the way they use information, enhance their understanding of scientific and cultural heritage, and accelerate their learning pace in society.
We see the bright future of the library cause, but achieving this vision will require a long and arduous journey. Along the way, we will encounter various challenges that must be addressed one by one, and many tasks must be carried out step by step.
I believe that the most important and challenging task for library workers worldwide is to improve the organization, sorting, processing, and database construction of information resources. This is the foundation of information services. Modern tools can be purchased, but the unique information resources of libraries in different countries can only be digitized and electronicized through the efforts of the libraries themselves. In other words, library workers must effectively sort and provide the vast and diverse information available online to meet user needs, while also systematically processing non-digital collections into digital formats and making them available to users through the network.
This naturally involves issues such as funding, copyright protection, and standardization, among others. I am confident that the participants in this conference will have even more profound reflections on these matters.
In conclusion, facing the future, libraries still have great potential. As long as they make contributions, they will maintain their significance; as long as they are significant, they will receive societal support; and as long as they receive societal support, library development will accelerate.
Library workers are guardians of human knowledge, as well as its disseminators and providers. They are laborers dedicated to continuously enriching and advancing human civilization. Let us set ambitious goals to create a peaceful and harmonious global society and strive to fulfill this sacred mission, urging and encouraging one another along the way.
Once again, I heartily congratulate the 62nd IFLA Congress on its great success. Thank you all!