Types of library under the law in Vietnam

 Types of library under the law in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this matter, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Types of library under the law in Vietnam

- Types of library:

+ National Library of Vietnam;

+ Public libraries;

+ Special libraries;

+ Libraries of Vietnam People’s Armed Force;

+ Libraries of higher education institutions (“university libraries”);

+ Libraries of institutions of preschool education, general education or vocational education and libraries of other educational institutions;

+ Community libraries and private libraries open to the general public;

+ Libraries of foreign organizations and individuals open to Vietnamese people.

- Types of library ownership:

+ Public libraries, which have their investment and operating conditions ensured and ownership represented by the State, and are organized in the form of public service providers or as appropriate to the organizational model of their supervisory regulatory bodies or organizations;

+ Non-public libraries, which have their investment and operating conditions ensured by Vietnamese or foreign organizations, individuals or residential communities, and are organized in the form of enterprises or non-public service providers or another model.

(Article 9 of the Law on Library 2019)

2. Rules for library operations in Vietnam

- Employ the user-centered design; create an environment of friendliness and equality; ensure the rights to access and use libraries of organizations and individuals.

- Information resources must be collected, processed, stored, preserved and disseminated in compliance with national technical regulations, national standards and relevant library standards.

- Frequently innovate procedures, information products and library services on the basis of application of scientific and technological advancements.

- Carry out library cooperation.

- Comply with regulations of laws on intellectual property, science and technology, information technology, cyber security and other relevant regulations of laws.

(Article 24 of the Law on Library 2019)

3. Functions and duties of libraries in Vietnam

- Develop, process, store, preserve, connect and enrich information resources as appropriate to the needs of library users.

- Organize shared use of information resources, information products and library services; promote knowledge and cultural values of the country and humankind; support research, learning and recreation; and contribute to the formation and development of knowledge, skills, virtues and capacity of library users.

- Apply scientific and technological advancements, and modernize libraries.

- Promote reading culture and provide an environment for life-long learning, build a learning society, heighten people’s intellectual standards, and shape comprehensively capable Vietnamese citizens.

(Article 4 of the Law on Library 2019)

4. State policies for library development in Vietnam

- For public libraries, the State shall invest in the following areas:

+ Prioritize investment for the National Library of Vietnam, public libraries of provinces and central-affiliated cities (“provincial libraries”) and important libraries;

+ Modernization of libraries; development of digital libraries, shared information resources, and open information resources; and cooperation between domestic and foreign libraries;

+ Collection, preservation and enhancement of values of ancient and precious documents, and document collections of significance to history, culture and science;

+ Provision of mobile libraries, transfer of information resources to border areas, islands, ethnic minority areas, and areas with socio-economic difficulties or exceptional socio-economic difficulties;

+ Training and development of library staff;

+ Research and application of scientific and technological advancements in libraries.

- The State shall support investment in the following areas:

+ Provision of public library services, and reading culture promotion;

+ Maintenance and development of community libraries and private libraries open to the general public without profitable aims;

+ Cost for transfer of library materials for political purpose or to border areas, islands and areas with socio-economic difficulties or exceptional socio-economic difficulties;

+ International library cooperation.

(Article 5 of the Law on Library 2019)

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