The Role of Foreign Language Sources at the National Library of Vietnam

2.2. The role of foreign language resources at the National Library of Vietnam

Foreign language sources are components of the information system and are the input materials of the scientific information process. Therefore, foreign language documents hold a key position, deciding the existence and effectiveness of scientific information activities.

Maybe you are interested!

Foreign language sources are the basis for creating information products and services, as search tools such as directories, directory databases... and are criteria for evaluating the quality of an information - library product.

Foreign language sources create information products that reflect the uniqueness and rarity of information to meet market demands, creating added value for information such as: analytical information, general information...

That source of information is the basis for cooperation and sharing among information agencies - libraries. As we know, the information sources of libraries are becoming increasingly inadequate due to the rapid increase, including the exponential increase in scientific information. The contradiction of the "dizzying" increase between the amount of information, the annual budget for supplementing information sources and the requirements of information users has placed a demand on information agencies - libraries. The success or failure of scientists in scientific research partly depends on the ability to reach suitable information sources.

Therefore, the National Library of Vietnam has a policy of developing information sources in general and building and exploiting foreign language information sources in particular to suit its functions and tasks based on users' information needs, ensuring four goals: building rich and diverse information sources; a team of staff with high professional and IT qualifications; a large number of trained information users and a sustainable infrastructure system.

Foreign language sources also show the level of intellectual development and civilization of a country or a nation and are the daily working tools of information and library staff (supplementing, processing, serving users...). For human activities, it helps them make the most scientifically based decisions.

In addition, foreign language sources are an inseparable part of the information resources being managed at the National Library of Vietnam. Along with national language sources, foreign language sources of the National Library of Vietnam always play an important role in meeting and satisfying the information needs of library users. In recent years, the number of readers using the library has increased rapidly and by 2009 it had reached: the number of readers was 303,239 but decreased by 39,208 compared to 2008; books, newspapers, documents in 2009 were circulated

511,399 visits, 2008 was 583,106 visits

Foreign language information sources have the effect of providing knowledge and experience to users; are tools for educating ideology, emotions, labor and disseminating scientific and technical knowledge, and are a means of promoting the country's progress.

Coming to the National Library of Vietnam, users can find many documents on various fields of knowledge in many different languages and formats, contributing significantly to the cause of education and enriching the cultural and spiritual life of the people - especially it is also the fastest means of accessing scientific - technical - technological achievements in the world, quickly applying those achievements to the practical life of Vietnam.

It can be said that along with the national language information source, the foreign language information source of the National Library of Vietnam has formed an information resource, which is the premise for the development of the National Library of Vietnam, and the basis for the library's activities. The concern for building and exploiting the foreign language information source of the National Library of Vietnam in the current period is more urgent and important than ever. To solve the problem well

This work needs to learn about what has been done and what is still lacking at the National Television in order to propose solutions to complete its functions and tasks.

2.3. Policy on supplementing foreign language information sources at the National Library of Vietnam

The current information sources of the National Library of Vietnam are the result of long-term construction and accumulation according to the policy of developing reasonable information sources, based on the needs of information users in particular and society in general. Their information-library activities, information sources are built on the work of organization, management, exploitation and based on the real needs of information users. Therefore, the leadership of the National Library of Vietnam has recognized the need to be sufficient in quantity, rich in content and diverse in form to meet the needs of information users (NDT). Although the National Library of Vietnam has not yet had an official document on the policy of developing information sources, but based on its functions and tasks, in the process of building information sources in general and building foreign language information sources in particular, the Library has proposed the direction of supplementing foreign language information sources as follows:

a) Topics on natural sciences, engineering, military, medicine and agriculture.

Collect information sources on all fields of natural sciences, engineering, military medicine and agriculture, but not specialized in each specific field but with comprehensive, interdisciplinary content, reflecting the development trend of that field in the country and in the world with the latest achievements. Focus on supplementing information sources on some newly emerging and developing fields of science in our country such as: informatics, oil and gas, biology, machine manufacturing,...

b) Topics on social sciences.

Collecting information sources on all social sciences with comprehensive content, which is the dominant document in the composition of information sources, should be focused on. Limiting the addition of information sources on a country with an underdeveloped economy, with limited diplomatic relations and cooperation and not much related to Vietnam. Focusing on adding information sources on some social sciences that are currently developing in our country such as: law, banking, foreign trade, tourism, environment, economics, etc.

c) Topics on culture and art.

Sources of information on theoretical issues of culture and art. Cultures of countries with long-standing cultural traditions, Asian countries, and countries related to Vietnam in history such as: France, America, ...

d) Topics on literature.

Collects all typical literary works of countries and the world through the ages or works that have won international and national awards. The National Library of Vietnam gives priority to adding literary works of France and China.

Avoid adding works that, although valuable, are published in uncommon languages, and consider adding translations into popular languages of those works.

e) Topics on Southeast Asian and Asian countries.

Focus on supplementing research documents on economics, culture, literature, society... of Southeast Asian countries published in common languages. To overcome the language limitation in supplementing the National Library of Vietnam, promote photocopying and international borrowing.

f) Topics on library studies.

Supplement documents on library studies, bibliography, and information science; focus on documents from countries with advanced library and information activities, documents from IFLA, and international or regional library conferences.

g) Topics on national history.

Fully supplement foreign research documents on Vietnam, related to Vietnam and works by Vietnamese people abroad regardless of topic, language, type of publication and time of publication.

h) Language aspect.

Add foreign news sources in popular languages in the following order of priority: English, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese.

For information sources in less popular languages that TVQGVN has had up to now, on the one hand, we will not continue to add more, on the other hand, we will conduct purges of old, tattered information sources, outdated and obsolete information, only retaining documents with valuable content to free up storage and avoid waste in document preservation, improving the quality of information sources.

i) Geographical area.

Focus on supplementing information sources from China, Laos, and Cambodia. These are neighboring countries with long-standing relations in history, geography, cultural traditions, and economic cooperation. Key topics are about territory, borders, history, culture, and economy...

For news sources from countries in the Southeast Asian region, the additional topic of interest is economic, cultural and educational cooperation among countries in the ASEAN bloc.

Sources of information from developed countries that have cooperative relations with Vietnam focus on topics such as the history of the Indochina War, foreign policy, scientific and technological achievements, economics, culture, education, political relations, etc.

k) Source publication format.

The National Library of Vietnam continues to supplement two main forms of foreign language information sources: books and newspapers and magazines. The Library also focuses on supplementing other types of information sources such as: tapes, microfilms, CD-ROMs, etc.

l) Type of source.

Prioritize the addition of reference materials and selectively supplement scientific documents, monographs, scientific periodicals and university teaching materials. At the same time, strictly selectively supplement popular scientific documents, literature books, textbooks and children's books.

m) Number of copies for a source name.

Only 1 copy of foreign sources is added, only 2 copies are imported when absolutely necessary. In this case, before being imported into the library, all sources are processed through duplicate searches through ISBN index searches performed on the additional subsystem of the ILIB software. However, the number of books donated by the Asia Foundation does not follow the above 1-copy principle and there are documents imported into the warehouse with a quantity greater than 1 copy.

For reprinted sources, TVQGVN only stores reprinted sources with additions or corrections. If the source is simply reprinted by the NCT without any additions or corrections in terms of content, TVQGVN will not store the new version.

For reference documents: Depending on the requirements of the user and the number of service departments, decide the number of copies for a document.

In general, the work of supplementing information sources of the National Library of Vietnam has been carried out in accordance with the proposed supplementary scope, but there are still some important issues that need to be resolved:

The implementation of supplementary information sources of the National Library of Vietnam is still subjective and emotional for those who do this work because the lists of information sources to be purchased, including foreign sources, do not have the input of experts or consultants.

The library has not yet organized official surveys on the elderly of NDT to see how their needs change and develop according to each stage of social development in order to promptly adjust the supplementary work accordingly.

2.4. Supplementing foreign language information sources at the National Library of Vietnam

2.4.1. Exchange source

Exchange is one of the important additional sources of the VNTV. Therefore, up to now, the VNTV has always focused on expanding document exchange and developing domestic and international exchanges. Currently, the number of information sources is increasing exponentially, so no library agency can buy all types of documents in the world, while overcoming difficulties in funding to supplement valuable information sources.

International exchange takes place on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation between the VNU and agencies and libraries around the world. The exchange principle of the VNU is that book, newspaper and magazine titles are exchanged for book, newspaper and magazine titles. However, this principle is flexible in order to create cooperative relationships between countries such as:

Libraries of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Cambodia, etc., the National Library of Vietnam hardly sends or receives many.

Regarding the exchange method: TVQGVN chooses the form of selecting exchanges through the national directory or exchange list and the method of selecting exchanges through topics, sometimes implementing both methods. During the exchange process, professional staff will monitor the exchange situation to know which unit does not send exchange documents (1 year) without reason, then the exchange will be temporarily suspended.

The application of information technology in the activities of the National Library of Vietnam has brought many benefits such as: direct exchange via the Internet with libraries and units at home and abroad will not cost much time and money. This activity is important to create long-term and quality exchange relationships. However, the document exchange work of the Library also encountered problems such as: some units stopped exchanging or sent documents but did not receive them, many units sent late, duplicated, the quality of some exchanged documents was not high. However, the information exchange activities of the National Library of Vietnam over the years have continuously developed.

Before 1990, the VNU Library almost only exchanged with countries in the socialist system. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the exchange with socialist countries decreased significantly, causing the VNU Library to lose a potential source of exchange. Each year, the Library only receives from 100 to 300 books and nearly 100 newspaper and magazine titles. Since 1990, the Library has had exchange relations with 320 units from 82 countries around the world. Every year, the Library receives about 10,000 books and about 1,200 types of newspapers and magazines.

The work of exchanging information resources of the Library with international organizations still faces many difficulties, because there are units that do not have the need to exchange documents in Vietnamese. Therefore, in order to conduct the exchange, the National Library of Vietnam needs to supplement documents in the language.

Comment