• 2020-12-29

In order to establish an institutionalized and normalized communication platform for public libraries, the Ministry of Education promoted the convening of the National Public Library Development Conference in 2020. The first such conference was organized by the National Central Library and formally convened on 14 and 15 December at The Great Roots Forestry Spa Resort. Representatives were invited from public libraries of all levels from throughout Taiwan to discuss a new vision for the development of public libraries island-wide.

In remarks at the opening ceremony, Director of the Lifelong Education Department of the Ministry of Education said that the development of Taiwan's domestic public libraries has benefited from relevant subsidy program funds in recent years. Thanks to the efforts of the three national libraries and the public libraries of various counties and cities, she said, libraries are growing in all aspects of their operations; they have all made great progress. In order to provide the public with better library services, the Ministry of Education expects gradually to establish a normalized communication and exchange platform, so that everyone can learn from each other and forge ahead together; the conference therefore provided a development opportunity. At the same time, the National Central Library was thanked for its careful planning to build a high-quality communication platform. The theme of the conference echoed the development direction that public libraries across the country have worked hard to promote in recent years: "cooperation and sharing.” “Service Innovation" is the agenda related to the core extension plan. It is hoped that it can bring new inspiration to everyone involved in library development, and that it can also be effectively applied to various aspects of library development.

The conference invited the Distinguished Professor and Director of the Library of National Taiwan Normal University, Hao-Ren Ke, to give a special lecture on the topic of “The Public Library in the New Era,” looking at development trends among domestic and foreign libraries, and, as a beginning to initiate concrete action, guiding participants in imagining how libraries will look in the new era.