• 2022-08-12

The Taipei International Book Exhibition (TiBE) was cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic. This year was the first year it was held during the summer, specifically from June 2-7 at the World Trade Center. France was the guest of honor, with a total of 31 countries and 364 publishers from Taiwan and abroad attending this reading feast. 2022 also marks the 30^th year of TiBE. The Taipei Book Fair Foundation’s theme was “Let’s Find Interest in Reading Together.” It also had 10 special pavilions, including a display called “Hello 30! Thirty Special Exhibitions for 2022 TiBE,” “In and Out of the Forest Children’s Pavilion,” and a digital pavilion with the first AR theater in Taiwan. The Dragon Boat Festival fell during the six days of the exhibition, and a total of 250,000 people visited the exhibition.

National Central Library and TiBE have a deep relationship. Not only was NCL the host for the first exhibition, but also the only library in Taiwan that has attended all thirty exhibitions. As a result, NCL designed a display on the 30 years of the exhibition, which happened to reflect NCL’s progress in responding to societal changes and information evolution. It was one of the most historically potent displays at TiBE.

For this year’s book exhibition, NCL decided on the theme “National Central Library–Your Pilot: Reading Anytime, Anywhere” for its booth. On display were the many reading events NCL offers, important scholarly resources, replicas of ancient Chinese books that make them come to life, digital reading services, and cultural and creative products made by using NCL’s collection to create an aesthetic life. Even more special was the collected historic pictures and reports from the early years of international book exhibitions, which were displayed in both physical and digital form. Through these selected materials, NCL put on display its efforts in promoting reading in Taiwan, in engaging in international scholarly exchange services, and its move on to the international stage. It is our hope that it can guide people from Taiwan and other countries to understand the fact that NCL is both a repository of books and other materials, as well as a national brand in the promotion of reading, in addition to a window by which the world accesses Taiwan’s scholarly resources and other libraries.

The opening ceremony for the booth was held at Exhibition Booth B219 in the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 on June 2 at 2:30 in the afternoon. That day many dignitaries were in attendance, including representatives from cultural and education circles, ambassadors and representative offices from other countries, and publishers. Deputy Minister of Education Teng-chiao Lin and Taipei Book Fair Foundation Robert Lin were invited as special guest to speak at the opening ceremony. Director-General Hsien-shu Tseng stated NCL theme this year was “NCL – Your Pilot: Reading Anytime, Anywhere,” which is designed to help people more fully understand what NCL has in its amazing collections, what it does with its variety of reading promotion events, what is achievements are in planning and leading, and how it is indefatigable in its efforts to create an environment where reading is always present.

The NCL booth had eight main sections

1. A Look at 30 Years of Exhibitions section:

Replicas of ancient books: A total of 10 ancient book replicas that were on display for the first exhibition

Historic photos: A total of 17 photos from the first TiBE

Historic information: Including the “First TiBE Catalog and Handbook,” the book Shu de gushi, which NCL published for the 3^rd TiBE, and reports and articles about the 1^st TiBE.

2. Poster display section: On display were posters from the Taiwan Reading Festivals from 2013 to 2021 and Olympic athletes’ reading promotion posters. A total of 24 were on display.
3. Publications section: NCL worked with publishers to publish Dunhuang juanzi, Tianyuan yuli, and Shanhai jing tujian. NCL has also published Taiwan chuban yu yuedu, Taiwan xueshu ziyuan yingxiangli fenxi baogao, Taiwan yuedu fengmao ji quanmin yueduli baogao, and the six main subject collections of the regional resource centers.
4. Cultural and creative products section: A selection of around 20 such products from NCL were on display, including mugs, porcelain cups, Chinese drama themed notebooks, business card holders, thumb drives, a series of Su Dongpo themed scarves, ties, and handmade books.
5. Ancient book section: This is the first time the Lotus Sutra and the Diamond Sutra have been on display; the area also has a TV wall playing a video in ancient books.
6. Digital viewing section: Since the Dragon Boat Festival fell on a day during the exhibition, one wall was designed with a large image of the festival. A video was also shown (on loop) on NCL’s achievements in reading promotion and emphasis on diversity, include the Taiwan Reading Festival, the Center for Chinese Studies’ Dragon Boat Festival celebration, a collage of posters promoting reading, important databases created by NCL, and overseas collaborations to establish Taiwan Resource Centers for Chinese Studies (TRCCS).
7. Digital exhibition section: A video on “NCLibTVNCL in your home” was shown and related informational material provided.
8. Interactive section: Held a “NCL answers your questions” event using traditional bamboo strips for divination. In the container were 15 strips on “reading recipes”; NCL gifts were also given away, adding to the excitement of the event.

Salon style lectures in conjunction with the exhibition

NCL hosted two lectures in the exhibition salon area. The first was held on June 2 by Hung-hsu Liang from NCL’s knowledge services division. He spoke on “What You Don’t Know about National Central Library.” He interacted with the audience in a light and engaging manner, answering all their questions and explaining NCL’s orientation, its rare collections and abundant resources, its services, its reading promotion, etc. The second was held on June 5 in the salon area of the French pavilion. The lecture was given by Li-ling Lin, a restoration specialist in NCL’s special collections division. She talked about restoring ancient books and demonstrated common ways to fix books. It was a rare display of technical knowledge.