• 2023-06-02

The 2023 Taipei International Book Exhibition (TiBE) was held right after Chinese New Year. The opening ceremony was held on January 31. NCL attended TiBE with the aim of promoting its new service, the Open Lab that just opened its doors to the public in 2022. NCL put on display crafts made using some of the equipment available at Open Lab, including items printed on a 3D printer, a mbira made of wood, various materials printed with heat transfer, sewn items, laser carved items, and more. There were also close to 200 books that can help makers learn new processes, gain inspiration, and develop new skills. In addition, the National Central Library found some content in the ancient books in its collection about “makers” in ancient China. Images on display came from such ancient books as The Exploitations of the Works of Nature, An Illustrated Guide to Marvelous Machines, Illustrations of Embroidery, Illustrated Compendium of the Three Realms, An Anthology of Calligraphy and Paintings from the Ten Bamboo Studio, Lingering Notes from Remote Antiquity, and Moveable Type Prints from the Hall of Military Glory. All of these help visitors to learn about and understand the creative productions of ancient makers.

Director-General Shu-hsien Tseng stated that the new trend in library services at the most advanced ibraries in the world is continue expanding services as multifaceted and appropriate educational values gradually take root in society. The development of global information technology also helps libraries support reading whilst supporting creative learning with one’s mind and hands. It is NCL’s hope that people with different learning dispositions can grow and be inspired because of their making use of societal resources such as libraries and maker labs. Director-General Tseng further stated that the National Central Library embraces the value of reading and hopes that it can create a space for making where learners and the public can explore, learn, experience, share, and stimulate their creative thoughts. NCL’s booth at this year ’s exhibition is aimed at helping the public enjoy an easy and interesting way of doing through playing and learning through doing, experience and understand how to acquire new knowledge from reading, learn new abilities, and further obtain more energy to create. The General-Director also welcomed everyone and encouraged parents to bring their children to NCL’s booth to have a new and different experience in creating things with their hands.

Administrative Deputy Minister of Education Teng-chiao Lin stated in his remarks it is meaningful that this year’s TiBE began after Chinese New Year. A new year filled with new hope sees the National Central Library showcase its exhibition “NCL Starts a New Chapter: A New Opportunity for Makers.” Libraries provide the public with opportunities to read, research, learn, and make oneself better. In this new age and open society, opportunities in life are ubiquitous. There are some stories about makers who, through diligence in learning, trying, and creating at the Maker Lab, successfully turned their lives around. Deputy Minister Lin hopes that in the future, the National Central Library’s successful experience with this maker lab can provide a blueprint for other county and city libraries in creating many more successful maker labs throughout the island.

Attendance at the opening ceremony included Deputy Minister Lin, the Department Chief of Lifelong Education, and the Chairman of the Taipei Book Fair Foundation, in addition to ambassadors from our ally nations Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Eswatini. Also, representatives from the India Taipei Association and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Czech Republic were present. A special invitation was extended to a sand artist to perform at the opening ceremony and show the content of these new services at NCL’s Open Lab. Guests in attendance and the public were in awe. The ceremony was well attended and full of surprises.