Page 46 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2015 Vol. 41

Wugang JIN / A study on construction and accomplishment for the county level central-branch library system in China 045

3.3 Synergistic interaction with county-level culture centers

In the construction of China’s modern public culture service system, an emerging idea is to promote
the county-level central-branch culture center system revolving around the county-level culture centers.
This is also the key requirement of the Views on accelerating the construction of modern public cultural
service system. The county-level central-branch culture centers system, in synergistic efforts with the
county-level central-branch library system, is well positioned to facilitate the balanced development of
public cultural services in both urban and rural areas. While the central-branch library system focuses
on delivering public reading services to primary-level readers, the central-branch culture center system
lays stress on the training guidance and services for primary-level cultural activities.
At the county level, the central-branch culture center system and the central-branch library
system are promoted respectively with county-level culture centers and libraries in the central
positions, but at the levels of townships (sub-districts) and villages (communities), branch libraries
and branch culture centers or service outlets of the two systems often intersect and share the same
culture facilities and personnel. Considering that both are part of the public culture service system,
they should work together and seek mutual development.

4 Raising professional capabilities through targeted improvements and
priority-based breakthroughs

Like any other specialized sector, libraries should be equipped with professional capabilities
and ready to provide professional services. Regrettably, within the county-level central-branch
library system, both central libraries and branch libraries are in urgent need of improvements on
the professional capabilities and service quality, which are also the strategic requirements for the
sustainable development of the system (L. Z. Yu, 2011). Service quality should be immediately
raised through specialized management methods from the profession at the township (sub-district)
culture stations, village (community) general culture service centers, Farmer’s Reading Rooms and
other similar facilities that serve as “branch libraries” or service outlets, so as to meet the demands
of public reading and maximize the service benefits.

4.1 Strengthening the capacity of county-level library services

Only a decade ago, the construction of county-level libraries in China, especially in the central
and western regions, was yet stuck in a “sink or swim” situation (Library Society of China, 2006).
But today it has taken on a refreshed and vibrant new look (see Table 1) and become a model
demonstration for the county-level public reading service provision. County-level libraries are
expected to hold the central position in the central-branch library system, in charge of the overall
planning and integration of public reading resources and service provision in the county and