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032 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.9, 2017

should devote themselves to elevate information literacy which is a major measurement of the
improvement of peoples’ life qualities. Whether the information gap can be narrowed depends
on peasants’ information literacy. Therefore, cultural targeted poverty alleviation should elevate
information literacy (J. Z. Wu, 2017). For a period the focus of public cultural institutions
is targeted poverty alleviation and digitalization is the most effective way. Confronted with
challenges and opportunities, libraries should make use of new technologies such as Internet to
diversify means of services and elevate information literacy and skills of the public, especially the
poor.

8 Library reforms

No matter at home or abroad, the priority of government work is public services. Although the
content of the government work is more or less the same, there are many differences in methods,
especially when facing economic hardship. Some scholars concluded the modes of cultural
management services in advanced countries and regions as follows: government leading mode
in countries such as France, Japan, Korea and Singapore; civil society leading mode in countries
represented by the United States and Germany where governments rely on cultural groups and
institutions as well as policies and regulations to administrate cultural services; decentralization
mode represented by Britain, Australia and Switzerland where governments establish partnership
with civil cultural groups and administrate cultural services through them (Y. Li & Y. Ma, 2017).
In view of public libraries, Japan has been entrusting social forces to develop culture since the
1980s, from partly to entirely entrusting. In the United States, both federal and local governments
ask libraries to transform or to close in the new normal economy period. Libraries are forced to
reform. The British government carries out “Weak government, strong society” in recent years.
Public libraries are taken charge of by local governments, which results in the decrease in number
and funds of libraries (J. Z. Wu, Y. Zhang, & Y. Zhang, 2015). The common ground of the three
countries is the participation of social forces which does not mean that the nations are not able
to afford cultural affairs. It is not simply the matter of money, but outlook of development.
Public services may not be supplied by the government. In most cases it may be more effective
by government purchase or collaboration with civil society, which is adopted by most advanced
countries. In China we are still keen on relying on the government. Even some local governments
increase input continuously which leads to unoccupied and waste of resources.
Library reforms should attach importance to the following. Firstly, we should bring forth new
ideas on systems and mechanisms in favor of public library service reform. It is the trend to
incorporate social forces. Whereas there are many ways of participation, we need to study on the
mode fit for our conditions. Even in China there is the gap between the East and the West, so one
size does not fit all. The unilateral zeal of the government should call for a halt. It is suggested
that the government should make experiment with audacity and advance it steadily. Secondly, we