Page 12 - Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.45, 2019

RAO Quan / The experience and transformation of Chinese librarianship 011

British Library”. Guangzhou Library organized a series of events titled “Global Tour to promote
multicultural exchanges”. The Library of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region hosted the China-
Asean Youth Reading Festival, Youth Artwork Creation Competition, etc. Some Chinese libraries
have also introduced books to foreign cultural institutions and established designated shelves
for Chinese publications. The library community has played a unique role in conveying Chinese
voices, telling Chinese stories and promoting multicultural exchanges and communication.
An increasing number of Chinese libraries and librarians are actively engaged in the work of
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), making suggestions and
contributing wisdom on issues of the international library community. The NLC has established
publication exchanges ties with 550 institutions in over 110 countries and regions, and signed
strategic cooperation agreements with 52 libraries worldwide. Academic discussions and business
exchanges are frequently conducted through seminars and workshops, such as the China-
North America Library Conference, Conference on Cooperative Development and Sharing of
Chinese Resources (CCDSCR), China-UK Library Forum, China-Arab Library and Information
Science Professionals Conference, and Working Meeting of the International Cooperation
on East Asian Collections of University Libraries, etc. The BL, along with the NLC and the
National Library of France, jointly launched the International Dunhuang Project (IDP), which
has achieved considerable outcomes in the preservation and digitization of Dunhuang documents.
The intermational communication platforms for libraries such as Silk Road International
Library Alliance, BRICS Library Alliance, China-CEEC Library Alliance have been founded,
demonstrating China’s contribution in the building of a strong international library community.
Generally speaking, as a developing country, China’s development in the library sector
is successful in terms of its achievements. We would like to share our experience with the
international library community, and to draw on the best practice from our international colleagues
as well.

2 Chinese librarianship at present: Facing new opportunities and challenges

The library sector is closely linked with the development of social and economic progress and
therefore is constantly influenced by changes in external conditions. For Chinese librarianship,
great opportunities as well as risks and challenges are presented along with the rapid development
of China’s society and economy, the continued growth in overall national strength, progress in
science and technology, as well as booming development of the culture sector.

2.1 Economic growth in both quantity and quality

Chinese economy has been constantly growing since the Reform and Opening-up policy launched
in 1978. In 2018, China’s GDP amounted to over 900 billion yuan, almost 244 times that of the