Page 7 - Journal of Library Science in China 2020 Vol.46

006 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.12, 2020

Republic of China (PRC), replied to eight retired NLC experts who wrote to him. In the letter, he
pointed out that “the library marked the level of cultural development, which is an important place
to nourish national spirits and cultivate cultural confidence”. He also put forward expectations for
the future development of the NLC and librarianship, which inspired librarians of the whole nation.
XI’s letter has both practical and historical significance for the development of the NLC and the
whole librarianship. It is a guiding document that makes clear our direction and also provides
immense opportunities to promote the development of national public libraries.
In the new era with new circumstances, the global librarianship faces the challenges of
transformation. The NLC shoulders crucial responsibilities and missions in the development
of librarianship. The Public Library Law of the People’s Republic of China (2017) clarifies
the NLC’s core function in the strategic preservation of national documents and information,
national bibliography and union catalog, service for national legislation, preservation of ancient
books, research on library development and international exchange, operational guidance and
technical support for other libraries and so on. In addition to fulfilling its function and making
innovation, the NLC is discussing and predicting potential problems in transformation, searching
for new growth points in operations, technical research and application, innovative services and
developmental research of librarianship, and thinking over how to provide better operational
guidance and technical support for libraries of all levels. Since it is the last year of the 13th Five-
Year Plan, it is of great importance to implement the spirit of XI’s letter, grip the window period of
transformation of public libraries and formulate objectives, direction, tasks and measures for the
14th Five-Year Plan period and even more.
This article endeavors to summarize the results and experience of the development of public
libraries during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, and analyzes main problems under the new
circumstances of economic, social and technical development. Reflections on key dimensions of
future work are addressed and suggestions are also made on how to strengthen communication and
cooperation between the NLC and libraries of all levels to boost the development of librarianship.

1 Remarkable development of public libraries during the 13th Five-Year
Plan period

The 13th Five-Year Plan is coming to the end, while the objective judgment of current conditions is
the basis and premise of planning future development. During the past four years, public libraries
have made remarkable progress in facilities, collections and services due to the great attention of
the CPC and the government as well as support of cultural administrative departments of all levels.
As of the end of 2018, the total collection of public libraries approached 1.04 billion volumes,
increasing by about 200 million volumes and 24% compared with that in 2015; and building area
covered about 16 million square meters, an increase of nearly 2.8 million square meters and over
21% than that in 2015. In 2018 nearly 820 million people borrowed books in public libraries