Page 6 - Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.47, 2021

RAO Quan / National smart library system: opening a new chapter for the transformation toward smart libraries 005

National smart library system: opening a new chapter

for the transformation toward smart libraries

*
RAO Quan〇a〇

Abstract
At present the human society is undergoing the new scientific and industrial revolution led by
technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT),
blockchain and 5G. The concepts of smart cities, smart societies, smart countries and even smart earth
have emerged and quickly developed to be an international agenda of significance. The transformation
towards smart libraries is urgent so as to provide more convenient, efficient and smart information
and knowledge services. As the National Library Information Network Center, the National Library
of China (NLC) has promoted the transformation of Chinese librarianship from traditional libraries
to digital libraries by launching the National Digital Library Project, the Digital Library Promoting
Project and so on. Confronted with the new demands of smart libraries, the NLC proposed to construct
the National Smart Library System in order to further the transformation towards smart libraries from
digital libraries. The overall architecture of the National Smart Library System can be concluded as
1+3+N. “1” refers to the cloud smart library; “3” refers to integrated storage of knowledge across the
network, national smart library management system and operating environment of smart knowledge
services; and “N” refers to offline smart service space in libraries of all levels and local service points.
To guarantee the scientific development of the National Smart Library System, the project will construct
three supporting systems, namely the smart library evaluation system, standards and regulation system,
and research and personnel training system.

Keywords
Cultural confidence, Library, Smart library, National Smart Library System, National Library of China.

With the practice of smart concepts and the development of smart society, the construction of smart
libraries at home and abroad has shifted from theoretical discussion to application. Public libraries,
academic libraries and professional libraries in China have started the theoretical and practical
exploration of smart transformation. However, the construction of smart libraries in China still
lacks mature theoretical guidance, coordination and interconnection within and among libraries,
and the top-level design and macro planning of the construction at the national level.
As the National Library Information Network Center, the National Library of China (NLC)
has promoted the transformation of Chinese librarianship from traditional libraries to digital
libraries by launching projects such as the National Digital Library Project and the Digital Library
Promoting Project. Confronted with the new demands of smart libraries, the NLC has put forward
the idea of building the National Smart Library System and making overall planning at the national
* Correspondence should be addressed to RAO Quan, Email: syrq@nlc.cn.