On the morning of 15th September 2012, about 30 delegates of the 7th “10+3 Cultural Human Resource Development and Cooperation Seminar” of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations sponsored by the Foreign Liaison Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, Guangxi Provincial Culture Department and the National Library of China came to Hangzhou Public Library. Accompanied by Li Sha (chief of the Foreign Affairs Division of Zhejiang Provincial Culture Department), He Ping (vice director of Hangzhou Municipal Culture, Broadcasting and News Bureau), Chen Fenghua (chief of the Foreign Cultural Exchange Division), Chu Shuqing (director of Hangzhou Public Library) and so on, the delegates visited Hangzhou Public Library and conducted spot exchange.
Visit: Hangzhou Public Library is “very nice”!
The grand, elegant, modern and classic decoration style of Hangzhou Public Library brought a great surprise to the delegates, and they took photos for commemoration! Li Shuxian (director of the Material Management Division of South Korea National Central Library), held that the design that it could go through in the Library without storing the bag and without barrier, it could directly look at the children reading zone from the self-study zone, especially the detail that an automatic shoes-washing machine was provided at the entrance of 3F theme service center moved her greatly by the human-oriented and humane style of Hangzhou Public Library. She expressed to the accompanying interpreter that, “little does one think, one urban library can be built in such large size and in such wonderful way! In addition, there are so many people to study here!”
At HIFI room of the Music Library, the delegates could not help dancing in the music with dynamic rhythm and full of passion. Their enthusiasm moved all of accompanying persons and the workers of Hangzhou Public Library right away. This short-time exchange became more moved and left much deeper impression.
Exchange: Enhancing mutual understanding, gaining precious friendship
After the visit, the delegates conducted deep dialogue and exchange with the leaders from the provincial government and municipal government, the director of Hangzhou Public Library and librarians at the readers exchange zone. He Ping (vice director of Hangzhou Municipal Culture, Broadcasting and News Bureau) made the welcome address to the delegates; Chu Shuqing (director of Hangzhou Public Library) introduced the service conditions of Hangzhou Public Library. Most of these delegates were directors of the libraries or division directors from different countries. They showed great concern on existing conditions and development trend in future of the libraries, especially the human resource support for the public libraries in the information environment and fund allocation issue when the library transforms from providing the single literature borrowing and reading service to providing multiple culture service. With the free and open exchange and dialogue among the hosts and guests, the delegates had much deeper impressions of Hangzhou Public Library, and Hangzhou Public Library also had further understanding of the conditions of the libraries in the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Many delegates expressed that, they would strengthen communication, make close link and try to promote mutual cooperation and win-win in future.
