Name of the Library: National Central Library
Parent Organisation: Ministry of Education
Street Address: No.20, Zhongshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City , Taiwan
Postal Address: 10001
Telephone :+886-2-23619132
Web Address: http://www.ncl.edu.tw
Library Email: reader@ncl.edu.tw
Type of Library : Central/ Main
Population served:23,000,000
Project Type: Extension
Size (square metres):41494.95
Date of Completion:75/9/28
Architect: Sen-Tang Chen
Description
The National Central Library (NCL) is founded on 80 years of solid foundation. It carries in its bosom, since the Sung dynasty until today, more than 4.1 million items of rich library materials. It aims to fulfil her goals with the vision of being the center of “National culture knowledge and global Chinese resources preservation and service”. It hopes to become nationally, the only library that preserves the Chinese cultural classical works and library books and documents.
The object of its services includes the general public, academic researchers, government agencies and organizations at home and abroad, national librarians, publishing sector, international academic institutions and foreign scholars.
Services offered include “collection of library materials”, “reading materials advice,” “reading & promotion of special collections,” “digital information and video sharing,” “national library enterprise research and counselling,” “cultural, educational and reading promotion activities,” “international cooperation and cultural exchange,” “Chinese Studies reading and cooperation promotion” and other related important undertakings.
With the hope to concretely promote the competitiveness of Chinese culture, foster reading literacy of the people by setting up global Chinese Studies stronghold, and effectively enhance the soft power of Taiwan’s pluralistic development, the NCL plans and implements the following five strategies: 1. “make good use of the new law, knowledge navigator,” 2. “Work together to reach professionalism,” 3. “Believe reading in making a happy Taiwan,” 4. “Face the world, promote the culture” and 5. “Make Taiwan knowledgeable, promote Chinese Studies globally.”
Locally join county and city governments to set up regional resource centers. On the international level, actively disseminate the quintessence of Chinese culture.
All the above initiatives in view of successfully opening a new road map towards the development of library enterprise in the 21st century, piloting readers to travel in the vast sea of books.
Each year the NCL offers more than 500 professional training courses and reading exhibitions and events; it also invites more than 400 scholars to give intriguing lectures, with over 200,000 people attending the events. It exerts its influence on culture, society, the economy, and technology. In addition, it instituted the Taiwan Reading Festival—the first event of its kind in the world. Every December publishers, artistic troupes, schools, libraries, and countless members of the public in Taiwan come together to celebrate this unique festival. At the same time, sales of publications in Taiwan increase, and reading habits are improved in the lives of the public.
The NCL has continued to improve its catalogue services, placing emphasis on e-book technology and leading the development of research in publications, academics, and reading. Other efforts include expanding service policies for readers, upgrading the functionality of information systems, re-creating the value of Chinese culture, and showing forth achievements in digital humanities. As a result, the staff works in unison, with a core concept that patrons are the most important. It strives to become one of the top libraries in the world. Moreover, it is a must-stop for Taiwan citizens and foreign scholars to gather information for research.
1001 Libraries to see before you die 