CIRCULAR

STANDARDS FOR LIBRARIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Pursuant to the Law on Education dated June 14, 2019;

Pursuant to the Law on Higher Education dated June 18, 2012; Law on amendment to the Law on Higher Education dated November 19, 2018;

Pursuant to the Law on Libraries dated November 21, 2019;

Pursuant to Decree No. 93/2020/ND-CP dated August 18, 2020 of the Government elaborating the Law on Libraries;

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2022/ND-CP dated October 24, 2022 of the Government on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of Ministry of Education and Training;

At request of Director of Department of Facilities;

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Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope and regulated entities

1. This Circular prescribes standards for libraries in higher education institutions (hereinafter referred to as “university libraries”), including: Information resources; facilities; specialized equipment; library activities; library management.

2. This Circular applies to higher education institutions, universities, institutes (hereinafter referred to as “higher education institutions”); relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Article 2. Definitions

In this Circular, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Information resources mean documents in physical form or digital form, published or otherwise distributed in different languages depending on training program objectives and contents. Library users can use information resources in teaching, studying, and scientific research, including: Coursebooks, reference documents, internal documents.

2. Reference documents mean documents that library users use during teaching, studying, and scientific research, including: Reference works, monographs, translated books, guidance books, homework books, other published materials; scientific journals, works, and documents that have been published in Vietnam and internationally.

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4. Title of coursebooks and reference documents means name of coursebooks, reference documents. Copies mean the number of published titles available.

5. Library users mean lecturers, learners, and other individuals using libraries.

Article 3. Purpose of standards for libraries in higher education institutions

1. Ensure fulfillment of functions and tasks of university libraries under Clause 2 Article 14 of the Law on Libraries and satisfy higher education quality.

2. Identify use standards and norms of area of professional structures, machinery and equipment in the field of education and training in order to develop investment projects for construction, innovation, or upgrade of existing university libraries.

Chapter II

STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Article 4. Information resources

1. Have sufficient information resources appropriate to each training major of education institutions, including: Coursebooks, reference documents, and internal documents.

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a) Number of coursebook titles: Have sufficient coursebooks required by training programs for use by lecturers and learners in teaching, studying, and scientific research;

b) Number of copies per coursebook title: At least 50 copies/1.000 learners;

c) Number of copies per reference document title: At least 20 copies/1.000 learners;

d) Digital information resources

- Coursebooks and reference documents must conform to regulations on intellectual property and be digitalized according to agreement of higher education institutions with authors. In regard to digitalized coursebooks and reference documents, a minimum number of copies equal to 50% of the number of copies under Point b and Point c Clause 2 of this Article is required.

- 100% of internal documents shall be digitalized;

- Have the right to access domestic and international database on scientific books and journals appropriate to level and scale of training majors.

3. Requirements of information resources

a) Published information resources shall be processed, organized, preserved, inventoried, and sorted in accordance with library operation regulations and procedures;

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Article 5. Facilities

1. University libraries must be located in convenient locations that satisfy demand of users and enable persons with disability to access and use.

2. Area of university libraries

a) Total area of university libraries shall be determined in accordance with regulations on standards and norms on area usage of professional structures in education and training sector, including area of functional areas and auxiliary areas;

b) Functional areas include: Reading spaces (reading rooms and open spaces); information resource storage; lookup, return, information desks; information resource display and exhibits; lecture rooms; service rooms; administrative and professional affair rooms;

c) Auxiliary areas include: Lobbies; corridors; stairs; sanitation areas and technical rooms.

3. Reading space

a) Number of seats in reading rooms shall be calculated for a minimum of 5% of total learners; minimum area of each seat shall be 2,4 m² (not including open space). Total area of reading rooms must not lower than 200 m².

Type of reading rooms, number of reading rooms, and number of seats in each reading room shall be determined depending on training majors and training methods:

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- Field-specific reading rooms mean reading rooms for library users to study and research in specific fields;

- Group study rooms mean rooms for library users to discuss and work in groups;

- Multimedia rooms mean rooms that are equipped with specialized equipment to utilize digital information resources with various content format such as electronic document, audio, image, animation, video.

b) Open spaces shall be organized flexibly within the premise of university libraries and higher education institutions; equipped with specialized equipment to accommodate convenience and flexibility in using information resources.

4. Information resource storage

a) Information resources shall be organized and arranged in separate sections or in reading rooms, open spaces as long as management, preservation, and storage thereof are appropriate for each type of information resources, including: Published information resources shall be kept in closed storage and open storage; digital information resources shall be stored on server system and other means of data storage methods;

b) Storage of published information shall have a minimum area of 2,5 m²/1.000 book copies in case of closed storage and 4,5 m²/1.000 book copies in case of open storage;

c) Storage of digital information resources must have sufficient area for placement of server system and other means of data storage.

5. Lookup, return, information desks

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b) Return areas shall be located where borrowing and return of information resources are convenient;

c) Information desks shall be located where they are recognizable and convenient for inquiries.

6. Information resource display and exhibits shall be located in separate rooms or in lobbies, corridors, reading rooms of university libraries.

7. Lecture rooms shall be located separately or integrated with teaching rooms, lecture halls, or conference rooms of higher education institutions.

8. Depending on conditions of each university library, service areas must be convenient, safe, environmentally hygienic, appropriate to library use and management activities under Point d Clause 1 Article 7 hereof, including:

a) Refreshment, meal, and recreation areas;

b) Printing, photocopying, and duplicating areas;

c) Other service areas.

9. Administrative and professional affair areas must have sufficient space to allow library employees to work and organize professional library activities.

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a) Floor and base of university libraries must conform to applicable construction standards; floor and base of reading rooms must utilize carpets or other flooring materials that are easy to clean, seamless, and resistant to mold and moisture;

b) Doors and windows of university libraries must conform to applicable construction standards; ensure natural lighting and ventilation; ensure convenience and safety in use; and be easy to use and clean;

c) Lighting system of university libraries consists of natural lighting, artificial lighting, and combined lighting. Lighting system must conform to applicable lighting standards;

d) Ventilation system of university libraries shall combine natural and artificial ventilation to ensure clean air. Air-conditioning system shall ensure appropriate temperature and humidity for each type of information resources;

dd) Fire prevention and firefighting system of university libraries must satisfy fire safety requirements of buildings and constructions as per the law.

Article 6. Specialized equipment

1. Sufficient specialized equipment for library activities is required, including:

a) Bookshelves, tables, chairs for library users; tables, chairs, cabinets for library employees, information desks; equipment serving lookup, display, and introduction of new information resources and publications of higher education institutions;

b) Computers system connected to the internet, printers, photocopy machines, scanners, servers, data storage units, audio-visual media, security devices, automated equipment in university activities and other library technology equipment;

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d) Website or internet portal allowing online lookup of table of contents and utilization of digital information resources;

dd) Other equipment serving library operation and management.

2. Requirements for specialized equipment

a) Visual instructions in form of images, signs, or graphs must be clear, concise, accurate, and comprehensive and located in visible areas;

b) Bookshelves, tables, and chairs have dimension appropriate to space of functional areas in university libraries; be organized reasonably and flexibly to ensure diversity in library activities;

c) Equipment must guarantee environmental safety and hygiene, conform to regulations on information management and use.

Article 7. Library activity

1. Activities serving library users, including:

a) Guiding library users to comply with library rules, read signage and symbols; look up, search, and choose information resources;

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c) Exhibiting and displaying information resources, services of libraries;

d) Providing meal, refreshment, recreational, document printing, photocopying, duplicating services among other services depending on conditions of each university library;

dd) Conducting other activities depending on demand of library users.

2. Professional library activities, including:

a) Developing information resources;

b) Processing information resources and organizing information lookup system;

c) Preserving information resources;

d) Creating and providing library information products and library services;

dd) Connecting with other libraries;

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g) Developing digital library;

h) Modernizing the library;

i) Implementing library communication;

k) Implementing international cooperation regarding libraries;

l) Evaluating library operation.

3. Digital library development

a) Digital library must be compatible and connected to digital information resource database and relevant systems; ensure authenticity and integrity of digital information resources; adhere to national and international standards;

b) Digital library services include providing, sharing, and using digital information resources. Provision of digital library services must adhere to regulations and law on intellectual property, information technology, and cybersecurity;

c) Digital libraries shall available via the Internet or internal network; ensure safety and security for user database and control access of accounts; be maintained, upgraded, and repaired in a timely manner.

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a) Connection rules

- University libraries shall connect to one another on the basis of voluntary connection, sharing, and contribution of common information resources; cooperate on the basis of agreement between libraries and unified procedures in order to improve use effectiveness of information resource; comply with regulations and law on intellectual property, information technology, cybersecurity and relevant law provisions;

- In order to establish connection with each other, university libraries are required to have: Compatible information technology infrastructure; digital information sources are edited and technically processed in accordance with national and international standards; library management software capable of connecting with other libraries and expanding API connection or connections according to national and international standards; appropriate personnel to adapt, operate, use, share;

- Manage and use connected information resources in accordance with purposes, effectiveness, and connection rules.

b) Method of connection

University libraries shall join connection via connection methods established under connection regulations, including:

- Regarding published information resources: Connected university libraries shall transfer the information resources on a regular, periodic basis;

- Regarding digital information resources: Connected university libraries shall share and grant access to digital information resources;

- Other appropriate means.

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Connection between university libraries shall be implemented in a centralized or distributed manner. Implementation and operation plans for university library connection established under connection regulations and principles are required.

d) Responsibilities of university libraries joining connection

- University libraries leading the connection are responsible for:

Developing connection regulations and principles, which identify methods of developing, sharing, utilizing common information resources; level of sharing, access of users; using information resources, information products and services;

Sharing and contributing information resources to common system;

Providing professional assistance for connecting university libraries;

University libraries leading the connection shall be prioritized as beneficiaries in development investment policies as per applicable law.

- University libraries joining the connection are responsible for:

Participating in developing connection regulations and principles;

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Article 8. Library management

1. Management of information resources, facilities, specialized equipment, and library operation

a) Documents prescribing functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, and operation of university libraries promulgated by competent persons are required;

b) Library management system is required according to library professional operation and regulations;

c) Plans for organizing library activities under Clause 1 and Clause 2 Article 7 hereof;

d) Facilities and specialized equipment are inspected, maintained, repaired, and replaced on a timely basis; inventoried and evaluated for use conditions on an annual basis in order to enable asset liquidation, cost allocation for repair, replacement, or additional investment;

dd) Library activities introduced to library users, organized according to plan, and evaluated for effectiveness on an annual basis.

2. Operating costs

a) Operating costs serve to maintain quality of library activities; maintain and develop information resources, facilities, and specialized equipment;

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c) Management and use of annual operating costs of university libraries shall comply with regulations and law.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 9. Transition clause

In regard to investment projects for construction or renovation of university libraries approved or permitted before effective date hereof, such investment projects shall continue to conform to approved details.

Article 10. Entry into force and responsibilities for implementation

1. This Circular comes into force from September 1, 2023.

2. Chief of Office, Director of Department of Facilities, heads of relevant entities affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Training; directors of universities and academies; principals of higher education institutions; directors of university libraries; relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementation of this Circular./.

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PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Pham Ngoc Thuong