Decision No. 329/QD-TTg dated March 15, 2017 on approval for project on promotion of reading culture in community by 2020 with an orientation to 2030

DECISION

ON APPROVAL FOR PROJECT ON PROMOTION OF READING CULTURE IN COMMUNITY BY 2020 WITH AN ORIENTATION TO 2030

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Publishing Law dated November 20, 2012;

Pursuant to the Education Law dated June 14, 2005; Law on Amendments to certain articles of the Education Law dated November 25, 2009;

Pursuant to the Library Ordinance dated December 28, 2000;

Pursuant to the cultural development strategies by 2020 promulgated together with the Decision No. 581/QD-TTg dated May 06, 2009 by the Prime Minister;

At the request of the Minister of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1.Approval for the project on promotion of reading culture in the community by 2020 with an orientation to 2030 (hereinafter referred to as "the Project") with the following contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Promotion of reading culture is one of the important contents in the development of national culture and education.

2. Reading culture shall be developed on the basis of effective exploitation and continuous development of knowledge and culture of human and Vietnamese peoples and selective acceptance of essence of human knowledge.

3. The State shall assist the promotion of reading culture, enhance diversification and mobilize all private sector involvement to participate in promotion of reading culture.

4. Committees, local authorities, unions, social organizations, educational institutions and other relevant organizations together with families and the community shall participate in and facilitate promotion of reading culture.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

Develop reading habits, needs, skills and movement (both physical and electronic materials) among all social classes, especially among the youth, teenagers, students, especially people in rural and disadvantaged  areas; to improve reading environment; to contribute to the improvement of people's intellectual levels, develop their thinking and creativity, foster their personality and spirit, raise awareness of compliance with regulations of law, form healthy lifestyles in Vietnamese people and society and enhance development of a learning society.

2. Specific objectives

a) Primary objectives by 2020:

- In terms of accessibility to information and knowledge:

+ 80% of students and other learners at educational institutions centers is expected to gain access to information and knowledge in public libraries or libraries of educational/cultural/scientific institutions.

+ 20% - 25% of people living in rural areas and 15% - 20% of people living in disadvantaged areas are expected to get access to information, knowledge and other relevant services in public libraries, community study centers, commune postal and cultural centers or publishers.

- In terms of improving knowledge and reading skills:

+ 40% - 50% of people is expected to be capable of obtaining information and knowledge through endless reading and learning;

+ 85% of library users (90% of students) is expected to be capable of obtaining information and knowledge through reading for study, research and entertainment purposes.

- In terms of library and publishing activities:

+ The average number of books expected to be read is 5 copies/reader and 1 copy/reader in the public library system; each reader is expected to read 4 books per year on average;

+ The number of visitors gaining access to information in libraries is expected to reach 300,000,000 visitors per year;

+ It is expected that 100% of educational institutions at all levels will have libraries with appropriate reading materials, provided that 50% of high schools have standard libraries; 90% of public libraries have consolidated reading materials satisfying all readers’ needs including reading areas serving readers that are children and disabled people; 80% of libraries of scientific institutions/centers have adequate specialized reading materials.

b) Orientation to 2030:

It is expected that the people will have reading habits and skills to access to information and knowledge in the places where they are living, working or studying. Criteria for promotion of reading culture will be maintained and improved. Reading environment will be improved. Library and publishing activities will satisfy readers' needs (including physical and electronic materials).

III. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Enhancement of dissemination

a) Provide and disseminate more information in order to raise public awareness of the importance of promotion of reading culture.

b) Mobilize efficient participation of the mass media throughout the country in various and suitable manners. It is recommended that periodic columns on reading culture and development thereof are published on the mass media.

c) Praise and reward promptly organizations and individuals for actively contributing to promotion of reading culture; honor readers effectively.

2. Development of reading habits and development of reading skills and methods

a) Mobilize all sectors, especially students, officials and public employees to develop and keep reading habits (physical and electronic materials, especially printed books) in accordance with their situations.

b) Mobilize participation and effective cooperation of relevant authorities and organizations, such as: schools, libraries, publishers, bookstores, etc. in developing and maintaining reading habits and defining the role of families.

c) Provide guidance on reading skills and methods suitable for each group, primarily groups of students; orient and promote trends and healthy taste of reading in the society.

3. Completion of mechanisms and policies and enhancement of private sector involvement

a) Review and propose development and amendments of related mechanisms and policies to contribute to a convenient reading environment; develop policies on encouraging investment in promotion of reading culture.

b) Continue to request the National Assembly to consider approving projects on the Library Law.

c) Develop and implement effectively policies to attract domestic and foreign resources to participate in promotion of reading culture.

d) Review, select and implement programs or projects approved by competent authorities serving promotion of reading culture, including determining contents and relations in details.

dd) Enhance development of private libraries, family or study encouragement bookcases; assist in improving qualifications of personnel working for private library and bookcase systems; add criteria for family bookcases to standards of considering cultural family recognition.

e) Facilitate promotion of the role of enterprises and other units operating in the fields of publishing and trade in materials in terms of promotion of reading culture.

4. Improve operational effectiveness of the public library system and enhance application of information technology.

a) Develop a state-of-the-art library system with diversified documents and friendly with users, becoming information-cultural-educational centers of the community where writers, works and readers exchange together, serving endless people's needs of study effectively; focus on development of school libraries to contribute to the reform of part of or the entire education and training.

b) Experiment with electronic libraries to serve the community and open study materials for schools; enhance application of information technology serving access to information and knowledge for people speedily and conveniently.

c) Diversify library services; provide guidance on how to use libraries effectively; enhance mobile library services in all areas, especially rural areas and disadvantaged areas; promote cooperation and association between libraries and cultural-sports centers, community study centers, commune postal and cultural centers; enhance exchange of books, newspapers and documents among libraries, especially exchange from the public library system to rural, mountainous and disadvantaged areas, schools, bordering stations, cell houses, private libraries serving the public, etc.

5. Improvement of content quality and forms of materials

a) Ensure quality and contents of information mentioned in materials, particularly printed books; diversify materials, focus on books and documents on life skills and patriotic education, healthy lifestyle, good behavior and popularization of knowledge; foreign materials having good quality and achieving prestigious international awards.

b) Ensure suitable structure of materials, particularly books that satisfy variable people’s needs of reading; focus on assistance, investment and encouragement of composing and publishing children’s books, books for ethnic minority, disabled people and other disadvantaged people.

c) Develop a wide variety of books such as: pocket books, audio books and e-books with rich contents for target groups and focus on dissemination of knowledge, life skills and working skills.

6. Promotion of international cooperation

a) Enhance cultural exchange in publishing, library services and other cultural activities; promote dissemination of valuable works in Vietnam abroad, and select quality foreign works to introduce and popularize in Vietnam.

b) Cooperate actively in organizing or participate in international events related to promotion of reading culture.

c) Utilize assistance from foreign countries, organizations and individuals during the execution of the Project.

IV. FUNDING AND FINANCIAL MECHANISM OF THE PROJECT

1. Funding for executing the Project

The funding for executing the Project shall be provided by state budget in compliance with regulations on allocation of state budget; sponsorship or assistance provided by domestic or foreign organizations and individuals and other legal funding.

2. Rules for using the funding

a) For the period of 2017 - 2020:

- Central budget:

The central budget shall assist performance of certain primary tasks, such as: disseminating; providing guidelines for skills, methods and other activities related to reading culture and development thereof; experiment with development of electronic libraries serving the community and open study materials for schools; organizing annual awards for promotion of reading culture; experiment with and expanding operating models of promotion of reading culture effectively; carrying out inspections, supervision and assessing impacts and effectiveness of the Project.

- Local budget:

The local budget shall assist performance of certain primary tasks, such as: Developing networks of local libraries, bookstores and bookcases; providing documents for the public library system of all levels, especially basic levels, rural, mountainous, bordering and island areas, ethnic minority areas, disadvantaged and extremely disadvantaged areas; disseminating and providing training and refresher courses for personnel; providing mobile library cars for provincial libraries.

- The use of funding shall be combined with performing related contents of other programs or projects approved by competent authorities.

- The funding mobilized from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals accounts for a large proportion in the total funding for executing the Project.

b) For the period of 2021 - 2030:

- The central budget shall continue to assist fulfillment of tasks determined in the Project.

- The local budget shall continue to assist fulfillment of tasks determined in the Project, focusing on development of facilities, personnel and other relevant activities suitable for different conditions of each province.

- The use of the funding shall continue to be combined with other relevant programs and projects.

- All private sectors shall be mobilized and used effectively to participate in execution of the Project.

V. EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT

1. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall:

a) Take charge or cooperate with ministries, industries and local authorities in executing the Project and develop plans for each period; carrying out inspection and supervision, assessing, consolidating of reports and summarizing execution of the Project; requesting the Prime Minister to amend the Project (if necessary).

b) Take charge or cooperate with relevant authorities in reviewing, developing, amending or promulgating within its competence or requesting competent authorities to promulgate mechanisms, policies and specific regulations related to promotion of reading culture.

c) Take charge of forming the model of promotion of reading culture, experiment with development of electronic libraries and digital collections for the community; organizing annual awards for promotion of reading culture.

d) Actively cooperate with ministries, industries and local authorities in combining the Project with contents of other relevant programs or projects in the course of implementing objectives and tasks of this Project.

dd) Mobilize and seek for sponsorship and private sector involvement to contribute to promotion of reading culture.

2. The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a) Cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities in executing the Project within their competence; actively combine the Project with other relevant programs or projects under their management approved by competent authorities.

b) Take charge or cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities in conducting research and executing the Project in compliance with programs of each school grade and level.

c) Direct the review and complete the school library system; develop open study materials; improve operating quality of community study centers.

d) Carry out inspections and supervision and assess effectiveness of the Project and send annual results to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consolidating and reporting to the Prime Minister.

3. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

a) Execute the Project within its competence, focusing on developing and implementing programs on dissemination of promotion of reading culture; actively combine the Project with other relevant programs or projects under its management approved by competent authorities.

b) Direct improvement of quality and effectiveness of publishing activities.

c) Carry out inspections and supervision and assess effectiveness of the Project and send annual results to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consolidating and reporting to the Prime Minister.

4. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Justice and the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs shall:

Cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities in executing the Project within their competence; actively combine the Project with other relevant programs or projects under their management approved by competent authorities.

5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall:

Take charge or cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries or industries in providing investment or operating funding for executing the Project and other relevant programs or projects to combine with the Project according to current state budget allocation and suitable for the balance capacity of stage budget for each period; cooperate in conducting inspections and supervision of execution of the Project.

6. Ministries, ministerial and governmental authorities shall:

Execute the Project within their power and in compliance with regulations of applicable law.

7. People’s Committees of provinces/central-affiliated cities shall:

a) Allocate budget and mobilize resources to execute the Project in their provinces/central-affiliated cities (hereinafter referred to as "provinces"), focusing on developing the system of libraries, bookstores and bookcases and promoting private sector involvement suitable for different conditions of each province.

b) Combine the execution of the Project with execution of other related programs or projects in their provinces.

c) Cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministry of Information and Communications and other relevant authorities in directing the development of reading movement and promotion of reading culture associated with the campaign for “All people unite in building a cultural life” and the campaign for "Renewed rural development" in their provinces.

d) Use the funding provided by the central budget for promotion of reading culture for proper purposes and effectively.

dd) Carry out inspections and supervision and send annual reports on execution of the Project in their provinces to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consolidating and reporting to the Prime Minister.

8. The Central Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam shall:

Cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries or industries in performing objectives and tasks of the Project, particularly in dissemination and orientation of development associated with other related programs or projects.

9. Relevant socio-political organizations and socio-political-professional organizations shall:

a) Cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities in executing the Project within their competence in accordance with the charter of operation approved by competent authorities.

b) Actively participate in dissemination of reading culture and development thereof; combine the Project with activities or campaigns that they take charge or cooperate in connection with promotion of reading culture; focus on executing the Project for women, children and workers and in disadvantaged areas.

Article 2.This Decision comes into force from the signing date.

Article 3.Ministers, heads of ministerial and governmental authorities, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces shall implement this Decision.