(4 August 2017, Hanoi) The Asia Foundation and the National Library of Vietnam signed an agreement to extend their books donation partnership in support of Vietnamese libraries. Over the new five-year project period, which begins today, the Foundation will donate US$7 million worth of books, or 160,000 books, to the National Library and other libraries around the country. The donated books will be distributed to 200 public, university, and school libraries and the libraries of other selected institutions, contributing to the establishment, development, and maintenance of public libraries in the country. The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program provides high-quality educational materials in Vietnam. This is the sixth agreement the Foundation has signed with its long-term partner, the National Library of Vietnam, since the opening of its representative office in Hanoi in 2000. Since then, the Foundation has donated more than 500,000 books valued at US$20 million to Vietnamese libraries in cooperation with the National Library.
Books for Asia is the leading provider of donated information resources in the region. In Vietnam, the program has received positive feedback from all recipient institutions and been evaluated as an effective and practical program for Vietnamese libraries. The brand-new books are donations from leading international publishers, rich in content, cover diverse subjects, and meet the demands of Vietnamese libraries.
The National Library of Vietnam will continue to be The Asia Foundation’s local counterpart for the duration of the project. In this role, the National Library will expand its collection of English-language books, provide public access to these books, and cooperate with the Foundation in distributing books to local libraries, most notably public provincial libraries and university libraries throughout Vietnam.
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our programs address critical issues affecting Asia in the 21st century—governance and law, economic development, women’s empowerment, environment, and regional cooperation.
Read more about the Foundation’s work.
The announcement is here.
