No. 115 August 2000

19th Mutual Visit Program between NDL and NLC

A National Diet Library (NDL) delegation visited China from October 26 to November 4, 1999 on the 19th mutual visit program between the NDL and the National Library of China (NLC). The program started in 1981 to exchange opinions on issues of mutual concern and to further strengthen mutual understanding and friendly relations. Headed by Naotake Ito, Deputy Librarian of NDL, the delegation consisted of the following four other members: Keiji Tsuchiya, Deputy Director of the Research and Legislative Reference Bureau, Akio Kawakami, Senior Acquisition Librarian, Ikuko Tozawa, Chief of the Rare Books and Old Materials Division, and Tomoko Kato of Asian Materials Division. 
The main theme of the program was "Service of national (parliamentary) library into the 21st Century", and the sub-theme "Service for parliament" was added at the request of the NLC. 

Plenary Meeting

At the Plenary Meeting, Mr. Noritake Ito reported on recent developments in the NDL. 
In 2002, the NDL starts operating three facilities (service points), the Tokyo Main Library, Kansai-kan (provisional name), and the International Library of Children's Literature, on three different sites. Against the background of the striking progress in information communication technology, and for integrated management of these facilities, the NDL has been developing the Electronic Library Infrastructure System since 1998 to offer various new services. The document supply service and electronic library service using high communication technology will ensure remote access to library resource. For visitors, the NDL will provide information on certain subjects in special information rooms, and improve reference services including gateway service to information resources outside the Library. In international aspects, the NDL continues supporting Japan-related research institutions abroad. 

Mr. Zhou Heping, Deputy Director of NLC, also stressed the importance of new information technology. 
The NLC provides priority services to organizations of the central government, national legislative bodies, and key research, educational and production institutions. In addition to them, the Library puts emphasis on networking of library service, integrated cooperative service and selective service to play the role of information center and networking center in the Chinese library community. 
By opening the National Library of China website, connecting the State Council, Peking University and Tsinghua University, ChinaNet, CERNET (China Education and Research Network), CSTNet (China Science and Technology Network), Beijing Cable TV Network and National Cable TV Network, the NLC has become a center of network information resources. 
For integrated cooperative service, the NLC has established the National Network of Reference Services to promote information resources sharing in the country. The NLC is expanding also selective services, such as book delivery service for government organizations and scholars, management of study-rooms for priority readers in the Library, and compilation of special bibliographies. 

Section Meeting

At the section meeting, both libraries introduced their services for national legislative bodies. 

An important mission of the NDL is to assist the members of the National Diet in the performance of their duties. Its Research and Legislative Reference Bureau plays an important role in this service using the latest information technology. The number of requests from Diet members doubled in last ten years. To offer a prompt response, the Bureau emphasizes not only research on request, but also anticipatory research. 

The NLC provides priority services to the central governmentand national legislative bodies. During the annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the NLC provides reference services for members when they draft bills. To share information resources with libraries in the central government agencies, the NLC recently opened a branch library in the Ministry of Personnel. 
The activities of the Reference and Library Service Coaching Department of the NLC were also introduced in the report. 

Deliberation based on Letter of Intent concerning Exchange and Cooperation between the NDL and the NLC

At the last program in May 1999, NDL and NLC agreed on the Letter of Intent concerning Exchange and Cooperation between the National Diet Libraryand the National Library of China as follows: 
1. Continue the Mutual Visit Program 
2. Investigate possibility of staff exchange for training 
3. Cooperate in construction of bibliographic databases in Chinese and Japanese 
4. Cooperate in international exchange of materials and document supply service 
5. Cooperate in the NDL's acquisition of Chinese materials for the Asia Resource Information Center in the Kansai-kan (provisional name) 

Both libraries discussed the details of 3 and 5.