Leaders of libraries from seven countries visited Kaohsiung Public Library before World Book Day and found picture books of their own countries in Kaohsiung Public Library.

Every April 23rd is World Book Day. Today (22nd), the curator of the National Central Library (hereinafter referred to as NCL) Zeng Shuxian led the leaders of the seven national libraries to visit Kaohsiung Public Library (hereinafter referred to as KPL). Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chimai also attended the event.

The visiting group included the leaders from seven national libraries of the world: Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Singapore. At the International Picture Book Center, they saw the books in 27 languages from 43 countries. Kaohsiung Public Library also presented the original published picture books by Taiwanese writers supported by the KPL Picture Books Sprouting Support Program to show Kaohsiung's humanistic beauty and open a window to the world.

 Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chimai said that "knowledge is power" is one of the nutrients for the city's sustainable development. Since Kaohsiung Public Library was completed and opened in 2014, Kaohsiung's cultural destiny has been reversed. With the mission of promoting reading, Kaohsiung city has achieved outstanding performance in recent years with top results of "Annual Report on Reading Atmosphere and Reading Engagement in Taiwan" and has become a cultural landmark in southern Taiwan.

Kaohsiung Public Library is also a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Through the arrangement of the National Central Library, KPL has this opportunity to communicate with top library leaders from all over the world. It is expected that Kaohsiung Public Library can be seen by the world through cultural experiences and exchanges.

Wang Wen-cui, chairperson of Kaohsiung Public Library and director-general of Bureau of Culture Affairs, said that the city government has been actively promoting cultural diplomacy for a long time. In March this year, the councillor of Edinburgh Council, Cammy Day, visited Kaohsiung Public Library for exchanges. In addition, Setagaya City of Tokyo renewed the cultural exchange memorandum with the Kaohsiung city government. This demonstrates the tangible outcomes of cultural diplomacy. Thanks to the curator Zeng Shuxian for arranging this international exchange for KPL again, so that KPL has the opportunity to show the energy accumulated in the past 10 years.  This gathering is not only a dialogue among international libraries but also a grand exchange event for major libraries. It is hoped to improve their business or work together in areas that are beneficial to libraries. 

Kaohsiung Public Library would like to thank the curator of the National Central Library, Zeng Shuxian, for facilitating this wonderful international exchange, and it is also the best opportunity to enhance Taiwan's visibility to the world.

Kaohsiung Public Library has been committed to the promotion of picture book culture for many years. "The Picture Books Sprouting Support Program for Creators" has been held for the fourth time. Over the years, it has supported more than 100 creators, and the works of many original picture book creators in Taiwan have been successfully published and gained international recognition. Kaohsiung Public Library especially gave the visiting group four picture books as gifts, which were supported and published by KPL Picture Books Sprouting Program. It is expected that Taiwan's original picture books and stories can be shared with the world, and the visiting group can see Taiwanese picture book writers' creative energy.  On this trip, the visiting group also found picture books from their own countries in the book fair of the International Picture Book Center, and they were filled with surprise and heartfelt warmth.

In 2014, Kaohsiung Public Library was completed and opened. The curator Zeng Shuxian of NCL participated in the planning of the new main library and was also the leader of the construction. Zeng Shuxian said that time flies, and Kaohsiung Public Library has been completed and opened. It has undoubtedly entered the next milestone ever since it became a revolutionary new main library. It was a flower that bloomed from the desert, and now the flowers have become a garden with the fragrance of reading and culture. I am pleased to see the international exchange again after the epidemic. We invited library leaders, scholars, and experts from all over the world to share "the role and importance of public libraries in the new century."

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the National Central Library, the four sub-themes, including "The impact of the epidemic has brought changes to the library," "Smart technology leads the library to a new service," "The sustainable development of the library has become the positive energy for the earth," and "Cross-domain exchanges creates new value of library integration and development" were under discussion for service and innovation of the library in order to enhance professional cooperation and international exchanges. For this year's World Book Day, Kaohsiung Public Library used "language" as a theme and hoped that reading will be developed in a variety of ways and enhance Kaohsiung's international visibility.

Today (22nd) Zeng Shuxian (4th from right), the curator of the National Central Library, led the leaders of libraries from seven countries to visit Kaohsiung City Library. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chimai (3rd from left) attended the event and exchanged his views.

Zeng Shuxian (right), the curator of the National Central Library presented a certificate of appreciation to the Kaohsiung City Government, and Mayor Chen Chimai (left) received the gift.

Today (22nd) Zeng Shuxian (right), the curator of the National Central Library led the leaders of seven national libraries to visit Kaohsiung City Library.

The visiting group included the leaders from the world's national libraries in seven countries: Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Singapore.

Zeng Shuxian, the curator of the National Central Library led the leaders of seven national libraries to visit the Kaohsiung City Library before World Book Day, and the library guide gave a library tour guide of KPL.