Conference presentation

1. 1
46th IASL Conference
Aug 4-8, California State University, Long Beach
Towards functional school libraries: A tale of Room to
Read’s school library programs in Viet Nam
Zakir Hossain
Teacher-Librarian
amity.du@gmail.com
Aug 7, 2017

2. Professional practices amongst school librarians outside English-speaking
countries have been insufficiently studied.
This book is an extension of previous published studies:
1.Attitudes and self-perceptions of school librarians in relation to their
professional practices: A comparative study between Hong Kong, Shanghai, South
Korea, Taipei, and Japan. (2014). [survey].
2.The roles of school librarians as information literacy specialists: A comparative
study between Hong Kong, Shanghai, South Korea, Taipei and Japan. (2014).
[survey].
3.Enhanced and changing roles of school librarians in the digital age. (2015).
[interview study].
Face-to-face interviews were done with a large number of school librarians in
Hong Kong & Taiwan to acquire the survey results.

3. 3
Background of the study
NGO= Non-Government Organization, NPO= Non-Profit Organization (Zakir, 2013)
Name of NGOs/NPOs Library
establishment/
renovation
Book dotation
(est.)
Beneficiary
(est.)
Room to Read 862 1,294,696
90 titles pub.
364,000
Global Village Foundation 800 160,000 21,000
Highland Education
Development Organization
03 3,800
The Library Project 25 3,500
Library of Vietnam Project 22
Peace Trees Vietnam 12
Vietnam Fund for
Education, Music and
Infrastructure
11 2000
Vietnam Dream for Success 06

4. 4
Viet Nam
Constitutional name Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Population 94.5 million
Literacy rate 94.5% (M - 96.3% & F - 92.8%)
Number of illiterate people 1.3 million (2017)
Education Expenditure 6.3% of GDP (2016)
GDP Per Capita $ 6,925 (2017)
Annual Growth rate 6.2% (2016)
CIA 2016, Index Mundi 2015, IMF 2017, World Fact Book, 2017

5. 5
Viet Nam Library Systems at a glance
Viet Nam
Library
Systems
Public Library
System
National
Library
City &
Provincial
Libraries
District, Town,
Ward and
Commune
Libraries
Academic
Library System
University &
Collage
Libraries
Educational
Library System
School Libraries
Special Library
System
Social Science
Institutions
Libraries
Science &
Technology
libraries
Health &
Medicine
Libraries
Agricultural
Libraries
Military Library
System
Central Military
Library
Military
Libraries
Zakir, 2016

6. 6
Region No. of
schools
No. of school
libraries
(%)
No. of FT
librarians
No. of
Combined TL
post
Av. Budget
(2012-13)
North
Vietnam
14,272 12,927 90.58 4,706 9,101 8.03
Centre
Vietnam
3,272 2,839 86.77 3,047 1,381 9.85
South
Vietnam
9,997 8,980 89.83 6,738 2,986 5.6
Total 27,541 24,746 89.85 13,110 13,468 7.4 ($350)
Number of schools, school libraries, librarians and budget
Nguyen (2015) and Hossain (2016)

7. 7
•On-site reading
•Book borrowing
•Story telling through book contest
•Excellent school librarians contest
Existing school library programmes
Nguyen, Thi Thu Phuong (2015)

8. Nguyen, Thi Thu Phuong (2015)
On-site reading

9. Story telling through book contest/ character dress-up

10. What are the challenges to function school libraries
and establish a reading culture in Vietnam?

11. Challenge #1 – Primary Education System: General
• There is no common message between educators and the government
authority to value libraries as “the heart of the school and community;”
• Existing curriculum gives no time for free reading activities, and relies
heavily on textbooks instead;
• Reading for pleasure activities neither fostered nor encouraged;
• Educators lack of knowledge on children’s literature; and
• Insufficient budget;
Result:
School libraries are not
sufficiently valued in Viet Nam.

12. Challenge #2 – Primary Education System: School Library
Current school libraries lack:
• Clear definition of purpose, roles and functions
• Quality materials and infrastructure, including space and furniture
• Trained librarians – initial training and ongoing support:
• Library work often falls to teachers who have teaching
responsibilities and who lack necessary education and training
• Pro-active library activities;
• Cooperation among school, public and Community Learning
Centers;
• Ability to promote reading to children, teachers and parents;
Result:
School libraries are not fully
functional in Viet Nam.

13. Challenge #3 – Lack of Quality Children’s Books & Materials
• Very few authors and illustrators writing for children;
• Available books and materials are usually translated;
• Focus is on illustrations and not words/text@comic books;
• Lack of research on children’s reading needs and interests;
• Book leveling – no cooperation among librarians, educators and
publishers;
• Large access disparity between urban and rural areas;
Result:
Poor quality and low quantity
of children’s books in Viet Nam.

14. Challenge #4 – Lack of Family & Community Involvement
• No habit of parents regularly reading stories with children at home:
– Reading is not a priority – time and space are not available at home or
community;
• Low income makes it difficult to purchase books;
• Lack of knowledge on how and where to access books;
• Other habits have greater priority - watching television, reading
news and playing games online;
• Lack of community involvement to encourage reading culture;
Result:
Reading is not a priority at
home and in the community.

15. Room to Read’s efforts to
address these challenges
empowering school libraries!

16. Bring a book to a child, create a lifelong learner for Vietnam’s
Future empowering school libraries!

17. Room to Read – Supporting School Libraries
• Renovated and equipped about 1000 primary school libraries in Viet
Nam (23 newly built-up) @ cost US$7,000 - $10,000 for each library;
• Published 105 titles in Vietnamese with 524,039 printed copies that
donated to the partner libraries;
• Supports partner libraries over a three-year period, including teachers
and librarians training and ongoing PD;
• Nearly 1,200 schools across Viet Nam have partnered with RtR through
its Literacy Program.
• MoET, Viet Nam is using RtR’s librarian training model and library
period curriculum from 2017;

18. Renovated
Reading Room
Mobile Reading
Room
Classroom
Library
Constructed
Reading Room –
Inside and
Outside

19. Room to Read – Supporting School Libraries – cont.
• Books and Materials:
– Local language publishing program that creates quality children’s
books and materials to fill gaps in the current market;
– Sourcing existing quality children’s books for all libraries that are
developmentally and culturally appropriate;
– Between 3-5 books provided per student;
– Books are classified by reading level;
• Library Infrastructure:
– Special attention is given to library furniture, layout and design so that
each library is inviting and accessible by all children!

20. Display
book
shelves
in RRs
Art corner in a
CRR
Decoration in a
renovated RR’s wall
A book
shelve in
CL

21. Room to Read – Supporting School Libraries – cont.
• Teacher and Librarian Training:
- How to initially set-up library, manage the library and deliver
engaging literacy activities for students are the top priority.
• Workshops for authors, illustrators and publishers:
- Hands-on training for local authors, illustrators and publishers
focuses on indigenous publishing.

22. Teachers and librarians’ trainings/workshops

23. Room to Read – Supporting Viet Nam’s Education System
• Working in partnership with DoET, RtR has:
– Provided training and professional development
activities for headmasters, teachers and librarians
– Advocated for a designated reading period in all
schools
– Increased family and community awareness and
involvement
– Provided ongoing monitoring and support of libraries
– Provided long-term sustainability of libraries
Result:
MoET, Viet Nam is using RtR’s librarian
training model and library period curriculum
from 2017-18 AY!

24. Room to Read – Supporting Community Inclusion through
library programs
• Annual ceremony for International Literacy Day combined with
the Opening School Year Day:
– Raises awareness on the importance of reading and school libraries
and involves local authorities, public libraries, DoET leaders,
headmasters, parents, teachers and students.
• Annual reading and writing contest for children:
– Provides opportunities for creative, imaginative and logical thinking
and writing and involves DoET officers, authors and illustrators,
headmasters, parents, teachers and students.
• Summer reading programs at schools:
– Increases time children can access books for reading during school
break and involves local authority, BoET leaders, parents, teachers
and students, news media, youth volunteer clubs and women clubs.

25. RtR’s Literacy projects across Viet Nam
Name of
province
Status Program
starts & ends
Location Number of
Literacy project
Girls Edu
Program
Tuyen Quang Active 2011- North 28 --
Thai Nguyen Active 2011- North 102 --
Bac Giang Active 2015- North 20 --
Binh Dinh Active 2013- Middle 60 --
Ho Chi Minh
City
Inactive 2003-2015 South 64 363
Long An Active 2005- South 92 1,089
Tien Giang Active 2003- South 184 --
Dong Thap Inactive 2005-2007 South -- 91
Vinh Long Active 2003- South 172 1,447
Tra Vinh Active 2008- South 135 1,445
An Giang Inactive 2005-2007 South -- 114
Can Thao Active 2007 South 113 --

26. 26
References
Hossain, Z. (2016). Journey toward Learning Society: Possibilities and challenges of Viet Nam Libraries.
Paper presented at the 3rd Annual International Conference on Library and Information Science July 25-
28, Athens, Greece.
Hossain, Z. (2013). An analytical study of some NGOs’/NPOs’ contributions by promoting library activities at
disadvantageous areas in Vietnam to create potential and lifelong learners. Library Philosophy and Practice,
26 February [e-journal]. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/864/
NGUYEN, THI THU PHUONG (2015). VIETNAM COUNTRY REPORT ON SCHOOL LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT. PRE-
CONSAL WORKSHOP ON SCHOOL LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT IN ASEAN COUNTRY, BANGKOK.
Nguyen, Tan Thanh Truc (2010). Efforts to Give Back: The Role of School Libraries in Vietnam Education.
Hands on Literacy Conference, Singapore – November 13, 2010.
Vu, D. T. N. (2011). The development of book reading activity for promoting better life of citizen in Vietnam
(online document). Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://www.tkpark.or.th/stocks/extra/000514.pdf

27. Towards functional school libraries: A tale of Room to Read’s
school library programs in Viet Nam
• Questions?
• Comments?
Zakir Hossain
amity.du@gmail.com
Web: https://works.bepress.com/zakir_hossain/
Thank You