The Construction and Open Sharing of Ancient Books Resources in the National Library of China

Abstract

Abstract: Ancient books form part of the strong cultural heritage of China and are significant examples of unique Chinese traditional culture. With advances in information technology, digitization has become an important method to address the contradiction of preservation versus utilization of ancient books. By looking back at the strategic planning for ancient book digitization at the National Library of China, the fundamental status of ancient books collected there is established and the necessity of constructing digital resources of ancient books and of openly sharing these resources is demonstrated. Practical achievements of the National Library of China's ancient book digitization include self-construction at the library, collection outside of the library, and international cooperation. Problems and challenges in digital resource construction and sharing include establishing unified standards of ancient book digitization systems, establishing a unified release platform, raising the ratio of ancient books digitization, and enhancing the level of knowledge service. A survey of overseas Chinese ancient books and digital cooperation countermeasures and suggestions is included. To enhance access to the wisdom of ancient Chinese books, this paper proposes a National Library service transformation.