AUTHOR_Yan Lam
PHOTOS_Rosario Lei / Macao Public Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau
Ms Zhang Yan, Director of Shenzhen Library
The role of public libraries has changed greatly in the age of digital information. For one thing, it embraces more diversified types of library collections; for another, it serves as a hub for exchanges of ideas, as well as cultural creation and innovation. This enables libraries to provide readers with a wider range of services and open up more possibilities for partnership between libraries in different places. Since 2019, public libraries in Shenzhen and Macao have leveraged each other’s collections to launch reading campaigns, thematic lectures and special exhibitions in collaboration. As a result, they have managed to enrich the reading experiences for their citizens while bringing their people-to-people cultural exchange to the next level.
Share Resources to Expand the Scope of Exhibition Cooperation
Zhang pointed out that public libraries in both cities share common specialities, development goals and philosophies. Meanwhile, through the exchange and sharing of staff and resources, as well as cultural interaction and integration, the libraries not only bring delightful cultural exhibitions to readers but also showcase the inclusiveness and harmony of both cities. Libraries in Shenzhen and Macao have joined hands to hold a string of events, including the “Thirty Minutes Read” campaign, a thematic talk “Understand Macao’s Lead Movable-Type Printing through Senado Library Collections”, and exhibitions such as the “Prehistory of Books”, “Macao in Literature: Lead Movable-Type Printing in Macao” and “Exhibition of the Macao Collection from Shenzhen Library”. These were followed by the “Craftsmanship – Shenzhen and Macao Traditional Crafts Exhibition” held last year, where citizens were able to appreciate exhibits from both cities, especially the superb crafts that are considered as intangible cultural heritage as well as the unique craftsmanship. Speaking of the possibility for future cooperation, Zhang expressed the hope to add more dimensions to their partnership in exhibitions and enrich the themes of exhibitions by including city culture, humanities and history, art design and more, so as to share resources with each other and bring more quality cultural exhibits to citizens in Shenzhen and Macao.
Library Exhibitions Keep Innovating to Seize New Digital Opportunities
Regarding the innovation of library exhibitions, Zhang argues from a professional point of view that it is necessary to encourage innovation, creativity, and brand awareness. Libraries should also create their unique brand by magnifying their distinctive library collections. In addition, they should stand in the audience’s shoes when working on the positioning, delivery and visual effects of exhibitions so that the content can be presented in a multidimensional manner to offer better interactive experiences. By doing so, audiences will not only be able to watch but also to design, participate and share. When it comes to the theme of exhibitions, it should be carefully decided in line with the role public libraries take on, namely cultural inheritance and social education.
Facing the challenges brought by the digital era, Zhang said that “This will bring libraries unprecedented opportunities to develop their exhibition service. On the one hand, the digital network has made exhibition resources easier to be co-built and shared, and therefore facilitated collaboration between different institutions. On the other hand, audiences can access digital exhibitions wherever they are. Moreover, the application of modern multimedia technology, including VR, AR and virtual guides, is also conducive to diversifying the ways of exhibitions, making them more vivid and three-dimensional. This fuels the shift from static exhibitions to diversified, composite and interactive ones that offer readers richer exhibition experiences.”
Prehistory of Books Exhibition
Craftsmanship – Shenzhen and Macao Traditional Crafts Exhibition
“Macao in Literature: Lead Movable-Type Printing in Macao”Exhibition
Exhibition of the Macao Collection from Shenzhen Library
