On June 28,2022, as the rotating presidency of the BRICS Library Alliance in this year, the National Library of China invited leaders of member libraries to the webinar of the alliance. Xiong Yuanming, director of the National Library of China, Luiz Carlos Ramiro, director of the National Library of Brazil, Pavel Lushnikov, deputy director of the Russian State Library, Ajay Pratap Singh, director general of the National Library of India, and Kepi Madumo, director and CEO of the National Library of South Africa, attended the webinar and delivered speech. Chen Ying, deputy director of the National Library of China, presided over the meeting.

Xiong Yuanming presented on the theme of “From Digital Library to Smart Library —— Case Study of the National Library of China”, and introduced the background and necessity of building smart library, the objectives, plan and current progress of the construction of “National Smart Library Network” in China. Other delegates introduced the current status, digital collections, digitization work and application of AI technologies of their own libraries.

Members of the Communication and Cooperation Committee of the Library Society of China were also invited to the webinar.

Participants shared the latest progress made by members of the BRICS Library Alliance in the development of libraries, which further enhanced the influence of the alliance.

Initiated by the National Library of China in 2017, The BRICS Library Alliance is a crucial platform to promote the implementation of the Agreement between the Governments of the BRICS States on Cooperation in the Field of Culture, annual meeting of the alliance was hosted by the rotating presidency among national libraries of member states.

(Source: Ministry of Culture and Toursim of People's Republic of China)