The Taichung Public Library held its first international forum today (October 29) at the Taichung Green Museumbrary, bringing together library and information science experts from 10 countries to exchange ideas on the theme “City Libraries: Shaping the Future.” Discussions focused on the relationship between public libraries and urban development, evolving reading trends, and the digital revolution. Tomorrow (October 30), the forum will turn to architectural innovation and social inclusion in libraries. Members of the public are welcome to register on-site and take this opportunity to hear directly from international experts about their professional experiences and innovative perspectives.

Chen Chia-chun, Director of the Taichung City Government Department of Cultural Affairs, said that Taichung has a population of nearly 2.87 million. The city government continues to invest in new library construction and the renovation of existing spaces, with the number of libraries expected to reach 50 next year. These efforts aim to provide residents with high-quality reading environments. Opened last year, the Taichung Green Museumbrary brings together a public library and an art museum, offering integrated experiences in reading, aesthetics, and cultural diversity while establishing itself as a new city landmark. Chen thanked guests from Taiwan and abroad for participating and expressed hope that international exchange would strengthen the connections between libraries, urban development, the arts, and digital trends, positioning public libraries as important platforms for knowledge exchange and services closely connected to everyday life.

The Department of Cultural Affairs noted that holding the forum at the Green Museumbrary allows international guests to experience firsthand Taichung’s distinctive cultural environment, where architecture, art, and reading converge. Designed by the internationally renowned architectural firm SANAA, the Green Museumbrary features open, fluid spaces that connect the library, art museum, and natural surroundings. Since opening, it has welcomed more than 2.1 million visits, demonstrating how cultural institutions can become part of everyday urban life and foster cross-disciplinary exchange. It also offers international library professionals an opportunity to see how Taichung is developing innovative reading services and advancing its cultural ambitions.

The first day’s session, “Public Libraries and Their Relationship with Cities,” featured Éric Therrien, Director of Collections and Digital Strategy at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec’s public library services, Canada, and Dr. Caroline Butler-Bowdon, State Librarian of New South Wales, Australia. They shared experiences from their respective countries and explored how libraries can contribute to urban development, enhance public literacy, and serve as important platforms for city-wide engagement through public participation and cultural connections.

The session “Reading Trends and the Digital Revolution” brought together John F. Szabo, City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library, United States; Dolores D. Carungui, Chief Librarian of the National Library of the Philippines; Merete Lie, Director of Deichman, Oslo Public Library, Norway; Sung Hui-yun, Director of the National Chung Hsing University Library; Tseng Pin-fang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at Fu Jen Catholic University; and Tseng Hui-chun, Director of the Taichung Public Library. Discussions explored how libraries can balance physical spaces with digital services in response to changing reading needs, digital resources, and public service expectations. Director Tseng also shared how TPL is responding to the digital revolution through its reading services and use of digital technologies, exchanging experiences with international speakers on the development of city libraries.

The Taichung Public Library said that the international presentations enabled participants to reconsider the role of libraries in contemporary cities through the experiences of different countries. One participant, Ms. Hung, shared that attending the forum at the Green Museumbrary felt like stepping into a hub of innovation and exchange. She also gained a new appreciation of how libraries extend beyond borrowing and returning books to connect communities, technology, and everyday life. The city government will continue to promote equitable access to reading through its network of libraries across Taichung and the Green Museumbrary, creating an inclusive and diverse reading environment. International exchanges will also help introduce new perspectives and broaden Taichung’s cultural horizons.

TPL further explained that tomorrow’s forum, on October 30, will focus on two major themes: library architecture and social inclusion. International speakers will include Jonas Fansa, Director of the Berlin Central and Regional Library, Germany; Martina Grün, a specialist at the same institution; Lisbeth Overgaard Nielsen, Head of Partnerships at Dokk1 and Aarhus Public Libraries, Denmark; and Ji-Eun Oh, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Library, South Korea. Also joining the discussion will be Nick Boxem, Chair of the Europe Regional Division of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and Kim Taunga, Chair of IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division. Together with Taiwanese experts, including Wu Ke-chiu, Professor in the Department of Interaction Design at National Taipei University of Technology, they will explore how public library architecture can respond to urban needs and how libraries can promote social inclusion and provide platforms for public dialogue. For more information, visit the Taichung Public Library’s official website: Forum information and registration.

Participants at today’s forum included Chen Chia-chun, Director of the Taichung City Government Department of Cultural Affairs; Tseng Hui-chun, Director of the Taichung Public Library; Lai Yi-hsin, Director of the Taichung Art Museum; Nick Boxem, Chair of IFLA’s Europe Regional Division; Kim Taunga, Chair of IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division; Éric Therrien, Director of Collections and Digital Strategy at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, who joined online; Dr. Caroline Butler-Bowdon, State Librarian of New South Wales; John F. Szabo, City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library; Merete Lie, Director of Deichman, Oslo Public Library; Jonas Fansa, Director of the Berlin Central and Regional Library; Ji-Eun Oh, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Library; Dolores D. Carungui, Chief Librarian of the National Library of the Philippines; Lisbeth Overgaard Nielsen, Head of Partnerships at Dokk1 and Aarhus Public Libraries; and Martina Grün, a specialist at the Berlin Central and Regional Library.

Other distinguished Taiwanese guests included Ma Hsiang-ping, Director of the National Library of Public Information; Chen Shih-hsun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Yunlin County Government; Yang Fu-ling, Director of the Tainan Public Library; Ko Hao-jen, President of the Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan); Tseng Shu-hsien, Honorary Professor and Director of the Venerable Master Hsing Yun Center for Buddhist Humanities at Fo Guang University; Chen Chao-chen, Emeritus Professor at the Graduate Institute of Library and Information Studies, National Taiwan Normal University; Lin Shan-hu, Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at National Taiwan University; Chiu Tzu-heng, Professor and Director of the Library at Taipei Medical University; Tseng Pin-fang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at Fu Jen Catholic University; Hsu Chih-wei, Principal of Shuang-Wen Junior High School; Ho Hung-chun, Executive Director of the Taiwan Reading Culture Foundation; Chuang Shih-ying, children’s literature professional; and Cheng Ming-yu, Honorary Chair of the Taichung City Architects Association, among other guests.