2023.09.19

National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan took the lead as the first university in the country to launch its Digital Library on September 19th, 2023. Both faculty and students can now easily access an impressive collection of around 1.1 million volumes on their smartphones, tablets, or computers.
 
The NTHU Digital Library also allows users to read full-text articles from over 7,000 Chinese and foreign newspapers and magazines without being limited by time or location. This includes well-known publications such as The New York Times.
 
On September 19th, the NTHU Digital Library was officially opened with a special celebration. According to Library Director Dengsung Lin (林登松), the rise in e-book popularity has led to a growing number of young readers embracing digital reading. Consequently, major publishers have responded by introducing their own reading apps to cater to this demographic. However, readers often encounter a significant inconvenience, as they are required to create personal accounts and navigate various systems to access books.
 
Director Lin noted that in order to offer a one-stop service, NTHU dedicated a year to set up the Digital Library. Drawing inspiration from the Library of Congress' classification system in the United States, the vast collection of e-books, online newspapers, and e-magazines, numbering over a million, are categorized by topics, languages, and countries. This makes it more convenient for readers to conduct thematic searches.
 
The publications are displayed in an image-based format, ensuring a clear presentation that resonates with contemporary readers who favor using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets for both browsing and reading.
 
Director Lin mentioned that there is no requirement for students and faculty to download any apps. They can access the NTHU Digital Library website using their library ID. Once they find a book or publication, they can simply click on the cover to read it online, providing a similar experience to being in the library's extensive collection.
 
He added that waiting in line to reserve the latest popular books is now a thing of the past. Furthermore, the system provides personalized features, allowing users to add books they are currently reading to their favorites, ensuring easy access during future visits.
 
NTHU pointed out that through the NTHU Digital Library, professors and instructors from various disciplines can provide specific reading lists to their students. For instance, in the class "Principle and Application of Quantum Technology" taught by Professor Chung-yu Mou (牟中瑜) in the Department of Physics, the textbook titled "Introduction to Quantum Technologies" used in the course is available for download via the Digital Library.
 
The NTHU Digital Library currently houses a collection of more than 1.1 million e-books and publications. Director Lin noted that among these, there are over 960,000 books in English, more than 50,000 in Chinese, and a varied assortment in foreign languages including German, French, Spanish, Arabic, and more.
 
The NTHU Digital Library has also integrated platforms from multiple publishers. To gain access to more than 7,000 global newspapers and magazines, readers simply need to log in to read publications like The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), Mainichi Shimbun (Japan), Dong-A Ilbo (South Korea), Le Figaro (France), CommonWealth Magazine, and Businessweek. In the travel and culture category, for example, one can find versions of National Geographic from various countries including the UK, Spain, and Mexico.