As generative AI and the digital wave profoundly reshape global knowledge patterns, Taiwan—positioned at a key Asia-Pacific hub—not only bears the responsibility of thriving together with regional partners but also continues to lead the transformation and dialogue among international public knowledge institutions. Organized by the National Library of Public Information, the "2026 ASIA-PACIFIC PUBLIC LIBRARY FORUM IN TAIWAN" serves as a platform for gathering cross-national wisdom and sparking forward-thinking ideas, working together with countries around the region to shape the future vision of libraries.
As a member of the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan actively leverages libraries' cultural soft power, committed to mutual prosperity with the international community. The National Library of Public Information (NLPI) held the second "2026 ASIA-PACIFIC PUBLIC LIBRARY FORUM IN TAIWAN" on May 14, 2026, on a larger scale than before, drawing library directors, experts, and practitioners from eight countries—Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Distinguished guests including Deputy Minister of Education Liu Kuo-Wei and Academia Sinica Academician Tseng Chih Lang, Chair of the Global Industry-Academia Future Talent Development Strategic Alliance, also attended in person to witness this event leading reading innovation across the Asia-Pacific library community.
"The more technology advances, the more important reading becomes," said NLPI Director Ma Xiang Ping. She noted that the inaugural 2024 forum focused on the impact of smart technology on libraries, while this year's theme, "Strategies, Innovation, and the Future of Reading Promotion," guides Asia-Pacific libraries back to their core mission—serving not only as repositories of knowledge but also as institutions that cultivate critical thinking, emotional understanding, and inclusiveness as AI reshapes the flow of knowledge. To foster better international exchange, the forum applied AI real-time translation software, using top-tier technology to fulfill the public commitment to sustainable and shared knowledge.
International Experts Share Insights
The forum featured three keynote speeches from internationally renowned scholars. Chen Chao Chen, Professor Emeritus at the Graduate Institute of Library and Information Studies, National Taiwan Normal University, explored the public trust and transparency value that public knowledge institutions still hold in an algorithm-driven society. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Past President, State Library of Queensland, Australia Vicki McDonald shared how librarians can use creativity and collaborate with families to build a solid foundation for children's lifelong reading habits. Local History and Genealogy Section, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Chair, and Professor Emeritus at the Department of Library, Archival and Information Studies, Tsurumi University, Japan, Nagatsuka Takashi offered a global perspective on the challenges Japan faces in promoting reading culture and how public libraries can leverage their strengths to promote reading and critical thinking in ways more attuned to public needs.
Through four core themes—"From Promotion to Inclusion: Reimagining Universal Reading," "Smart-Driven Reading: Innovative Library Practices," "Smart Cities and Empathetic Experiences: Diverse Construction of Reading Ecosystems," and "The Reading Experience Revolution: Igniting New Momentum for Reading"—library representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea joined practitioners from four Taiwanese cities and NLPI to share compelling case studies on age-specific reading services, robotics applications, digital transformation, AI data applications, community engagement, and gamified reading, sparking countless innovative ideas.
Dual-Track Reading Leadership
As Taiwan's first national-level library combining both physical and digital services, NLPI has excelled in recent years in applying smart technology. From its widely beloved AI smart librarian "Xiao Shu" to customized AI book-selection services, NLPI further launched "PLUS SPACE Digital Co-Creation Space" in 2026, encouraging readers to move from traditional reading toward diverse creative expression and showcasing the boundless possibilities of contemporary reading.
Ma Xiang Ping emphasized that the core responsibility of libraries lies in "practicing knowledge equity" and "empowering citizens". Amid the digital wave, libraries should leverage technology to narrow the knowledge gap, using diverse formats and innovative spaces to ensure every citizen enjoys equal access to reading.
Through the 2026 Asia-Pacific Public Library Forum, Taiwan once again successfully served as a key exchange platform for the Asia-Pacific region. This deep exchange of international experience not only built consensus among experts from various countries but also injected inclusive and forward-looking innovative energy into public libraries across the Asia-Pacific, together turning a new page in the smart era.