The elderly man expressed his desire to have the librarian recommend some recently published novels for him to read. However, in response to his eagerness, the librarian was rather indifferent. With a cold attitude, she pointed to the shelves of foreign literature and told him to find them himself. The elderly reader was momentarily taken aback and disappointed.
At the same time, I went to the librarian to borrow the second part of a book I was reading. Glancing at the title, the librarian briefly said, "Go straight to the second aisle and look on the shelf to your left." Without leaving her spot, she turned back to her computer screen. Following her instructions, I persevered for another 15 minutes before giving up without receiving any further assistance.
Those experiences reminded me of the words of American scholar James I. Wyer (former leader of the American Library Association): "The librarian is the soul of the library." In any library model, whether traditional or modern, whether the materials are utilized effectively depends greatly on the role of the librarian.
Librarians are not simply people who perform the borrowing and returning of books according to procedure, but also guides in what is considered a "temple of culture." A librarian needs not only to know the book catalog, but also to understand the content, reading trends, and be able to suggest, guide, and even inspire readers.
Therefore, besides the abundance of materials and organizational model, the professionalism and service attitude of librarians are crucial factors in attracting and retaining readers. Surely no one wants to return to a library where the service staff lacks "soul."
To further develop reading culture, Ho Chi Minh City recently set a goal of building a comprehensive reading ecosystem for the period 2026-2030 with many key tasks, from improving the network of reading points and promoting digitalization to encouraging reading among young people…
However, these guidelines will be difficult to implement effectively if the human element is not given due attention. Perhaps it is necessary to develop communication skills standards, survey the service attitudes of library staff, and build a reading counseling model so that librarians can play a supportive role.