Artistic Cultural Heritage Protection Services: Building a Library of Treasured Local Resources: Sandun, China—a Case Study

Abstract

In China, at the regional level, the collection and preservation of local documents related to historical and cultural artifacts and institutions is one of the fundamental tasks of the library as a cultural soft power. Global libraries also place high value on the collection and curation of local documents and the development of regional cultural resources. Documentation of local history is a long-term global public library objective. Research on art and cultural heritage, the protection and preservation of these assets, and information exchange services have now become an important part of the documentation of local cultural history.

Libraries have long neglected material culture, and specifically documentation related to visual arts and culture. Documents and artefacts related to material culture and the visual and performing arts are often ephemeral, and frequently disappear due to historical circumstances and environmental degradation, never to be seen again. Combining the work of art and cultural heritage protection with the scientific and technological tools at our disposal, my objective at this 81st IFLA World Congress is to appeal to the global library community to attend to regional culture and artistic heritage. Through modern service technologies and humanistic ideals, we can build a sound repository of local history and culture that will remain available for generations to come.