Directive No. 117-TTg on the protection and management of books and cultural materials in Han and Nom scripts.

 DIRECTIVE

ON THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF BOOKS AND DOCUMENTS IN CHINESE AND NOM SCRIPTS

The protection of books and cultural documents in Chinese and Nom scripts is an important task contributing to the construction of our national culture. On October 29, 1957, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 519/TT on the protection of historical relics and artifacts; on December 31, 1962, the Ministry of Culture issued Circular No. 1136/VH-TT guiding responsible agencies on the management of books and cultural documents in Chinese and Nom scripts.

In some places, through effective propaganda and mobilization among the people, many valuable books and documents have been discovered. In Hanoi, Haiphong, Ha Tinh, many people have donated or lent valuable documents to the state for copying. Some families have donated thousands of ancient books in Chinese and Nom scripts. However, such phenomena are still rare, and in many places, this work has not been well done, with some even neglecting it. Responsible agencies have not yet grasped the valuable books and cultural documents in Chinese and Nom scripts held by the people. Currently, there are still widespread and serious phenomena such as destroying, allowing them to rot, or using these books and documents as raw materials for paper, mounting paintings, fans... If this situation continues, many valuable books and cultural documents in Chinese and Nom scripts will be lost soon.

Therefore, the Office of the Prime Minister requests the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees, with the support of the Cultural Information Agencies, to urgently promote the management of books and cultural documents in Chinese and Nom scripts. The content of this work includes the following tasks:

1- It is necessary to make cadres and the people clearly understand:

a) The protection of books and documents in Chinese and Nom scripts is carried out according to the principle that the State manages and preserves in combination with the people managing and preserving. The State will concentrate and preserve certain types of books and documents at libraries and museums for research purposes. The remaining ones will be managed by the people. The Departments and Offices of Cultural Information will help the people understand the value of each item and guide preservation methods. The people have the responsibility to inform the State about items they possess that are valuable and need to be carefully preserved, without damage or loss, and are ready to lend them to the State for research or copying when necessary.

b) The State respects and protects the ownership rights of individuals who own books and documents in Chinese and Nom scripts.

For private books and documents that the State considers necessary to concentrate and preserve, cultural agencies will negotiate with the owners to transfer them to the State at a reasonable price. Those who donate valuable books or documents to the State will be recorded in a golden book of the library or museum. If the owner wishes to keep the items for personal use or as souvenirs, the State will only borrow them for copying or filming.

If the books or documents belong to public ownership (such as genealogies, land registers, local histories...) or belong to dissolved organizations, those holding them must hand them over to state libraries or museums for preservation upon request from the Ministry of Culture or the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees.

2- The Provincial and Municipal People's Committees need to take appropriate measures to manage the sale and use of books and documents in Chinese and Nom scripts. Emphasis should be placed on propaganda and explanation to those engaged in the collection of old paper and workers and artisans involved in the production of paper, mounting materials, funerary objects, fans... so that these individuals also have a sense of protecting old cultural materials; if valuable books and documents in Chinese and Nom scripts are found among the old papers collected, they have the duty to immediately report to the local authorities so that personnel can be dispatched to select items that need to be preserved. The State will purchase these items and compensate all expenses incurred. Government agencies need to avoid causing long delays for the people, affecting their livelihoods.

3- The Ministry of Culture is responsible for directing the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees to properly carry out this work with the cooperation of the Institute of History and the National Scientific Library.

To carry out this work, the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees will utilize the machinery of cultural information institutions and rely on the assistance of the United Front, mass organizations, and the Federation of Small Craft Cooperatives, and within the necessary scope and time, may temporarily hire individuals knowledgeable in Chinese and Nom scripts to assist. Regarding funding, sufficient funds must be allocated for this work.

Based on this directive and the explanatory circular of the Ministry of Culture, the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees need to develop specific plans to guide and directly direct subordinates to implement within a specified period. After listing the books and documents in Chinese and Nom scripts that the State needs to manage, the Departments and Offices of Cultural Information will be responsible for regular management under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees./.