The Library of Hanoi University (at link http://lib.hanu.vn/) was established shortly after the founding of the University. In its early years, the Library operated as a small documentation unit under the Academic Affairs Office, tasked with providing reference materials for teaching and learning activities. At that time, library resources were limited, consisting mainly of textbooks and specialized reference books in Russian and other Eastern European languages such as Polish, Czech, and Bulgarian. Most of the materials came from donations and aid provided by countries within the socialist system.
In 1967, in response to the expansion of academic programs and the need to improve teaching quality, Hanoi University of Foreign Studies opened additional majors, including English and French. With the establishment of several new faculties and departments, the Library’s collection grew significantly. By 1984, the University leadership decided to separate the documentation unit from the Academic Affairs Office, establishing it as an independent unit under the name “Library of Hanoi University of Foreign Studies.” Following its establishment as an independent entity, the Library constructed a new two-storey building in 1994, and its expanding collection gradually met the institution’s growing academic needs. Throughout its development, the Library continuously improved its infrastructure, strengthened organizational structure, and progressively applied information technology to professional operations.
In 2000, as part of the national effort to reform curricula, teaching methods, and enhance the quality of foreign-language education, the University administration decided to merge the Library with the Information Office, renaming the unit “Information – Library Center of Hanoi University of Foreign Studies.” The Library underwent modernization through an open-access renovation project funded by World Bank loans (Level A and Level B), enabling significant upgrades to its facilities and equipment.
On December 5, 2003, the Library officially began operating in its new building, continuing to modernize its infrastructure and technological systems. Notably, in 2005, the Library implemented the Libol and Kipos electronic library management software to enhance the efficiency of information and library services. Today, the Library functions as a modern and stable unit, contributing increasingly to the educational mission of Hanoi University in particular, and to the development of Vietnam’s education and training sector in general, in the new era.
RESOURCES AND SERVICES
Monographs: the Library holds 46,000 titles across 11 languages (English, Russian, French, Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, etc.) covering a wide range of academic disciplines, including: Business Administration; Tourism and Hospitality Management; Marketing; Multimedia Communication; Corporate Communication; Finance and Banking; Business Administration – Tourism; Information Technology; International Studies; Development Studies; Accounting; Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Culture, and others.
Periodical Publications: 402 print newspapers and journals.
Online Journals; Hanoi University Journal of Foreign Language Studies; Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology Online; Scientific Research Materials; 5,400 research documents.
Reference Materials: Encyclopedias, specialized dictionaries, language dictionaries, almanacs, statistical yearbooks, and other reference sources.
Digital Resources: 3,740 digital documents, including digitized materials from print collections, video files, audio files, and multimedia supplements attached to published materials.
ELECTRONIC DATABASES
Turnitin (plagiarism detection and academic integrity support); ProQuest Ebook Central
ProQuest Central; Vietnam Science and Technology Publication Database; Database of Research Results – Reports from the National Agency for Science and Technology Information; Elearning Library Skillsoft Percipio
LIBRARY SERVICES
Borrowing, returning, and renewing library materials; On-site reading services; Information support, consultation, and reference assistance; Information retrieval services upon request; Group study rooms; Assistance in using the Library and accessing resources (online and in-person support); Organization of events, workshops, conferences, and thematic talks; Exhibitions and displays; Book café services; Teaching support upon request from academic departments; Technical support for computer use; User Training; Library orientation and user instruction; Information literacy training