The National Library of China announced in Beijing Wednesday that it will soon link its digital library with the intranet of the government departments, propelling its consultation service to become digitalized.

Listed on China's priority development agenda in the coming five years, the e-library has digitalized nearly 200,000 books in text, audio-visual and image forms.

In the last three years, the library has offered law makers consultation 390 times, including 32 consultations for top political leaders.

The library started cooperation with the central government organs in 1998. Since then it has offered a free round-the-clock information service to deputies and members attending the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The library branches for the Ministry of Personnel, the State Development Planning Commission, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security have been set up to offer specific services.

In addition, the regular lectures for high-ranking officials that began last year have attracted the attendance of more than 100 ministers.

Founded in 1909, the National Library of China has a collection of 23 million books, making it the leading library in Asia and the fifth largest in the world.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2002)