Public Information Center (PIC) Program  

In Vietnam, the Public Information Center (PIC) program includes seven centers in Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho, forming an information dissemination and outreach network that spans the length of the country. The World Bank partnered with leading learning institutions and development agencies to establish the Centers, where local people go to share knowledge and access current sources of information on development topics. The Vietnam Development Information Center in Hanoi is the largest Center, established in 2001. Six local centers opened in 2004 and 2005, hosted by Thua Thien-Hue Provincial Library, Hue University Learning Resource Center, Da Nang General Science Library, Ho Chi Minh City General Science Library, Can Tho City Library, and Can Tho University Learning Resource Center.

The search for better ways to enable the poor to improve their lives is at the heart of the program in Vietnam. The country’s rapid development and improved standard of living are remarkable, yet many still lack opportunities, and the gap between rich and poor is increasing. Vietnam and its development partners envision information and communication interventions as one of the ways to narrow the gap by facilitating the acquisition, absorption, and sharing of knowledge about health, education, agriculture, economics, the environment… issues that are important to everyone in Vietnam.

The PICs are user-friendly and easily accessible learning centers that are open to everybody, including the public-government policy makers, private sector, NGOs, donors, students, journalists, and the academia. Users can easily access a wealth of information through the Internet and WB publications and special books and documents by other academic and development institutions. In addition to major World Bank publications in both English and Vietnamese such as the World Development Report, World Development Indicators series, the Vietnam Development Reports and other sector research studies, a collection of project documents of World Bank funded projects in Vietnam are made available both in hard copies and through the Bank's web site. These include project appraisal documents and other related studies such as reports on environmental impact, resettlement plans, etc...

A vital activity of the Vietnam program is the translation of key World Bank documents and relevant publications on development issues from English to Vietnamese. People who cannot read English face greater obstacles than others in accessing the growing store of knowledge on the Internet and in international literature. Publications translated by the World Bank in Vietnam are made freely available on the Internet, sold in print at affordable prices, and made available for consultation in the Public Information Centers.

All five Public Information Centers offer the following services:

• Recent World Bank publications in print, including selected titles published in the United States and all titles published in Vietnam
• Print copies of all public documents for World Bank supported projects in Vietnam
• Development-related publications from numerous well-known academic publishers and development institutions
• Online access to World Bank project documents, publications, and reports from all countries
• Free access to the Internet for development-related research
• Special collection of CD-ROMs and DVDs on development issues
• Knowledge sharing activities such as forums, presentations and book launches
• Reference service by skilled librarians trained to search World Bank information resources

Future Growth

Plans for more World Bank Public Information Centers in Vietnam are underway. Hai Phong and Thai Nguyen cities in Northern Vietnam have been chosen as possible locations for new partnerships. The opportunities for outreach are limitless…

List of current mini-PICs in Vietnam: