From 28 January to 29 January, the National Library of China (NLC) held the Meeting on Expanding Middle-level Cadres, 2021. In order to do well the epidemic prevention and control, the main venue and sub-venues were specially arranged for the plenary session. In the sub-venues, the participants watched the meeting in the form of video. Nearly 360 people attended the meeting, including the library directors, principals of divisions and departments, principals of all Party branches, principals of all library affiliated enterprises, all leaders at or above the deputy section level and members of all Party branches. Rao Quan, Director of the NLC and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of the NLC, made a keynote report named Seize the opportunity, face the challenge, and work together to promote librarianship development. Wei Dawei, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the NLC and Deputy Director of the NLC, made a summary for the meeting.

Guided by Xi Jinping's socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, this meeting implemented the spirit of the 19^th National Congress of the CPC, and the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th plenary session of the 19^th CPC Central Committee, further carried out the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter, studied and implemented the spirit of National Conference of Propaganda Ministers and the spirit of National Conference of Directors of the Department of Culture and Tourism, summarized the library work during the 13^th Five-Year Plan Period and the work in 2020, studied the development ideas during the 14^th Five-Year Plan Period, and made arrangements for 2021. We would greet the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China with outstanding achievements, make contributions to promoting the construction of a socialist cultural power and starting a new journey of building a socialist modern country.

In his speech, Rao Quan summarized the work progress of the NLC in 2020 and the achievements in the 13^th Five-Year Plan Period, analyzed the new situation, new opportunities and new challenges faced by the current librarianship development, and proposed several demands for the staff. First, the staff should take the initiative to undertake the mission and task of holding the banner, gathering people's hearts, cultivating new people, promoting culture and displaying image; second, the staff should actively adapt to the development needs of the "smart society"; third, the staff should further enhance the ability of professional knowledge service, and support the country's innovation and development; fourth, the staff should further establish new development concepts, and build a new development pattern. Finally, the staff should have a broad vision, profound ideas, and pragmatic measures. Rao Quan put forward the NLC's working ideas and measures during the 14^th Five-Year Plan Period, arranged the key tasks in 2021, and proposed 5 demands, especially on epidemic prevention and control.

The library directors in charge of each division and department signed the 2021 work tasks with the directors of each division and department. During the meeting, the participants focused on the theme of the meeting and the content of Rao Quan's speech, carried out in-depth exchange and discussion from their own practical work, and put forward good opinions and suggestions. At the closing meeting, the speakers of each group made concluding remarks on behalf of the group. It was agreed that 2020 was an extraordinary year. In the face of the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, the library directors made scientific responses at the first time, and made important achievements on promoting epidemic prevention and control and librarianship development. We thoroughly carried out the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter, planned development strategy for the 14^th Five-Year Plan Period, actively explored the application of modern technology to realize the intelligent transformation, and made important progress in promoting the innovative development of librarianship.

Wei Dawei made a comprehensive summary of the meeting and put forward specific requirements for implementing the spirit of the meeting and accomplishing the goals and tasks of this year. First, we should strengthen the theoretical study, enhance the political ability, and thoroughly implement the decision-making and deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Second, we should solidly promote the key tasks of our library this year, so as to make a good start for the transformation and innovative development of the NLC in the 14^th Five-Year Plan Period. Third, the staff should thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter, and jointly promote the transformation and development of librarianship in 2021.