New Books Network: Bibliotactics

In this episode of the New Books in Library Science Podcast, Cindy Anh Nguyen discusses her newly published book, Bibliotactics: Libraries and the Colonial Public in Vietnam (University of California Press, 2026). Dr. Nguyen studies the Hanoi and Saigon state libraries in colonial and postcolonial Vietnam, uncovering the emergence of a colonial public who reimagined the political meaning and social space of the library through public critique and day-to-day practice. Comprising government bureaucrats, library personnel, journalists, and everyday library readers, this colonial public debated the role of libraries as educational resource, civilizing instrument, and literary heritage.

Bibliotactics is available open access from Luminosa. This episode was produced by NYSEAN Partner, the New Books Network.