TK Park announces strategic plans for 2023 to better serve patrons, improve access to learning centers and narrow the inequality gap for 18th anniversary celebration

Bangkok, January 25, 2023 – January 2023 marks a very special moment for TK Park as it celebrates 18 years of connecting people to information and creating activities to promote positive learning development. The knowledge center is taking this special opportunity to announce a 2023 strategic operation update focused on developments and expansions intended to better serve patrons, improve access to learning centers and reduce the inequality gap.

The plans incorporate; building an effective learning ecosystem through media, books and creative activities; encouraging lifelong learning by using innovations, and creating “One Library” by enhancing the quality of MyTK app in order to connect TK Park’s libraries nationwide together and provide convenience for members when borrowing and returning books. They also include; installing self-service borrowing stations at the city’s landmarks; using Big Data to analyze patron behaviors and create activities that promote learning and training courses in order to upskill and reskill; broadening collaboration networks nationwide to achieve its goal of creating “learning cities” in line with the UNESCO sustainable goals; and opening new knowledge centers in Bangkok, Surat Thani and Phayao. 

TK Park Director-General Kittiratana Pitipanich noted that this year, TK Park will continue its task of creating a learning ecosystem in response to the needs of learners. To achieve this, it has invested in innovation and big data analytics to integrate big data about services of different centers.

“The tools give us consistent and accurate data that enables us to make good decisions. We have used them to collect, process and analyze big data of patrons’ behaviors when using our libraries so that we are able to improve our services to meet their needs. And patrons can make use of the information we provide in their daily life,” he said.

TK Park has also created “One Library” to provide convenience for members when borrowing and returning, he added.  

“We have improved the quality of MyTK app in order to link our libraries nationwide together. Our members living in the provinces can borrow books they want to read from any center whether this is in Bangkok or in other provinces, while those in the city can do the same from a center in any province. It can be done easily in a similar way to online shopping. Patrons just select a book they want to read and put it in a cart when borrowing it. Then, we provide a book delivery service for borrowers,” Mr Kittiratana said.

Networking is key to success 

He noted that TK Park will continue expanding its collaboration network which will allow it to provide the best possible services to its patrons. According to him, TK Park plans to work with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, True Digital Park, Young Entrepreneur Chamber of Commerce and the private sector.

“We think creative activities that promote learning and new investment are not enough to enable us to reach our goals of creating an effective learning ecosystem. What we need to do is to work more with experts and partners who have many years of experience. And that will bring quicker results,” he said. 

 
In February, TK Park plans to open a new knowledge center at True Digital Park West, an office building on Sukhumvit Road equipped with spacious event spaces, making it the first branch in Bangkok. The building also serves as the city’s new tech hub and start-up community.

This year, TK Park also plans to open two new centers in two provinces – one at Koh Lamphu Public Park in the center of Surat Thani province and another at Phayao municipality. Another important plan includes developing a “Learning City” in each province to promote lifelong learning for all by working together with local partners to respond to the UNESCO sustainable development goals.

“We encourage all provinces to participate in this project. A learning city helps foster a culture of learning throughout life,” Mr Kittiratana said. 

He added that TK Park also aims to improve its services to provide convenience to patrons. In the middle of 2023, the center plans to install self-service borrowing stations at the city’s landmarks, with each station having more than 300 books to borrow and operating around the clock.

“We will select the right locations to ensure that they are easily accessible,” he said. 

Committed to giving the best services for all 

TK Park has always been committed to serving the needs of different group of patrons. Apart from its core services that include providing books, learning materials and knowledge sets, the knowledge center has run “Train the Trainers” sessions to equip teachers and educators with the skills they need to provide the best experience to learners. The “Mentoring Project” is aimed at helping high-school students explore and identify their careers and set the up for future success. In the near future, the center plans to launch a project for employees looking to develop their skill sets to advance their careers and another that promotes creative thinking and design work. It’s also giving consideration to a project for retired persons who wish to take up new hobbies or learn new skills in their golden years to keep their mind and body active, the director general said.

“We collected data on patrons’ behaviors and their interests when they were using our services and taking part in programs we organized. We processed and analyzed the data using an advanced technique. That has allowed us to create programs that cater to the exact needs of different age groups,” Mr Kittirattana said.

TK Park will continue promoting positive youth development through projects to help prepare kids to learn and succeed in the new era. It has provided learning projects for kids to help develop their imagination and creativity, while promoting teamwork and understanding others.

TK Park has also created fun activities and games for parents and kids to enjoy together and arranged training program both in-person and online aimed at promoting learning activities for teachers.

Additionally, TK Park has implemented the sharing economy, a system that is built around the sharing of resources, to its operation to help parents save money, Mr Kittiratana noted. 

“The sharing economy is one of the most talked-about topics at the moment. The concept has been implemented by companies and organizations. We have done it too. We have encouraged patrons to share books and parents to share toys for their kids. They don’t need to buy new ones.” he said. 

 
TK Park also aims to turn the libraries into community centers, Mr Kittiratana noted. 

“If we want people to make visits to our library, we need to offer services and activities that meet their exact needs and match what they are interested in. We must identify the unique features of communities and create activities that relate to the locals’ way of life,” he said. 

Mr Kittiratana noted people who have transferable skills are able to survive and adapt in a constantly changing world as the skill set can help them solve problems they face in their everyday lives.

“We have supported lifelong learning. The more you learn, they more you know. Self-directed learning is trending. Many people learn better by themselves. Learning at their own pace allows them to learn in a way that suits them, in a comfortable environment. That’s why TK Park has offered a comprehensive range of services and activities for learners to choose from. By doing this, we truly help tackle the gap of social inequality.” he said.