New era for Chinese public libraries

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China’s first national public library law comes into effect today, offering resources to a greater portion of the public.

Highlights of the Law

The law standardizes many services in public libraries around the country. The Supreme People’s Court highlights certain aspects of the law below.

The National Library of China. /VCG Photo

Services free of charge:

Four types of services should be provided free of charge, including offering inquiry and borrowing services for document information, opening its public spaces such as reading rooms, organizing public lectures, reading promotion activities, training and exhibitions, and other service programs in accordance with national regulations.

Priority groups:

The rehabilitation literature reading room of the Capital Library. /Photo provided to CGTN

For children, a reading area, guidance and educational activities should be provided by government-funded libraries.

For the elderly and the disabled, there should be special services and barrier-free facilities.

Open time:

Public libraries are required to open on weekends and legal holidays.

Privacy protection and Digital services:

Libraries are responsible for preventing a reader’s personal information from being divulged. Moreover, government-funded libraries should strengthen their infrastructure for digital resources and provide document resource e-platforms.

Model public library

The rehabilitation literature reading room of the Capital Library. /Photo provided to CGTN

CGTN visited the Capital Library of China, which is one of the largest libraries owned by the city of Beijing.

With a collection of more than 6.5 million books of all kinds, the library is open all year round to the public.

Reading room with Chinese-style decorations in the Capital Library. /Photo provided to CGTN

During the New Year Holiday, there are various activities including local cultural lectures, book exchange activities, and a multitude of other exhibitions.

For the young ones, there are activities such as DIY New Year greeting cards, fairytale reading club, and a day for cartoon screenings.

Children's reading room at the Capital Library. /provided to CGTN

All of the activities are free of charge and open to the public. People just need to make an appointment ahead of their visit.

A staff member of the Capital Library told CGTN that the institution already offers similar services. “Long before the public library law was enacted, we had designated reading areas for priority groups. For example, we have a rehabilitation literature reading room (for the disabled), and we have reading room only for kids.”

The VR room in the Capital Library. /provided to CGTN

Still needs improvement

Although libraries in China such as Beijing’s Capital Library already have excellent facilities and services, the rest of the country still has a long way to go to accommodate such a tremendous population.

According to the 2014 statistics of the Ministry of Culture, there are 3,117 public libraries across china, while the US has 9,082 public libraries, statistics from the American Library Association of the corresponding period show.

CGTN Photo

Such a large library to population ratio means the US has ample places for the public to kick back and read.

CCTV anchor Bai Yansong gave an assessment of the US’ public library system, noted that “'FREE TO ALL' is written on the entrance of the Boston Public Library, and I believe this not only means the library is free of charge, but also free to enter and exit for each and every one.”

The director of the public service department at the Boston library explained,“The library welcomes everyone, whether you are young or old, poor or rich; whether you are an American citizen, a foreign immigrant, or a tourist, the library welcomes everyone.”

The Boston Public Library. /Pinterest Photo

There is a dedicated query system for people with disabilities, with voice prompts at each step, and the printer can even print braille directly. For older readers, the library provides books with larger characters, and it sends books to prison regularly.

China is now trying to have people in remote areas have access to public resources as well. News agency Xinhua stated in December, “China has set up 587,000 libraries in rural areas, according to a meeting about rural libraries held in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.”

Book reading habits in China

CGTN Photo

The Chinese are voracious readers, with the country’s Academy of Press and Publication noting that “Chinese people read an average of 7.86 books in 2016, a slight increase from last year.” Meanwhile, digital books are becoming more popular.

CGTN Photo

China ranked third place in the world on time spent reading, according to a global study released by the World Culture Score Index, which measures the amount of time that people around the world spend reading on a weekly basis.

With the new public library law coming out, a proliferation of libraries can be expected.