The library is a university without walls, providing not only the basic conditions for individuals and social groups to learn and improve themselves throughout their lives but also showcasing a city's cultural heritage. Beijing's public libraries have rich and distinctive collections. Let's gather for a spring reading feast on this special occasion.
National Library of China
The National Library of China (NLC) serves as the repository of the nation's publications, a national bibliographic center, a national center for preservation and conservation of ancient books, as well as the national museum of ancient books. With a total building area of 280,000 square meters, it is ranked third among national libraries worldwide. By the end of 2021, the total number of documents in its collection had exceeded 42.3 million volumes, and its digital resources amounted to nearly 2,500 terabytes.
The National Library of China was formerly known as the Imperial Library of Peking, which was established by the Qing government on September 9, 1909. It was renamed the National Peking Library in 1928, then the Peking Library in 1951, and finally the National Library on December 12, 1998, and is now also known as the National Library of China internationally.
Over the past century, the National Library of China has gradually established a hierarchical service system for central state organs, key educational and scientific research institutions and enterprises, the general public, and national libraries throughout the country. Its collection is vast and distinguished, containing imperial collections since the Southern Song dynasty. The earliest collections date back to more than 3,000 years ago from the oracle bones of the Ruins of Yin. Its four major special collections, Dunhuang Manuscripts, the Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka, the Yongle Encyclopedia, and the Siku Quanshu, have attracted worldwide attention.
Address: No.33 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing.
National Museum of Classic Books
The National Museum of Classic Books is the first national-level museum of classics in China. Based on the rich collection of the National Library of China, it showcases Chinese classics from both content and form aspects. It serves as both a museum and a library.
In July 2012, the National Library of China added the sign "National Museum of Classic Books" and officially established the museum, which was opened to the public in September 2014.
The National Museum of Classic Books integrates the collection, display, research, protection, public education, cultural heritage, and cultural leisure of classics, and is the center for collecting Chinese classic cultural relics, showcasing, exchanging, researching, and protecting the classics, as well as a base for traditional Chinese culture education for young people, a platform for patriotic education, and a public cultural leisure center.
The National Museum of Classic Books covers a total area of 11,549 square meters with 10 exhibition halls, providing a wider space for visitors, better leisure places, and a better museum experience.
Address: South of the National Library of China, Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing.
Capital Library of China
The Capital Library of China is a large public library under the jurisdiction of Beijing Municipal Government. It is an important knowledge information hub and spiritual civilization construction base in Beijing.
The history of the Capital Library of China can be traced back to 1913. It was formed by the merger of three libraries: the Imperial Library of Peking Branch, the Popular Library of Peking, and the Central Park Library, all of which were initiated by Mr. Lu Xun. After more than 100 years of evolution, the Capital Library of China has become the most open and integrated public library in the country.
The Capital Library of China currently holds over 9.26 million documents, including ancient and modern Chinese and foreign literature, with complete subject categories and diverse document carriers, especially featuring rare books, local literature of Beijing, modern books and newspapers, audiovisual materials, and foreign books and periodicals.
The Capital Library of China has a total area of 94,000 square meters with over 20 reading rooms (areas) and nearly 4,000 reading seats. It also has more than ten professional halls such as a multifunctional theater, exhibition hall, movie appreciation hall, lecture hall, multifunctional hall, and conference room to provide readers with diversified cultural services.
Address: East of Huawei Bridge, Southeast Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Jiao Lou Library (Corner Tower Library)
The Jiaolou Library is a modern library with distinct Beijing characteristics. Built in 1553, the Southeast Corner Tower of the outer city was once a landmark building in old Beijing. Today, after being rebuilt as a scenic building, it has become a branch library of the Dongcheng District and was opened to the public for free on October 28, 2017.
The Jiaolou Library currently houses over 7,000 local Beijing literature books, more than 30 kinds of printed newspapers, and over 100 kinds of periodicals. It has the most complete collection of historical and cultural books with old Beijing characteristics.
The library's reader activities adopt a social operation model, including events such as "Corner Tower Living Room", "Intangible Cultural Heritage 52-day Festival", "Corner Tower Wonderful Night", "Starlit Cinema", "Celebrating Chinese Festivals in Corner Tower", "Corner Tower Drama", and over 200 book club and cultural salon activities each year. This provides a fully immersive experience of the charm of this city.
Here, you can learn about the history of Beijing from nearly ten thousand books, and experience the present of Beijing through a rich and colorful array of activities. Standing on the tower and looking into the distance, with the moat beside you and the scent of books in the air, you can truly feel the slow life of this city.
Address: No. 9 Longtan East Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing.
