The National Library's New Building

The second phase of China’s National Library opened to the public yesterday. The sleek new design is decked out with comfy chairs, improved heating, and will offer more reader-focused services in continuation of a trend that saw them do away with charging for bag storage and lower photocopying fees last year. According to Xinhua, the combined floor space of the new library and the original building comes to 250,000 sqm, making the NLC the third largest library in the world. The East China Architectural Design Institute worked with the German firm KSP Engel und Zimmermann to design the building. The opening of the new building follows closely on the heels of the development of the National Digital Library of China Program, which has resulted in a large number of e-books (including winners of China’s Wenjin Book Prize and local chronicles), as well as other digital resources like Spring Festival pictures and oracle bone rubbings being uploaded to the library’s new and improved website.

New features

NLC phaseⅡhas been designed to cater to the general public while researchers can continue to use the original library building. The new space has 2,900 seats and the staff are expecting 8000 more readers to visit the library everyday. The new library also features a new collection of 700-800,000 books and also houses 25,000 reference books and 10,000 newspaper and periodical titles – many of which were moved from the main library building over the past few months.

There are 560 computers scattered across the library. 244 of them have been installed in special digital reading rooms - designed to allow readers easier access to digital recourses. Library users can also bring their own laptops as a wireless network covers every corner of the library.

2 new machines have been installed which should allow for readers to return books at any time. New RFID and OPAC technology allows readers to borrow books at self-service machines.

Readers with hand-held mobile E-reading devices can also get easy access to all the electronic resources (E-periodicals, e-book, e-newspaper etc.) provided by the library.

The visually impaired have equal access to digital resources via the digital library for the blind program that utilizes sound control computers.

To find out more take the special 3D visual tour of the new building on their website - you’ll need to install a special 3D player.

Links and Sources
National Libraty of China English Site
National Libraty of China Chinese Site
ECADI: National Library of China Phase II, National Digital Library
Xinhua: China national library expands to be world's third most spacious
CRI: Expanded Library Offers High-End Experiences
The Beijing News: 国图新馆开门四库全书亮相
NetEase: 国家图书馆新馆今日将正式开放
CNhubei.com: Image of library interior