It is said that the soul of a city is reflected by the libraries there. For a city, libraries are the barking stars in the dark night, which stimulate our never outdated thirst for knowledge. In recent years, the infrastructure network of the public cultural services in Shaoxing has become increasingly sound. In 2021, all seven public libraries in the city won the title of provincial “Satisfying Library”.
Shaoxing Public Library
Till now, there are 86 city’s studies which cover more than 60 towns with total area of more than 20,000 square meters, nearly 1 million collections and over 8,000 seats for readers. A relatively complete urban reading structure has been formed.
City’s Study
Nine Special Reading Spaces in Shaoxing
Guyue Book Storage Building
Guyue Library was founded in 1902 by Mr. Xu Shulan, an esquire born in Shaoxing. Taking both storage and innovation as the purpose, it created a precedent for modern public libraries by transforming private books into public collections in China.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Shaoxing Library cataloged the collections of Guyue Library twice and completed more than 10 thousands books, which were then stored in a dedicated place together with their original bookcases.
Although few of the old collections in the library are the Song and Yuan Dynasty block-printed editions,many of them are fine Ming and Qing Dynasty editions. Among all the collections, one of them was selected in the National Rare Ancient Book Directory and two of them are listed in the Zhejiang Provincial Rare Ancient Book Directory.
Address: No.503, West Shengli Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City
Shaoxing Library Technical Branch
Shaoxing Library, also named as Luxun Library, recently opened a technical branch library in Shuimuwan District. With the windows made by glasses, the branch library is fulfilled with the sun shine.
Cafe
Enter into the library, you can smell the aroma of bread, coffee and books.
Spiral Staircase
Go upstairs along the spiral escalator, you’ll see the library on the second floor , there are more than 10 thousand books in 2,100 square-meter room.
Aesthetics Hall
The third floor is a good place for readers to relax in the gym, yoga and dance room and swimming pool.
Through the floor-to-ceiling window, readers can enjoy the scenery of the Didang Lake Park and can also read in the sunshine. It is also a suitable place for taking photos.
Based on the rich database resources, the branch library also provides technical thesis research services for the enterprises nearby.
Opening Time: Tuesday to Sunday (8:30-16:30)
Address: Shaoxing Shumuwan District Science Park 2-2-203, No.2 Pingjiang Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City
DO HOURS Book Store
DO HOURS is a book store that breaks the tradition. It is not only a place to buy selected books, but also a spiritual space for members in the communities, and a physical space for online new media to achieve closed-loop operation.
Beyond selling books, the book store reflects the readers’ understanding of the books, their attitude to life and the love to the city.
Light music and fresh greenery are the daily life here,
Tea and coffee are the daily life here,
Drinks and exquisite utensils are the daily life here,
Glass windows and over-sized bookshelves are the daily life here,
The independent small space where holds various interesting activities every week for members is the daily life here ......
Come in, sit down and look up at the boxy bookshelves, enjoying alternating between day and night and the rebirth of the seasons.
Address: No.2-2 Fengqingshui Street, Ying’en Gate, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City
Shaoxing Shulan Study
If you love to stay at the study room, this 24-hour study would be your type.
After months of careful preparation, the study was opened on January 18th, 2022. It has a oval-shaped room and 10-meter glass walls. Besides daily reading, various special activities for citizens are often held here.
You can come here alone for a cup of coffee and a book. Families with children can also find philosophical fables, fairy tales and lovely picture books here.
Address: No.888 East Second Ring Road, Jishan Street, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City
Feixiang Bookshop
Situated beside Guanpei stream, Jidong Town, Feixiang Study is original an auditorium built between 1950s to 1960s. In the beginning, it was the great hall for the residents in the village. Used as a tea factory from 1980s to 1990s. this building was abandoned at the beginning of this century.
The special design of the study is simple but practical and provides opportunities for dream chasing by holding various reading activities.
Address: Beside Guanpei Stream, Jidong Town, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City
Zhitang Book Bar
Zhitang Book Bar is located in Changtang Town, Shangyu District, where is the hometown of Ji Kang (a Chinese author, poet, Taoist philosopher, musician and alchemist) .It has a long history, outstanding people. In 2019, Zhitang Book Bar was founded between the green mountains and rivers.
The book bar has a total area of 250 square meters, with more than 80 reading seats and a collection of more than 7,000 books. The style of the book bar is simple but elegant, fresh and bright, making full use of colors and bookshelves to separate various spaces in this small area, dividing various functional areas, and creating a warm environment. The design of the seats allows readers to immerse themselves in books and at the same time, through the window, they can see the surrounding landscapes and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Zhitang Book Bar has already become a good place to read and relax. Students can study here and visitors see it as a place for leisure and pleasure. Wandering in the sea of books and seeking a favorite one to peruse, it is a microcosm of better life.
Zhitang Book Bar is a microcosm of the construction of urban study room in Shangyu District and it has been connected to the unified borrowing and return system in the city.
Address: Zhitang Book Bar, Changtang Town, Shangyu District, Shaoxing City
Huaxia Confucian Temple for ancient bronzes and stone tablets, Huanjiang Study
Huaxia Epigraphy Museum is located in Wuxiejiang Cultural and Ecological Park in the west of the city, which is divided into the main building and the library. The rubbings collection of ancient bronzes and stone tablets reaches more than 10,000 pieces.
The construction of the building is inspired by the process of cracking and repairing of ancient bronzes and stone tablets, which make the building a new cultural landmark in the west of Zhuji City.
The building has two floors, with an area of about 1,000 square meters and more than 20,000 books covering various fields for the public to borrow for free. Compared with other studies, the theme of epigraphy is the biggest feature of this study. On the second floor, there are more than 13,000 collection of calligraphy and painting books, including bronze, seal carving, inscription, brick inscription, calligraphy, painting and other content, providing important information for the study of traditional epigraphy.The collections are open to the readers for free.
Adhering to the purpose of “inheriting and carrying forward the traditional epigraphy culture”, Huanjiang Study will successively carry out special lectures, exhibitions, cultural and creative productions, etc. and intents to build the study into a modern study room that combines the local cultural characteristics with the traditional epigraphy cultural elements.
Address: Wuqijiang Cultural and Ecological Park, Zhuji City, Shaoxing City
Shengzhou Shanxi Study
Shengzhou Shanxi Study, Jiangwan Branch is located beside the Shan creek and was built under the cooperation of Shengzhou City Library and Sanjiang Street Office in 2020. Covering 300 square-meter ground, the study owns nearly 10.000 books and more than 50 seats with three main functional areas.
This study combines the functions of reading, borrowing and relaxing together. Readers with ID cards, reader’s cards or citizen cards could access to the resources in the study.
This study is also the first city study room in the south of Shengzhou City. Besides the rich collection of books, the study organizes many reading activities as well.
Till now, the elegant environment and relaxing atmosphere here have already attracted more than 80,000 readers and the study has become one of the most popular leisure places for citizens in the south of the city.
Address: No.1-2 Emerald Bay, Jiangwan No.1, New District South of City, Shengzhou City, Shaoxing City
Shaoxing Tianmu Study, Yule Book Bar
Situated at the downtown, Shaoxing Tianmu Study is a micro-library, tiny but beautiful.
With winding and quiet space layout, advanced digital equipment, cool lighting, rich collection, the study has construction area of more than 470 square meters, which is divided into adults’ reading area, children's reading area, public welfare activity area, public service area and other functional spaces. The collection covers classic literature, current affairs and politics, history and humanities, culture and education, natural sciences, children's books and many other fields. The study is also equipped with Goethe e-book borrowing machine and other digital reading equipment, which can meet the needs of readers for digital reading.
The completion of the study has added a "quiet place" to the surrounding residents, and provids a platform for activities and a space for art appreciation. Reading salon, parent-child reading activities, and various art exhibitions are held every week, which enriches the leisure life of the surrounding residents and contributes to the work of promoting the county library to create a "15-minute reading circle".
The study has received more than 30,000 people since its opening and has gradually changed from an Internet sensation at the beginning to a "spiritual enjoyment area" for Xinchang citizens.
Address: No.311 Nanyan Road, Xinchang County, Shaoxing City
