Nansha Library starts official operation

The aerial view of Nansha Library. [Photo by Liu Wei/gznsnews.com.cn]

Nansha Library began its trial operation on Dec 1, being the first of its kind in Guangzhou featuring free trade zone characteristics.

The library covers a total area of around 11,000 square meters and a building area of about 25,000 sq m. It has a designated collection of 900,000 books, with 1,000 seats for readers, expecting to provide services for 1 million people.

Covering six floors, of which two are underground, the library has six multifunctional rooms, a music room, a restaurant, and a special reading room for foreign books. 

A corner of the reading area in Nansha Library. [Photo by Liu Wei/gznsnews.com.cn]

Duan Dehai, director of Nansha's publicity department, said that the opening of the new library in Nansha embodies the district's determinations in improving its local cultural service level.

The library makes full use of artificial intelligence technologies to launch smart services, such as using facial recognition for borrowing and returning books, offering customized services via augmented reality glasses, as well as the self-sorting system conducted by robots.

The trial operation of the library will last for six months. The opening hours in December will run from 9 am to 5 pm every day, while the opening hours will be from 9 am to 9 pm every day except Wednesdays starting in 2021.