The newly renovated Hongkou District Library officially reopened on August 15, which marked the launch of the 12th Hongkou Youth Reading Festival and a special session of the 2024 Shanghai Book Fair.
The Hongkou District Library at 1412 Shuidian Road has been a cornerstone of Shanghai's literary culture since it opened its doors in December 2010.
Over the past 14 years, it has welcomed an average of 1.5 million visitors annually and hosted around 200 cultural events each year.
The library, a National First-Class Library and a National Civilized Unit, has been instrumental in promoting public access to literature and fostering a culture of reading across the city.
The revamped library is designed around the concepts of "fusion, immersion, and friendliness," integrating spaces to create a seamless reading experience.
The library's physical space has been reimagined: the first-floor lobby has been expanded, barriers between the second-floor reading areas have been removed, and the children's section on the third floor has been significantly enlarged.
The library also emphasizes thematic reading, with dedicated sections for "Cultural Three Lands," "Hongkou Literary Heritage," "Shanghai's Best Books," and more, offering readers a diverse array of literary options. These changes are intended to enhance the reading experience by blending the physical space with the thematic content.
The library's redesign includes both adult and children's reading areas, each tailored to provide an immersive reading environment. The adult reading rooms feature a calming color scheme of wood and blue tones, with a variety of book wall designs and comfortable seating to encourage deep engagement with the text.
The children's section, expanded to 450 square meters, includes age-specific reading areas and boasts a collection of over 60,000 children's books, including more than 1,700 original works. This area is designed to cater to the needs of young readers, providing a welcoming space for immersive and interactive reading experiences.
In line with the "People's City" concept, the library is committed to offering reader-focused services. New features include additional power outlets at 80 percent of the reading desks, new activity spaces, individual study rooms, and dining areas.
The library also offers specialized areas such as a reading room for the visually impaired and discussion rooms, ensuring that every visitor can find a space that meets their needs.
Since its soft opening on July 25, the library has been consistently full, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to providing a comprehensive public library experience.
The library will continue to evolve, integrating modern services and programming to meet the diverse needs of the Hongkou community, while also celebrating the district's rich cultural heritage.