Guangzhou Library

Guangzhou Library

The new building of Guangzhou Library is one of the key municipal construction projects and cultural benefit initiatives in Guangzhou. Its planning began in 2004, groundbreaking in 2006, trial opening on December 28, 2012, and full operation from June 23, 2013. It is situated in the Flower City Square, the new urban center of Guangzhou, known as the "city's living room", at the intersection of the city’s new central axis and the ancient Pearl River, facing the Canton Tower — currently China’s tallest tower. Together with nearby institutions such as the Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou Opera House, and the Guangzhou No. 2 Children’s Palace, it forms a cultural complex and has become a cultural gateway to Guangzhou.

Covering a land area of 21,000 square meters with a total floor space of 98,000 square meters, the library consists of two underground levels, ten floors in the north building, and eight floors in the south building. It is one of the largest urban libraries in the world, with a total investment of 1.314 billion yuan. Designed under the concept of “beautiful books,” the library aligns with the landscape of the city’s new central axis. Its layout features an east-west orientation, twin towers in the north and south, and a uniquely elegant zigzag form that highlights a layered architectural texture — symbolizing the stacking of books and the accumulation of historical culture. The design also incorporates cultural elements such as arcades, reflecting the characteristics of Lingnan architectural art. In 2011, it was selected as one of the “Top 100 Scenic Spots of New Guangzhou.” With the vision of “connecting global wisdom and enriching reading life” and the overall goal of “building a people-centered, first-class international metropolitan library,” it serves six major functions: a driver for regional system development, a city cultural landmark, a lifelong learning center, a ubiquitous knowledge portal, a public exchange platform, and a window of multiculturalism. Upholding the philosophy of “rationality, openness, equality, and inclusiveness,” it strives to be a shared public space that promotes reading, communication, and sharing, stimulates rationality, inspiration, and imagination, and advocates for social harmony and inclusiveness.

The library currently houses a collection of 8.433 million volumes (items), provides 4,000 reading seats, 705 public computers, 4,000 wired network ports, and full wireless network coverage. In 2017, it received an average of 25,000 visitors per day, registered 994 new readers daily, lent out 36,000 volumes daily, and hosted 8 events per day, setting service records for public libraries in China and ranking among the world’s leading public libraries. The library achieves integrated services for collection, borrowing, reading, and consultation; it fully utilizes RFID technology, automated document sorting systems, and self-service equipment to enable efficient, precise collection management and convenient services. Functional zones include the comprehensive service area, general service area, targeted service area, thematic service area, exchange service area, and book storage area.

Address: No. 4 Zhujiang East Road, Guangzhou

Civic Center