The new library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) -- the largest scientific library in China -- with a floor area of 40,000 square meters and a collection of more than 5 million books, started to provide services for the CAS, as well as readers from all over the country, on June 29.
Located in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing, the new library has the most complete and systematic set of documents and information resources for the basic courses of natural sciences, as well as high-tech information. For those wishing to use its collection of 5.2 million books and a million non-print documents, the library has set up 800 seats and expects to accommodate 1,200 people daily. With its spacious area and perfect accessories and open-stack management, the library can satisfy readers’ needs for reference on the spot and borrowing books and provide convenient and fast services for all.
With an advanced Internet system, this new library is capable of handling business automatically, fulfilling joint online catalogue compilation and long-distance delivery of documents, as well as providing 24-hour online service.
According to the head of the CAS, Lu YongXiang, as the state scientific library, the CAS Library will play an important role in the entire scientific information system of China. The goal of the new library is to build up a digital state scientific library, an online information service platform based on abundant information resources, and to set up a digital and intellectual information service system free of the limitations of time and space.
(china.org.cn by Wang Qian, July 6, 2002)
