Jump to content

Capital Library

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Zhu Ziyi 009 (talk | contribs) at 17:30, 3 April 2025. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
This article is about the 1913-founded municipal library in downtown Beijing. For the national library, see National Library of China. For the 2023-opened new municipal library in suburban Beijing, see Beijing Library.
Capital Library
首都图书馆
Capital Library building front view
Map
39°52′13″N 116°27′48″E / 39.870390732157176°N 116.46323800261771°E / 39.870390732157176; 116.46323800261771
LocationChaoyang, Beijing, China
TypePublic library
Established1913[1]
Other information
Websiteclcn.net.cn

The Capital Library (CLCN) is a municipal public library in Chaoyang, Beijing, China. The library is noted for its collection of Chinese opera, classical music, drama and theater.[2]

History

Founded in 1913 by Lu Xun,[3] Capital Library evolved from the merger of the Capital Books Branch, the Capital Popular Library and the Central Park Library Reading Office, which were respectively established in June 1913, October 1913 and August 1917.[4]

After the Revolution of the Northern Expedition, these three libraries were renamed and merged several times and changed to the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Library. In August 1949, it was renamed the Beijing Municipal Library.[5] In October 1956, the library was renamed the Capital Library.[6]

On November 1, 2013, after the National Library of China succumbed to government pressure,[7] the Capital Library accepted a lecture by Australian historian Ross Terrill, who delivered a speech on the theme of "Mao Zedong in the Eyes of a Biographer: His Life, Personality and Ideology".[8]

Architectural Design and Facilities

The Capital Library of China is located on the east side of Huawei Bridge on the East Third Ring Road in Chaoyang District, Beijing, southeast of Andingmen and west of the Temple of Literature. As a comprehensive large-scale public library under the jurisdiction of Beijing Municipality, it comprises several departments, including the Office, General Affairs Department, Editorial Department, Reading Department, Science and Technology Department, Social Science Reference Department, Book Preservation Department, and Research Assistance Department.[9]

Resource Construction

The Huawei Bridge Branch of the Capital Library of China features a Local Literature Reading Room and an Information Archive, offering services such as local literature access, government information inquiries, and database resources, facilitating readers' access to various local information.[10]

The Capital Library of China provides a comprehensive and multi-level range of cultural and information services to the public, including document lending, information consultation, lectures and forums, exhibitions, and exchanges, as well as cultural and recreational activities.[11] The Capital Library of China was designated as a "National First-Class Library" by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China,[12] It is also among the first batch of "National Key Preservation Institutions for Ancient Books".[13]

Historical Development

The establishment of the Capital Books Branch, the Capital Popular Library, and the Central Park Library Reading Office was all guided by Lu Xun. Among them, the Capital Popular Library was the first library in China open to the general public after the Xinhai Revolution. The Capital Library of China evolved through multiple mergers of these three libraries.[14]

In 2001, the new library was completed. Since 2002, 11 county-level libraries and 33 branch libraries have been built successively. In 2005, the Beijing Children's Library was established.[15]

In 2003, the library initiated the "Beijing Memory" project, a digital endeavor aimed at preserving and showcasing the local history and cultural heritage of Beijing.[16]

A new building for the Capital Library of China was inaugurated on May 1, 2001, in Chaoyang District, Beijing. In 2004, the Beijing Children's Library was merged into the Capital Library of China, further enhancing its service functions.[17]

On July 28, 2021, the Daxing Airport Branch of Capital Library, jointly built by Capital Library and Beijing Daxing International Airport, was officially opened. Daxing Airport Branch Library is the first "airport library" in China, covering an area of nearly 500 square meters, with a collection of more than 10,000 volumes, more than 200,000 electronic books, and more than 1.5 million music pieces, and provides free "Beijing Memory" and "Beijing Collection" and other 18 database viewing services.[18]

On January 10, 2022, the Capital Library of China and the Beijing Lu Xun Museum reached a strategic cooperation agreement and signed a framework agreement. A book donation ceremony was held at the Capital Library of China.[19]

In December 2024, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the "Top Ten Cases" and "Outstanding Cases" of the 2024 Cultural and Tourism Digital Innovation Demonstration. The "Intelligent Recommendation Application Based on Privacy Computing" by the Capital Library of China was honored as an "Outstanding Case" in the 2024 Cultural and Tourism Digital Innovation Demonstration.[20]

In January 2025, the Capital Library of China was selected for the second batch of National Ancient Book Restoration Centers.[21]

The online photo exhibition "Memories of Two Cities", jointly launched by the Capital Library of China and the National Library of Singapore, features a selection of historical photographs from both libraries' collections. It showcases the early cultural and social landscapes of Beijing and Singapore, tracing landmarks, scenes, and traditions that have changed over time.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Libraries". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. 2004-10-27.
  2. ^ Lin, Sharon Chien (1998). Libraries and librarianship in China. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-00784-5. OCLC 51916298.
  3. ^ Chou, Sha-chʻen; 周沙尘. (1984). Beijing old and new : a historical guide to places of interest : with descriptions of famous sites within one day's journey of Beijing (1st ed.). Beijing, China: New World Press. ISBN 0-8351-1392-2. OCLC 12018950.
  4. ^ Ni Xiaojian (2007). Beijing Regional Library Chronology, 1949-2006. Beijing Library Press. ISBN 978-7-5013-3431-5.
  5. ^ Library Science Newsletter. Cultural Relics Publishing House. 1985.
  6. ^ Thesaurus of Modern Chinese History. Henan People's Publishing House. 1991.
  7. ^ "China has moved on, but remains in thrall to Mao". The Australian. Dec 26, 2013.
  8. ^ "Ross Terrill, author of "Mao: A Biography" delivers a speech at the Capital Library". Boxun. 2013-12-30. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  9. ^ 首都图书馆[EB/OL]. [2025-03-11]. http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/31069.htm.
  10. ^ 王倩, 李光. Research on utilization and promotion of local literature resources in public libraries under the background of cultural and tourism integration: Taking capital library of China as an example[J]. 江苏科技信息, 2024, 41(21): 120-124, 136.
  11. ^ "About_Capital Library of China". www.clcn.net.cn. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
  12. ^ "文化部关于命名一、二、三级图书馆的决定". zwgk.mct.gov.cn. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
  13. ^ "国务院关于公布第一批国家珍贵古籍名录和第一批全国古籍重点保护单位名单的通知". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
  14. ^ 中国出版年鉴[EB/OL]. [2025-03-20]. https://www.cnki.net/KNavi/YearbookDetail?pcode=CYFD&pykm=YNOOK&bh=N2024072536.
  15. ^ capital library[EB/OL]. (2023-12-27)[2025-03-21]. https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%88%98%EB%8F%84%EB%8F%84%EC%84%9C%EA%B4%80.
  16. ^ 倪晓建. 北京地区图书馆大事记(1949-2006)[M/OL]. 北京图书馆出版社, 2007[2025-03-16]. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1130282271022890112.
  17. ^ About_Capital library of China[EB/OL]. [2025-03-16]. https://www.clcn.net.cn/en/about/5.html.
  18. ^ Capital library of China daxing airport branch[EB/OL]. [2025-03-16]. https://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/culture/beijingtownscape/readingspaces/202401/t20240119_3541261.html.
  19. ^ 首都图书馆与北京鲁迅博物馆签署战略合作框架协议 - CNKI[EB/OL]. [2025-03-20]. https://www.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbcode=CYFD&dbname=CYFD2024&filename=N2024072536000303&uniplatform=OVERSEA&v=EfWjajm3LAZ2x90kS38-k3cJvU9enfJT6zSalAN_RdP8o-1JQNPSXwdMru2znr7qQc-ceEEr9T0%3d.
  20. ^ 2024年文化和旅游数字化创新示范案例公布[EB/OL]. [2025-03-21]. https://www.mct.gov.cn/whzx/whyw/202412/t20241209_956751.htm.
  21. ^ 文化和旅游部办公厅关于公布第二批国家级古籍修复中心名单的通知[EB/OL]. [2025-03-16]. https://zwgk.mct.gov.cn/zfxxgkml/ggfw/202502/t20250205_958227.html.
  22. ^ YESITA J. Memories of two cities[EB/OL]. (2020-12-18)[2025-03-20]. https://allabout.city/singapore/memories-of-two-cities/.


Stub icon

This article about a library-related building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Capital_Library&oldid=1283787233"