Nanjing Library

南京图书馆
(Nanjing Library)
Collection

Country	China
Type	Public
Established	1907
Location	189 Zhongshan E Rd, Xuanwu, Nanjing, Jiangsu
Branch of	Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture
Items collected	11 million (2013)
Website	http://www.jslib.org.cn

Nanjing Library (Simplified Chinese: 南京图书馆 Pinyin: Nánjīng Túshūguǎn) is the third largest library in China with over 7 million items. It houses important scientific, cultural and arts literature relating to Jiangsu province and other national historical records such as ancient Chinese and foreign publications. The library contains 1.6 million ancient books and 100,000 volumes of books, documents and manuscripts (including Buddhist scriptures) dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty.^[1]

History

Nanjing Library was established in 1907 as Jiangnan Library. Over time, the library has undergone several organisational changes. The Library endured through Chinese feudal dynasties, Chinese democratic revolution, and the founding of new China. It witnessed greatest changes that took place in modern China and by itself gives clear records to the one-century history of modern China.

Jiangnan Library

In 1907 Duan Fang — governor-general of Liangjiang area — established Jiangnan Library on the site of Xiyin Academy at Nanjing in order to preserve ancient books and scrolls of Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, and Qing Dynasty. Miao Quansun was appointed to be the librarian. The Jiangnan Library was the first library in China.^[2]

Library of Chinese Studies, National Central University

In 1927, the University District System was adopted in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces. According to the system, Jiangnan Library was to be administered by the Zhongshan University and named Library of Chinese Studies, Zhongshan University. By the May 1928, it was renamed as Library of Chinese Studies, National Central University. Liu Yizheng, was appointed to be the chief librarian.^[2]

Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies

In October 1929, the University District System was abolished, the library was administered by the Jiangsu Department of Education and was renamed as Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies.^[2]

National Central Library

In 1933, the China Ministry of Education built the National Central Library 中央图书馆 on Chengxian Street in Nanjing. The Library was relocated several times due to the Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. Jiang Fucong 蔣復璁 was the chief librarian. Towards the end of 1948, Jiang Fucong took about 130,000 volumes of rare books to Taiwan under instructions of Republic of China. The core of this collection was formed by the "Rare Book Preservation Society" 文献保存同志会 in 1940-41. In May 1949, the library was handed over to the Nanjing Military Control Commission.^[2]

National Nanjing Library

On March 19, 1950, National Central Library was renamed as National Nanjing Library by the Ministry of Culture, and was put under the joint administration of the Bureau of Cultural Relics and Ministry of Culture. He Changqun was appointed as chief librarian. In October 1952, National Nanjing Library merged with Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies.^[2]

Nanjing Library

In 1954, the Ministry of Culture renamed the National Nanjing Library to Nanjing Library in July 1954 and was supervised by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. Wang Changbing was appointed as chief librarian.^[2]

Departmental structure

The Nanjing Library is organized in the following structure.^[3]

Office of the Chinese Communist Party Committee of NL
Chief Librarian’s Office
Hu Resources Department
Labor Union
Office of General Affairs
Security Office
Department of Acquisition and Cataloging
Reader Service Department
Department of Information Resources Development
Department of Information Technology Application
Historical Archive Department
Research and Training Department
Editing House of 21st Century Library

Reciprocal library exchange program

Nanjing Library has partnered with the State Library of Victoria (Australia) for reciprocal exchange since 1985. This includes staff visits and exchange of publications between the libraries.^[4]