China – Research

Libraries

Finding and accessing what you need

All libraries are easy to access and users can easily get information and find books either in the libraries or on library websites. Some libraries have English language websites for foreigners.

Opening times are not always the same at all libraries. All libraries are open on weekdays and only a few of them are closed on weekends. Some are open in the evening for students to read and borrow books. During the summer and winter holidays most libraries operate as usual.

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In general, for the convenience of readers, libraries provide at least three service systems, online booking, self-service and manual service. All libraries have electronic/online catalogues and electronic reading rooms. Notebook/Wireless network access is available in many locations on campus. The electronic datebase includes E-Journals and E-Books from various academic fields. Some universities have mobile libraries. For example, the Mobile Library of Shandong University provides more than one million e-books, 78 million newspaper articles and over 300 million articles in domestic and foreign periodicals. Either at home or in the library, readers can browse the web to select what they need from a large cluster of electronic catalogues.

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Borrowing books

The procedures for borrowing books in China are similar to those at UK universities. Students receive a student ID card after registration, and this ID card is used to borrow books. Students can enter the library with the ID card and choose the books/journals they want. When returning books, readers do not need to show the card. Libraries provide at least three service systems, online booking, self-service and manual service.

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To promote collaboration between universities and to pool resources to meet users’ needs, many university libraries have anInter-library loans system. Many libraries are members of CASHL (China Academic Library & Information System), CALIS (China Academic Social Sciences and Humanities Library) and NSTL (National Science and Technology library). In accordance with the terms of the inter-library agreements, libraries charge for certain services.

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Provided they have a valid certificate, readers can access libraries at other institutions to borrow books and use the facilities.

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There are thousands of public libraries in China. All Chinese citizens and visitors are welcome to borrow books and make use of the facilities. Anyone wishing to visit the library simply needs to present an ID card or other relevant document on arrival. The same applies for accessing libraries at other institutions. Visit the Shanghai Library website for more information.

Facilities

Most libraries provide manual photocopying service. At the same time, self-service photocopiers are available in the libraries. They are card-operated. In order to protect the intellectual property rights of books and to avoid infringement of copyright, the reader should observe the following provisions:

1.  Do not copy the cover, title page and copyright page.
2.  Do not copy more than one-third of the body of a book.
3.  Librarians reserve the right to monitor and stop any infringement.

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Reading rooms, electronic reading rooms, digital media rooms, copy rooms, video rooms, exhibition halls, Wi-Fi access, Self-service for printing, photocopying, scanning services and other necessary facilities are available at most libraries.

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At present, there are very few specialised English-speaking librarians, but almost all librarians are well-educated and good at English. Some of them have Master’s and PhD degrees. They can help with all library queries and give advice on borrowing books and using the facilities in English.

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