Across centuries, libraries have stood as silent guardians of knowledge. The Shenzhen University Library is no exception. It whispers stories of growth, innovation, and a commitment to learning. The Shenzhen University Library began humbly in 1983 as a small reading room. Today, it stands as a prominent academic library in China.
The library system has expanded significantly over the years. The first university library building, the Huidian Building (North Building), opened on the Yuehai campus in 1986. Later, the Huizhi Building (South Building) was added to the Yuehai campus in May 2009. Most recently, the Lihu Central Library (Qiming Building) opened on the Lihu Campus in October 2022.
The Shenzhen University Library houses a vast collection of resources. By the end of 2024, it boasted over 4,658,200 printed books. It subscribes to 2,072 newspapers and periodicals. The library also holds special collections. These include reprinted antiquities and the Special Collection of One Country, Two Systems Legal Literature, established in 2019. Furthermore, the library’s digital resources are impressive. It provides access to 246 electronic resource databases, containing over 3,985,200 e-books and 138,500 full-text e-journals. The mirrored and self-constructed digital resources reach a storage capacity of 189.55TB.
The Shenzhen University Library is more than just a repository of information. It’s a vibrant hub of learning and research. It supports teaching initiatives, cultivates talent, and fosters international communication. The library promotes campus culture through diverse reading promotion activities. It’s open 16 hours a day, 355 days a year, embracing the motto “Service is supreme.” This dedication to service earned the Shenzhen University Library the “Advanced Unit for National Reading” award in 2011 and 2013. In 2020, it received the “National Reading Demonstration Base” award.
The Shenzhen University Library is also a pioneer in library technology. In 1985, it developed one of China’s first integrated library systems (SULCMIS). This achievement garnered several awards, including the National Excellent Teaching Achievement Award (1989) and the Second Prize for Science and Technology Progress in Shenzhen (1992). The library continues to innovate. It has undertaken the development of the Electronic Resource Management System (DRAA) and a next-generation library service platform. In 2015, it became the Shenzhen Technology Center of the China Academic Library and Information System (CALIS). The library also utilizes electronic tags, inventory robots, and book reading behavior monitoring systems. In 2022, an intelligent 3D stack room was introduced at the Lihu Central Library. The Shenzhen University Library continues to evolve and adapt. It strives to be a leading cultural institution and a world-class university library.