Zhejiang Library

The library was established in November 1900 during the 26th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign, initiated by Hangzhou gentry including and Hu Huan. They gained approval from Prefect to open the Hangzhou Library at the former Dongcheng Lecture Hall site, offering free access to local scholars. It began with 718 titles and 9,499 volumes. In 1903, Governor transformed it into a government-run institution named Zhejiang Library, expanding the collection to 35,000 volumes. By 1911, the Siku Quanshu from Wenlan Pavilion was transferred to the library. The Zhijiang branch opened in August 2023 within the Zhijiang Cultural Center. == Facilities ==

The library operates various facilities in Hangzhou and Huzhou: • Shuguang Road (Main Library): Located at No. 73 Shuguang Road, Xihu District, it spans 34,000 square meters and can hold 4.5 million volumes. • Gushan Road (Ancient Books Division): At No. 28 Gushan Road, it includes the White Pavilion (built 1911–1912) and Red Pavilion for pre-1949 materials. • University Road: At No. 102 University Road, Shangcheng District, it serves as a reading room, built in 1929–1931. • Jiayetang Library: In Nanxun, it preserves historical collections. • The Zhijiang branch, opened in 2023, currently holds 300,000 volumes, with plans to expand to 6 million. == Collection ==

The library’s collection exceeds 6.73 million volumes, including the Siku Quanshu Wenlan Pavilion edition and rare editions from the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. == Research and Publishing ==

The library has published journals such as Wenlan Journal and Library Outlook since 1935, focusing on traditional scholarship and general readership, respectively. In 1936, it hosted the Zhejiang Document Exhibition, displaying over 20,000 items. == See also ==