Such literature materials as books, compact discs and so on bear the development history, cultural feature and intelligence of a culture, a nation and a city. With reading these literature materials, we get to know this culture, this nation and this city. Hangzhou Public Library is the recorder for the City, and also acts as the keeper for splendid culture of Chinese people. The Library not only reserves all of memories and cultural heritage of Hangzhou, but also reserves the cultural essence and long history of Chinese people.
In 2011, Hangzhou Public Library started the project of “Special Zone for Overseas Book Reservation-the Image of the West Lake”. With book exchange activities with foreign libraries, the project aimed at truly reflecting building achievements in such aspects as culture, society and so on in China and Hangzhou, and depicting the comprehensive memory related to China and Hangzhou in the minds of foreign friends. Just on such basis, it would continuously promote exchange and cooperation among Hangzhou Public Library and libraries in foreign countries, deeply expand the implication of library service, continuously enhance the international level of multiple cultural service and the social function of “the third cultural space” of Hangzhou Public Library.
Presently, Hangzhou Public Library has established the special zone for book reservation at Russia Moscow Алексеевич Library and USA Indianapolis Municipal Library, and donated 88 books and 50 books respectively for these two libraries. These books covered such fields as arts, economy, figures, philosophy, literature, culture and folk customs and traditions, history, natural and cultural landscape, cooking arts, traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology, architecture and so on related to China and Hangzhou. In addition, Hangzhou Public Library has received 50 books donated by Алексеевич Library, and has established “special zone for Russian books” at the Library.
“Special Zone for Overseas Book Reservation-the Image of the West Lake” is a window for Hangzhou Public Library to appear in the international stage, and is even a platform for mutual exchange between oriental culture and Western culture. Hangzhou Public Library will continuously promote the project development, expand the new cooperating libraries positively, gradually increase the books in the special zone for overseas book reservation and present China and publicize Hangzhou comprehensively to people in more countries.
