File photo shows the distribution of public libraries in Kunming. [Provided to InKunming]

The first forum of Asian chief librarians will be held during the forthcoming 13th Asia Arts Festival, which is to be held from November 18 to 22 in Kunming. It would be a great opportunity to display the public libraries of Kunming.

Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, has seen a boom in the development of librarianship in the city for the past few years.

Public libraries in the city have greatly enriched their library resources and have gradually popularized their digital network resources.

They have boosted an ever-improving public service to local residents. Various activities have been held to promote reading among local residents. The admission-free policy is also in full operation nowadays.

An evaluation of all the public libraries above the county level in the country was performed by the state Ministry of Culture in 2013. Among the 14 evaluated public libraries of Kunming, 6 of which were rated at the first level, 1 at second level and 7 at third level.

Today, we are introducing some characteristic libraries about their locations and basic service information in the city.

Yunnan Provincial Library

Characteristic: it boasts its collection of 580,000 local literatures, ancient documents, and ethnic literatures.

Class Level: first-level

Established Time: 1909

Service Phone Number: 0871-5323851

Location: No.141, South Cuihu Road(翠湖南路), Wuhua District

Collection of Books: over 2.6 million literatures

Service Hours: most of the reading rooms are opened to public from 8:00 to 17:00 all the week. Click here to consult more detailed information(Chinese).

Kunming Municipal Library

Characteristic: it is crowned as the most innovative and most people-oriented library in the city.

Class Level: first-level

Established Time: 1919

Service Phone Number: 0871-63313960

Location: No.115, Zhichun Street, East Ring Road, Guandu District

Collection of Books: 820,000 accumulated literature collections, 80,000 electronic books, and four kinds of database resources.

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 19:00 from Monday to Thursday; from 8:30 to 12:00 on Friday; 9:00 to 17:00 during weekends.

Branch libraries of the Municipal Library of Kunming:

A. Jinniu Community Branch Library

Characteristic: it is the first branch library that implemented computer management in Kunming.

Established Time: July, 2004

Location: Jinniu Housing Estate(金牛小区), Dianchi Road(滇池路), Xishan District

Collection of Books: over 12,000 books; more than 120 kinds of newspapers and periodicals

B. Yulun Branch Library & Legal Education Base

Characteristic: it is the first branch library established for a specialized group of people, the prisoners who serve their sentences in Yunnan's Second Jail in Kunming.

Established Time: August, 2005

Location: Yunnan's Second Jail, Beijiaochang(北教场), Wuhua District

Collection of Books: 43,584 books and 10,225 periodicals

C. Workers' Branch Library

Characteristic: it is the most time-honored branch library in Kunming

Established Time: April, 2008

Location: 6th floor, Block A, No. 198 East Renmin Road, Panlong District.

Collection of Books: 16,000 books, 72 kinds of periodicals, and 28 kinds of newspapers.

D. Dounan Branch Library

Characteristic: it is the first flower & plant -themed library throughout the country

Established Time: November, 2011

Location: Dounan Flower and Plant Base, Chenggong District

Collection of Books: has over 1,000 collection of books

E. Chennong Agriculture Branch Library

Characteristic: it is the first agriculture-themed library around the country.

Established Time: September, 2013

Location: Chennong Ecological Park(晨农生态园), Xiaoxingce Village(小兴册村), Luoyang Street(洛羊街), Kunming's Economic&Technology Development Zone

Collection of Books: 2,400 agricultural books.

F. Boya Branch Library(博雅书屋)

Characteristic：it mainly services for officers and their relatives of a troop stationed there.

Establish Time: May, 2013

Location: Dabanqiao(大板桥), Guandu District

Collection of Books: more than 30,000 collection of books, over 150 kinds of periodicals, and over 20 kinds of newspapers.

Library of Wuhua District

Characteristic：the library boasts for the richest collection of books among libraries of districts and counties in Kunming.

Class Level: first-level

Established Time: January, 1979

Service Phone Number: 0871-64175359

Location: No.114, Dongsi Street(东寺街), Wuhua District

Collection of Books: over 260,000 paper literatures, more than 40,000 electronic literatures, over 2,500 kinds of periodicals, and over 700 kinds of newspapers

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 18:00 from Monday to Thursday; from 9:00 to 13:00 on Friday; from 11:00 to 17:00 during weekends and legal holidays.

Branch libraries of Wuhua Library:

A. Xizhu Branch Library(西翥分馆): located in Shalangzheng Street(沙朗正街)

B. Jiang'an Branch Library(江岸分馆): located in Jiang'an Housing Estate(江岸小区)

C. No. 30 Middle School Branch Library(三十中分馆): located in Qingyun Street(青云街)

D. Huafuyuan Branch Library(华福苑分馆): located in Yanxianpo(羊仙坡)

E. No.28 Middle School Branch Library(二十八中分馆): located in Middle Renmin Road(人民中路)

Children's Library of Kunming

Characteristic：it is the first children's library with independent institution in the province.

Established Time: January, 2008

Service Phone Number: 0871-63215022

Location: No. 616 Beijing Road, Panlong District

Collection of Books: 230,000 literatures, and 435 kinds of newspapers and periodicals subscribed every year.

Service Hours: from 9:30 to 18:00 from Monday to Thursday; from 9:30 to 12:00 on Friday; from 12:00 to 18:00 during weekends.

Branch libraries of Kunming Children’s Library:

A. Branch of Songhua Street's Cultural Center(松华街道办事处分馆): located in the sub-district office of Songhua Street, Panlong District(beside the Xiaohe Road).

B. Branch of Yunnan's 3rd Women's Jail: besides the Haiyuan Temple(海源寺) of Heilinpu(黑林铺), Wuhua District.

C. Branch of Changshou Road Community(长寿路社区分馆): located in Changshou Road, Panlong District.

D. Branch of Mingtong Primary School's Beichen District(明通小学北辰校区分馆)：located in Beichen District of Mingtong Primary School, Beichen Housing Estate, Panlong District.

E. Branch of Kunming Power Supply Bureau's Logistic Service Center(昆明供电局物流服务中心分馆): located in the logistic service center of Kunming Power Supply Station, Tuodong Street.

Library of Xishan District

Characteristic: it possesses the most literatures with intellectual property right and popular science books in the city.

Class Level: first-level

Established Time: March, 1979

Service Phone Number: 0871-68225730

Location: The Affiliated High School of Beijing Normal University, No. 1089 Xingyuan Road(兴苑路), Xishan District.

Collection of Books: 158,000 literatures

Service Hours: from 9:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Thursday; from 12:00 to 18:00 during weekends; from 12:00 to 17:00 on legal festivals and holidays.

Library of Guandu District

Characteristic: the library has rich electronic book resources. Readers can enjoy the library's digital resources at home.

Class Level: first-class

Established Time: July 14, 1979

Service Phone Number: 0871-67171975

Location: Yunxiu Academy(云秀书庒), Yunxiu Road, Guandu Ancient Town, Guandu District

Collection of Books: 260,000 paper-based literatures, over 110,000 kinds of electronic books, and more than 700 kinds of newspapers and periodicals subscribed every year.

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 19:30 from Monday to Thursday; from 8:30 to 12:30 on Friday; from 11:00 to 17:00 during weekends as well as legal festivals and holidays.

Branch libraries of Guandu Library:

A. Branch of Jinyuan Community(锦苑社区分馆): located in club of Jinyuan Garden Housing Estate(锦苑花园小区会所), Rixin Road(日新路).

B. Branch of New Asian Sport City(新亚洲体育城分馆): located in New Asian Sport City, Guangfu Road(广福路), Guandu District.

C. Branch of Yunnan Border Defense Corps' Training Base(云南省边防总队教导大队分馆): located in the training base of Yunnan Border Defense Corps, No. 28 Shuntong Road(顺通大道), Kunming Economic&Technology Development District(昆明经开区).

Library of Chenggong District

Characteristic: it is established with Kunming's first mobile library.

Class Level: third-level

Established Time: 1981

Service Phone Number: 0871-67478104

Location: No. 111 Xingcheng Road(兴呈路), Chenggong District

Collection of Books: over 60,000 paper-based literatures, over 20,000 electronic books, and more than 300 kinds of newspapers and periodicals subscribed every year

Library of Anning City

Characteristic: it is equipped with an entertainment and learning space for young readers.

Class level: first-level

Established Time: November 1, 1978

Service Phone Number: 0871-68699305

Location: No. 5 Hubin Road(湖滨路), Anning City

Collection of Books: over 170,000 paper-based collection of books, 55,000 electronic books, as well as over 800 kinds of newspapers and periodicals subscribed every year.

Service Hours: from 8:00 to 18:00 from Tuesday to Sunday (from 8:00 to 11:30 and from 14:30 to 18:00 on Friday)

Library of Fumin County

Characteristic: the library opens training classes every month.

Class Level: third-level

Established Time: January, 1983

Service Phone Number: 0871-68811166

Location: No. 15 Wenhua Roud(文化路), Yongding Town(永定镇), Fumin County.

Collection of Books: 32,000 literatures.

Service Hours: from 8:00 to 11:00, 13:00 to 17:30, and 19:00 to 21:00 from Wednesday to Sunday.

Library of Jinning County

Characteristic: it has the largest collection of ancient literatures among all the public libraries in county-level in Kunming.

Class Level: third-level

Established Time: 1979

Service Phone Number: 0871-67892542

Location: Zhenhe Cultural Square(郑和文化广场), No.509 Kunyang Street(k昆阳大街), Jinning County

Collection of Books: over 11,000 bound volume of periodicals, and about 100,000 collection of books, with 16,425 of which are ancient documents.

Service Hours: the lending room, the children's room and the reading room are opened from 13:00 to17:00 and from 19:00 to 21:00 during the workdays, and from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00 during weekends; other departments are in service from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00 on workdays. The library is closed in every Friday afternoon.

Library of Luquan Yi & Miao Autonomous County

Characteristic: the library implements a service system for free. A sharing project performed by the library provides long-term green services for middle and old age readers.

Class level: third-level

Established Time: 1986

Service Phone Number: 0871-68918676

Location: No.25 Nan Street(南街), Pingshan Community(屏山社区), Luquan Yi & Miao Autonomous County.

Collection of Books: 32,000 collection of books, over 500 local documents, 160 kinds of periodicals and 19 kinds of newspapers.

Service Hours: from 8:00 to 17:00 on weekdays; from 8:30 to 11:00 and 13:00 to 16:00 during weekends. The library is closed in each Friday's afternoon.

Library of Shilin Yi Autonomous County

Characteristic: the library has dedicated in collecting, protecting ethnic and ancient literatures.

Class level: second-level

Established Time: July 7, 1983

Service Phone Number: 0871-67796775

Location: from No. 83 to No. 93 East Ring Road, Shilin Yi Autonomous County

Collection of Books: 154,685 books.

Service Hours: from 8:00 to 11:00, from 13:00 to 17:30, from 19:00 to 21:00 from Wednesday to Sunday.

Library of Songming County

Class level: third-level

Established Time: November, 1979

Service Phone Number: 0871-67911169

Location: No.42 Xia Lane(下巷), Bei Street(北街), Songming County

Collection of Books: over 70,000 literatures, including over 4,000 bound volumes of newspapers and periodicals, more than 2,000 kinds of reference books, over 1,200 ancient literatures, and more than 700 data disks .

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 18:30 on weekdays; from 9:30 to 16:30 on weekends.

Library of Xundian Hui & Yi Autonomous County

Characteristic: the library holds regular public-interest exhibitions every month.

Class level: third-level

Established Time: January, 1983

Service Phone Number: 0871-62661264

Location: No. 15 Wenyuan Road(文苑路), Rende Town(仁德镇), Xundian Hui & Yi Autonomous County

Collection of Books: 48,000 literatures

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 17:30 all the week, except from 14:00 to 17:30 on each Friday.

Library of Yiliang County

Characteristic: it is the most time-honored county library in Kunming.

Class level: third-level

Established Time: November, 1930

Service Phone Number: 0871-67594779

Location: No. 148 East Kuangshan Road(匡山东路), Yiliang County

Collection of Books: more than 54,000 literatures.

Service Hours: from 8:30 to 18:30 on weekdays; 9:30 to 16:30 during weekends.

Library of Dongchuan District

Characteristic: the library is in service all the year round

Established Time: October, 1955

Service Phone Number: 0871-62121654

Location: middle of Kaitong Road(凯通路), Dongchuan District

Collection of Books: 180,000 literatures

Service Hours: from 8:00 to 11:30, 13:30 to 17:30 throughout the week, except every Friday's afternoons.

Click here to view Chinese report.

(Editors: Tracy, Lynn)