The construction of the Shanghai Library East Building has lasted nearly 5 years since its beginning in September 2017, and the library is about to open to the public for trial operation soon. In response to the expectations of the library communities at home and abroad, as well as the general public, the Chinese "Library Journal" recently announced the special topic "Carrying on the Past and Forging the Future: the Construction of the Shanghai Library East Building", inviting experts and scholars to write articles focusing on library development strategies, architectural design, intelligent construction, the establishment of visual identification system, subject service innovation, art exhibition and other subject areas, revealing in-depth the highlights and characteristics of the East Building construction, and fully demonstrating the new look of the East Building.

The exterior of the Shanghai Library East Building

The articles in this special series include: "Thinking on the Development Strategy of Smart Hybrid Libraries in the Era of Big Reading" by Chen Chao, Director of the Shanghai Library, "The Development Trend of Global Library Building from the Perspective of Designing the Shanghai Library East Building" by Wu Jianzhong, Director of the University of Macau Library, "Reshaping the Image of Public Libraries in the Omni-Media Era - Documenting and Reflecting on the Updating of the Visual Identity System at the Shanghai Library" by the Shanghai Library Visual Identity System Updating Working Group, etc.