Zhejiang University Library: Where knowledge meets creation

"The collaborative space, terminal equipment and computing power provided by X-Lab make such intensive hands-on practice possible," Yang says.

But creation at the library does not begin and end with technology.

At Guantong Hall, a cultural program titled "Symphony of Time and Space: A Trans-era Dialogue Between Chinese and Western Civilizations" has found another way to connect students with the library's rich collection of classics.

Located on the sixth floor of Zhejiang University Library, Guantong Hall consists of a central reading space and surrounding galleries. Its 12-meter-high ceiling resembles an inverted scroll, while the hall houses a rich collection of Chinese and foreign classics.

"Books are displayed there, but it is difficult for students to truly get close to them, so we wanted the people in the books to step out," says He Dongyang, a librarian with the library's Reader Services Department.

The idea came to life last year when the immersive play A Night at Guantong Hall was staged after the library closed. Its two-story setting corresponded to the play's themes of life and death, dream and reality. Tickets for the premiere sold out within 16 seconds.