The Qilu Reading Festival and 2019 Shandong Book Fair kicked off on Sept 10 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, aiming to promote reading and the power of knowledge to the public as well as display the latest advances in traditional and digital publishing.

The main venue is set at the Shandong City of Books, covering an area of 12,000 square meters, which is divided into 12 exhibition areas.

The book fair has gathered 360 publishing houses nationwide and 900 public libraries, university libraries and primary and secondary school libraries in the province, with over 200,000 kinds of books, audio and video products and electronic publications on display.

Sub venues have been set up across the province's cities and counties.

A total of one million yuan ($146,600) worth of book vouchers will be released for local residents to purchase books and related products at Xinhua Bookstore outlets across Jinan.

In addition, customers will enjoy a 20 percent discount at Xinhua Bookstore outlets across the province.

More than 1,000 activities will be held across the province to promote reading, including book exhibitions, writer signing sessions, lectures, cultural salons and parent-child reading parties.

Books are displayed at the 2019 Shandong Book Fair. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Customers select books at the 2019 Shandong Book Fair. [Photo/dzwww.com]