Anding’s Book Lovers Now Enjoy a Newly Renovated District Library with Happy Reading Spaces
For eight months, Anding District Library kept itself busy with improving its reading environment. The project held steadfast to the principles of focusing on different age groups and reader types, offering fresh air and ample lighting, and providing spaces that can be used in a variety of ways. The redesigned library is now neat and bright, boasts an environment that’s cozy yet comfortable, and provides perfect reading spaces for people of all ages. A ceremony to celebrate the project’s completion was held on October 24, 2017 (Tuesday) at 9am.
In order to provide the district’s people with a higher quality reading environment that offers what a modern library should, Anding District Office obtained NT$4.3 million in funding from Tainan City Government that went towards renovation costs. The first floor plan created separate sections for different ages and types of readers, including areas for the elderly, children, periodicals, young adults, and a spot with computers connected to the Internet. There’s also a new audio-visual area as well as a group discussion spot, so readers of different ages and varying needs will be able to utilize the library. The workshop room and self-study room were relocated from the first floor to the basement, thereby making the first floor more open and bright. Furthermore, the basement has been transformed from a place with stacks of various objects and seldom read books to a space that can be fully utilized. That being said, the storage area for rarely read books is open to the public so readers can browse around for and then check out any old gems that interest them. Also, the art works exhibited on the walls that line the entrance into the library add to the building’s artistic ambience.
The library ceremony invited Anding Junior High School’s lion dance troupe as well as Anding Elementary School’s saxophone band to open up the event with a bang. Former Tainan Deputy Mayor Chang Cheng-yuan and Tainan City’s Cultural Affairs Bureau former Chief Secretary Lin Wei-hsu presided over the ribbon cutting. Those in attendance included the district’s primary and secondary school principals, village chiefs, community residents, and students. The library displayed the printmaking artwork of Fang I-ching, a student of Kun Shan University instructor Mr. Chang Tsung-Hsien. Chang is an Anding native. Anding District Library also held an event to promote book borrowing; starting from the first day of the event, those who borrowed ten books with their library card or applied for a library card were awarded a small yet precious-looking gift. Readers were encouraged to come back to Anding to check out books before the limited amount of these gifts were given away.
Anding District Chief Liu Shih-Hsiung said that the district’s library has over 60,000 books, making it the district residents’ intellectual stockpile and an important place for reading resources. Liu expressed a heartfelt apology to the public because the library was closed during renovation. Despite the inconvenience, the wait was worth it. Post-renovation, the building’s reading spaces are now much bigger, and this has resulted in a wider variety of ages coming to the library. The district office will continue allocating funds to improve the facilities near the library so that one day Anding will be home to a reading castle abundant with learning resources.