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Shanghai Municipal Library

General Information

Chinese Name: 上海图书馆
Address: Huaihai Road, Xuhui District
Chinese Address:
Phone Number:
Fax Number:
Email Address:
Online: http://www.library.sh.cn/
Database Search: http://ipac.library.sh.cn/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=
Entry Fee: Library card for 35 yuan a year, 1000 yuan deposit for borrowing.
Opening Times: 8:30-20:30 all week

• Republican Period Reading Room: 8:30-5:00 Monday through Saturday
• Note that in the Main Library, you cannot request books until 9:00. In the Republican Period Reading Room, you cannot request books between 11:30-1:00.
• Open during Spring Festival, closing early at 4:00 p.m. You may put books on hold for three days.

Information Last Confirmed: 2007

Directions

• Metro: Line 1 to Hengshan Road, Exit 2
• Bus: 911, 926, 26 stop at Gao'an Road

Usage

Requesting Books: Search for book number in computer catalog. You may request four books at one time. If you are requesting a pre-1974 book, you must indicate you are doing so. If you are requesting a periodical, you must indicate which volume.

Requesting Books, Republican Period Reading Room: The computer catalog is a good starting point (particularly if you are beginning your search from outside Shanghai), but not all Republican period resources are listed there, so confirmation against the card catalog is necessary. The card catalog is only accessible when the Republican reading room is open (Mon.-Sat., 8:30-5:00). Search card catalog based on subject, author, or title. The call numbers on the subject card catalog cards are wrong; therefore once you find the title you will have to cross-check on the title card catalog. You may request four books at once by filling out a separate form. You will receive your books in about 20 to 45 minutes. If you have microfilm, you can view in the reading room, but you must go to the third floor to photocopy microfilm. There is a periodical card catalog to the right of the reference desk. All periodicals on microfilm will be indicated with a number starting with "J." Use this number on your form.

Photocopies: You may photocopy pages of books and print out microfilm. All pre-1949 books will be assessed their own fee and also a research fee, per page. If you cannot read the microfilm and you really need to see the original, you may appeal to the leader. You may also photograph books, but you will also be assessed a fee for each page. Generally, the fee to photograph books is 1 kuai per page (on an honor system; you will simply be asked as you leave for the day how many pages you photographed). Relatively rare books may have a higher fee, and in these cases, the fee goes up steeply if you photograph the entire volume.

Reference materials: Republican period reference materials are in large cases in the reading room. Reprints of major journals are at the back. Electronic databases are near the check-out counter for the main library. For access codes, see the desk in the modern periodicals room.

Facilities

Card Catalogs:
Computers: There are computer banks throughout the library that are limited to internal use. A bank of computers next to the checkout desk also has access to various periodical databases. There is a computer lab in the basement of the library.
Reading Room:
Photocopy Machines: There are no self-service photocopy machines in the Shanghai Library. Each reading room has its own copy services, and there are also copy desks on the first floor and the third floor.
Photocopy Prices: Photocopy prices vary depending on the age and rarity of the resource being copied.
Bathrooms: Plentiful and usually clean. The soap is rather unpleasant, so you may want to pack handiwipes.
Vending Machines: There are no vending machines in the library.
Nearby Food: The cafeteria in the basement is open 11:00-1:30 and 5:00-7:00. Buy meal tokens in monetary denominations at the counter. There are noodles, wontons, steamed buns, and dishes. It is not recommended. There is a coffee shop in the lobby with coffee drinks reasonably priced. The closest restaurant is La Casbah, directly across the street (on Huaihai lu), popular with foreign students and the staff of nearby embassies for pizza, sandwiches, and cappucino. Boonna Cafe (57 Fuxing lu) is a little more of a hike (about three blocks), but has free internet access.

Shanghai Municipal Library Annex

Some books that are post-49 and pre-74 are not kept at the main library. To read these books you can fill out a special request and go to the annex on either Tuesday or Friday, 9:00-4:00. The annex is located across the street from the main entrance to the Shanghai Botanical Garden. Take Line 1 Metro to Shanghai Stadium and from there take a bus to Botanical Garden.

Collections of Note

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