Facing the dual challenges of resource constraints and rising user needs, libraries urgently need lowinvestment but high-efficiency paths for service enhancement. This paper proposes a theoretical framework of lightweight restructuring, centered on user needs, and develops five micro-innovation mechanisms: subtraction strategy (process streamlining), division strategy (module recombination), multiplication strategy (element enhancement), task coordination strategy (activation of idle resources), and attribute dependency strategy (scenario coupling). Together, these mechanisms form a new paradigm for optimizing library services.The paper further constructs a tripartite implementation framework integrating innovative processes, practical tools, and supporting mechanisms, facilitating the translation of microinnovation from methodology to practice. This framework provides a replicable pathway for public cultural institutions to overcome the “low-input, high-satisfaction” dilemma in service delivery.

As urbanization progresses, the value of public libraries as sites of urban “affective infrastructure” becomes increasingly prominent. This paper analyzes online interactive comments related to a message board incident at Hongkou District Library and, using grounded theory, constructs a theoretical model that integrates implementation pathways, impact mechanisms, and their interactions. The paper identifies the implementation pathway as libraries building reader trust through resource provision and prompt responses, and deepening emotional connections with readers through sustained affective interactions. The impact mechanism operates at multiple levels: at the micro level, it stimulates reader participation and sharing, enhancing social recognition; at the macro level, it generates sector-wide demonstration effects and strengthens urban cohesion. These elements form a bidirectional interaction: the implementation pathway accumulates emotional capital that drives the impact mechanism, while the social benefits produced by the impact mechanism feedback through policies and resources to support the operation of the implementation pathway, enabling sustainable development.

As the public reading space at citizens’ doorsteps, grassroots libraries play a vital role in bridging the “last mile.” Achieving high-quality development in these libraries is crucial for promoting nationwide reading, building a bookloving city, and enhancing cultural soft power. This paper is based primarily on data from the seventh round of evaluations and grading of sub-district (street / township) libraries in Shanghai. Relevant development indicators are selected from the perspective of supply-demand alignment. Quantitative analysis is conducted through horizontal and vertical comparisons, complemented by qualitative analysis of interview records from field research, to examine the development status of sub-district libraries in Shanghai. Three major contradictions in grassroots library development are identified: the tension between uneven development and balanced, coordinated growth; the gap between insufficient refined service capacity and meeting reader needs; and the mismatch between inadequate talent support and professionalized services. Targeted recommendations are proposed, including stabilizing expectations, optimizing service supply, and establishing think tanks, aiming to advance the deepening and consolidation of high-quality grassroots library construction in Shanghai.

This paper reviews the development practices of Guangzhou’ s “City of Libraries” initiative and analyzes them from three dimensions: systematic development, professionalized services, and collaborative governance. It examines key achievements in policy framework development, resource system construction, service provision and performance improvement, as well as the formation of institutional – operational closed loops and multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms. Looking ahead to the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan period and the 2035 goal of building China into a leading cultural nation, the paper further analyzes current shortcomings and emerging development trends. Based on this analysis, it proposes development recommendations aimed at helping the library sector better align with national strategic needs, address practical development challenges, and explore pathways for advancing the Chinese-style modernization of public library services.

With the rise of the STEM education concept in China, integrating it into children’ s reading promotion has become an important task for service innovation in libraries. Taking the “STEM Little Experts” project of Shanghai Children’ s Library as a case study, this paper examines the design concepts, implementation pathways, and service outcomes of experiential parent–child popular science reading activities under the STEM framework.The “STEM Little Experts” project adopts a dual-helix design of “reading + practice”, an age-specific and tiered service system, the integration of multifunctional spaces, and the development of localized resources, forming a three-in-one implementation pathway consisting of preliminary outreach, on-site activities, and sustained incentives. Targeting families with preschool children aged 3–6, the project has achieved notable results in fostering children’ s scientific literacy, enhancing family educational capacity, and innovating library service models. Drawing on the successful experience of this case, the paper proposes directions for advancing children’ s library services and preschool science education in China from five aspects: conceptual innovation, service optimization, spatial reconfiguration, resource development, and platform creation.

In response to the uneven distribution of reading resources and the difficulty of service delivery in archipelagic regions, Zhoushan Library has, since 2018, explored the development of a sea-land coordinated universal reading ecosystem centered on the “Floating Library” as a hub.At the level of resource circulation, the project has established a three-tier circulation chain of “routes-fleets-operation zones”, enabling the two-way circulation of print and digital resources. In terms of service provision, reading services are embedded into three major maritime scenarios, that is tourism, roll-on/rolloff, and ocean-going maritime contexts, and are supported by a points-based incentive mechanism to encourage the formation of reading habits. In terms of technological support, the project pioneered a “low-earth-orbit satellite + edge caching” solution to build a stable “maritime digital infrastructure”. Through innovative exploration across five dimensions, such as service visibility, scenario embeddedness, social inclusiveness, technological integration, and multistakeholder collaboration, the “Floating Library” project has successfully established a universal reading ecosystem characterized by “libraries afloat, repositories ashore, and stations on islands”, providing a “Zhoushan model” for coastal cities around the world.

With the accelerating process of population aging and the rapid development of digital technologies, public libraries are increasingly challenged to provide appropriate digital services for older adults. This paper focuses on the application of virtual reality (VR) technology in services for older readers in public libraries. Taking five public libraries in Nanning as the research setting, it adopts a mixed-methods approach combining questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews, collecting data from 263 readers aged 60 and above. By employing an ordered probit regression model and a structural equation model, the paper conducts an in-depth analysis of older adults’ acceptance of VR reading experiences and the barriers to use. The results indicate that: overall acceptance of VR reading experiences among older adults is at a moderate level, with significant individual differences; cognitive load, technology anxiety, and physical discomfort constitute the main barriers to VR use among older readers; and personal, technological, environmental, and cultural factors jointly influence older adults’ willingness to accept VR technology. Based on the empirical findings, the paper proposes optimization strategies for VR services for older adults in public libraries from technological, service, environmental, and cultural perspectives, including simplifying interaction design, providing targeted training,
establishing peer support networks, and developing age-friendly VR content.

Smart culture and tourism platforms are key drivers of the digital transformation of the cultural and tourism industry. Focusing on the Beijing Road mini program in Guangzhou, the paper combines questionnaire surveys and case analysis, based on user experience theory, to embed digital governance theory into the UTAUT framework, constructing a model of factors influencing users’ continued use of smart culture and tourism platforms. It further explores these influencing factors and proposes platform optimization strategies. Guided by digital governance theory, the paper provides comprehensive recommendations on information service capabilities, data collection strategies, platform interface optimization, and multi-party collaborative management mechanisms. The paper aims to summarize replicable design standards for digital protection of cultural heritage and the development of cultural tourism platforms, offering a reference for building smart, livable, and resilient cities and supporting the sustainable development of the smart culture and tourism industry.

In the era of mobile Internet, a significant paradox exists between the “lightweight” nature of knowledge mini programs and users’ needs for “deep learning”. To address this contradiction, this paper employs a mixed-methods approach to construct a ternary model of “user-driven reconstruction – technology-mediated empowerment – scenarioadaptive design”. The paper finds that deep learning is realized through the synergy of three mechanisms: users actively integrating information via metacognitive behaviors, technology serving as cognitive scaffolding through tools such as knowledge graphs, and scenario-adaptive design converting fragmented time into deep learning opportunities. Together, these mechanisms transform the relationship between “light” platforms and “deep” learning from opposition to symbiosis. Based on these findings, the paper proposes service design principles such as “light entrance, deep extension” and highlights relevant technical and ethical boundaries, providing both a theoretical framework and practical guidance for optimizing knowledge mini programs.

As the first documentary to focus on the activation of Chinese ancient books, Classics Across Time opens up a new pathway for the contemporary transmission of ancient texts through systematic development and innovative communication. Taking this documentary as the core case, the paper examines its practical framework of “activation subject – target audience – activation method – content – technology”, and provides an in-depth analysis of the complete development process, including “resource selection–content creation–technology adaptation–media realization”. It further explores the operational communication mechanism characterized by “internal coordination – external resonance”. By distilling the logic underlying its success and deriving practical implications, the paper offers valuable references for the creation of future cultural works centered on the activation of ancient books, as well as for the inheritance and development of traditional culture.

Against the backdrop of the promulgation of the Regulations on the Protection and Utilization of Ancient Books in Sichuan Province, the paper expounds the contemporary significance of ancient book protection and the necessity of legislation in this field. It reviews the evolution of relevant national-level policies on ancient book protection and underscores the importance of Sichuan Province taking the lead in enacting China’ s first specialized local regulation dedicated to the protection of ancient books. The paper focuses on an analysis of the institutional design and innovative features of the Regulations, particularly in terms of the responsibility framework, whole-process regulatory system, technological empowerment, revitalization and innovative utilization, and safeguard mechanisms. Finally, it evaluates the anticipated effects of the implementation of the Regulations as well as the potential challenges they may encounter, and proposes further efforts in areas such as public communication and interpretation of the Regulations, formulation of supporting standards, and exploration of diversified investment mechanisms, thereby offering the “Sichuan experience” and a rule-of-law model for the construction of a Chinese-characterized system for ancient book protection.

As core institutions for the preservation of documentary heritage and the dissemination of civilization, public libraries serve as key carriers for the circulation, preservation, and interpretation of urban memory, occupying an irreplaceable position in the system of cultural transmission. The ancient book reading promotion initiatives of Jinan Library emphasize coordinated development with regional culture, exploring effective approaches for public libraries in the digital era to activate ancient book resources, construct urban cultural memory, and promote the inheritance of regional culture. These practices offer important reference value. Taking Jinan Library as a case study, this paper adopts cultural memory theory as the core analytical framework and focuses on innovative practices linking ancient book reading promotion with the coordinated development of regional culture. It proposes a tripartite path for cultural memory construction—“narration–exhibition–performance”—providing a replicable practical model for public libraries to build urban cultural memory and promote the inheritance of regional culture through ancient book resources.

As important institutions for the collection, organization, preservation, and research of ancient books, university libraries shoulder the vital mission of inheriting and transmitting China’ s outstanding traditional culture. In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence technologies in the organization and utilization of ancient books has expanded steadily, providing new ideas and methods for the intelligent organization and use of ancient book resources in university libraries. Focusing on the major challenges faced in the organization and utilization of ancient books, the paper selects representative cases such as the “Shidian Ancient Books” platform and the “Chinese Ancient Books Intelligent Service Platform,” and conducts an in-depth analysis of the application effects and innovative value of artificial intelligence technologies in this field. By summarizing successful experiences and practical insights, the paper aims to provide useful references for research on the revitalized utilization and innovative inheritance of ancient book resources in university libraries.