Although China is a nation of avid readers, with large crowds
browsing almost every urban bookstore and 100 million newspapers
printed daily, China's rural residents have long had a dearth of
reading material.
That's expected to soon change as the country plans to fund
200,000 village libraries to bring more of the written word to the
country's 900 million farmers, according to the State Press and
Publication Administration of China.
A prototype village library can be found in Zhuzuiling, a
landlocked village in northwest China's Gansu Province. The 80-square-meter library
has become a favorite leisure spot for villagers to read and learn.
It's the first time many of them have had access to any reading or
learning materials since they left school.
The library offers 5,000 books and periodicals and over 300
compact discs. Like all good libraries a borrower here can select
books on a wide range of topics from planting and animal husbandry
techniques to culture, art, law and children's literature.
Books have long been seen as a luxury to many Chinese farmers
who toil all day simply to make ends meet. Now, though, more people
in the countryside are realizing there is a figurative mountain
gold to be found in books. This has made rural readers discerning
readers, as they want publications that are about them and their
needs.
"Only 3,800 books out of the 200,000 books published in China in
2005 are related to agriculture or farmers' lives," said Long
Xinmin, director of the Press and Publication Administration.
The official pointed out that more cultural products are needed
to cope with the rising demand for recreation and culture in the
countryside.
Huo Chengxi, a farmer in Zhuzuiling Village, said that farmers
with only a basic high-school education are coming to the library
to learn about growing cash crops such as flowers and
vegetables.
"With these borrowed books and materials, I can read and learn
at my own pace," said Huo who also borrowed DVD's from the
library.
So far, there are more than 300 such public libraries in Gansu
Province, and some of them have been set up where ever there's a
clean enough room.
Jin Hongfang, a villager in Fengjiawan village in Gansu, gave up
a room in her house to set up a library and has become the village
librarian.
"Over 300 people have borrowed books here. It is also a fun
place for young people and kids. Right now I only have books to
lend but soon we'll sell books too," said Jin, eyeing a new
business opportunity.
(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2006)