Research On Suzhou Library During The Republic Of China(1914-1937)

Suzhou Library was founded in 1914,initially known as the Second Provincial Library of Jiangsu.It was one of the first founded public libraries after the 1911 Revolution.As a new cultural and educational institution in the south of the Yangtze River,the Suzhou Library,which takes a heavy responsibility for the development of cultural and educational undertakings,always holds missions of storing books for the public to read,enlightening people's wisdom to encourage talents,and preserving ancient science to publicize rural literature.It not only points out the direction for the construction and development of modern Suzhou public library undertakings,but also makes great contributions to the dissemination and development of modern Suzhou culture,the popularization of education and the construction of local literature and at the same time,it has left valuable experience for the expansion and innovation of Suzhou library cause.Taking the SuZhou Library in the Republic of China as the research object,this paper systematically explores and combs the whole development process of Suzhou Library from its birth to the golden period before the Anti-Japanese War from 1914 to 1937.The construction of library affairs of Suzhou Library in different periods,such as book collection,cataloging and classification,book borrowing and foreign exchange,reflects its advanced and unique aspects,which reflects the transformation of new public libraries from traditional library to modern public library.The different ways and remarkable achievements of Suzhou Library in academic research and social education provide the great value and play a important role of modern public libraries in promoting cultural dissemination and popularizing social education.Reproducing the history of Suzhou Library in the 21 st century will undoubtedly provide useful reference for contemporary librarians to inherit and develop the spirit of the older generation of libraries,and to better practice the cultural,academic and educational functions of contemporary libraries.