Chinese public libraries see record numbers of patrons

Over 80 percent of China's counties have set up public libraries, attracting a record number of patrons, according to the Ministry of Culture. China's 2,880 libraries received about 330 million visits in 2010, according to a document released by the Ministry of Culture on Wednesday at an annual meeting on public library projects in the city of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province. China's public libraries contain about 140,000 computers and 80,000 digital reading rooms, nearly triple the number in 2005, according to the document. The Ministry of Culture said public library administrators have substantially improved their services and will continue to make efforts to attract more readers.