Using libraries in China: Know before you go

A s more scholars and students go to mainland China to do research or fi eld work, many of them, especially students, are surprised by and disappointed with, what they discover in the Chinese library system.It is drastically different from what they are familiar with in North America.The authors of this article are both Chinese studies subject librarians working in North American universities.In the past few years, we have visited the National Library of China and dozens of academic and public libraries in Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan-the biggest and most populated cities in China.Through our work, we have talked with many scholars, researchers, and students who have used libraries in China and whose research interests are mainly in the humanities and social sciences.