Construction on the Shenzhen Science and Technology Library, the second-largest library in the city, was completed Sunday, yesterday's Daily Sunshine reported.

Located in the city's Virtual University Park, the 46,000-square-meter technology library is China's first library serving both university students and the public. With a total investment of 228 million yuan (US$28.5 million), the project comprises a five-story administrative office and a four-story library. With space to accommodate 8,000 people daily, the 40,000-square-meter library will have 3,000 seats for readers and a collection of 1.5 million books.

A 100-meter-long steel bridge connects the administrative office and the library. The bridge is reportedly the longest of its kind in China connecting two buildings.

Besides rooms for individual study and group discussions, a large exhibition hall, a multi-functional lecture hall, a conference room and a multimedia studio are also available to cater to the different needs of readers, the Daily Sunshine report said.

Officials with the municipal construction affairs administration said sun screens have been installed outside the glass walls to reduce solar radiation and conserve energy.

Sound-proofing materials have been used in the technology library. The elastic PVC floor and aluminium boards used for the roof are all part of the efforts to make the library as quiet as possible, according to the Daily Sunshine report.

The technology library will open to the public shortly.

Editor: Donald