Looking for foreign-language books, study spaces, or family-friendly reading spots in Guangzhou?
Whether you're new to the city, studying, working, or raising a family here, Guangzhou offers an impressive network of public libraries with extensive foreign-language collections, free reading spaces, and cultural events. From one of China's largest public libraries to specialized science and technology resources and children's collections, here's your guide to some of the city's best libraries for international readers.
A guide to Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province
Looking for foreign-language books, magazines or multilingual events in Guangzhou? The Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province is one of the city's best resources for international readers.
As of the end of 2025, the library held approximately 10.09 million items, including more than 700,000 ancient books and local documents. It serves around 1.72 million registered readers, lends about 3.05 million items annually, hosts more than 2,000 reading and cultural events each year, and receives nearly 10,000 visitors daily.
The library holds one of Guangdong's largest collections of foreign-language materials, with more than 500,000 items.
The Foreign-Language Books and Periodicals Reading Area, located on the third floor (Zone B) of the Wenming Road Main Library, offers:
■ More than 190,000 foreign-language books in 37 languages, including English, German, Japanese, Russian, French and Spanish.
■ More than 400 imported original-language periodical titles, totaling over 10,000 volumes.
■ A dedicated German-language collection of more than 10,000 books and periodicals.
Click to explore the complete guide, collections, facilities, and how to visit.
Guangzhou Library: A guide for international readers
Guangzhou Library, one of China's largest public libraries, is located on Huacheng Square, the city's landmark civic plaza in the city's new central business district. It is open to the public for free.
The library has a collection of 11.852 million items and provides 4,500 reading seats, 418 public computers, more than 4,000 wired network ports, and complete Wi-Fi coverage.
Guangzhou Library has 188,000 foreign-language books and other materials in 19 languages, including English, French, German, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Hindi, Tamil (Sri Lanka), Māori (New Zealand), and Latin.
Most foreign-language materials are located in the Multicultural Library (North Tower, 8th Floor) and the Language Learning Library (South Tower, 6th Floor).
Guangzhou Children's Library: Guide for international families
Guangzhou Children's Library is a public cultural facility serving children and young adults. Established in 1996 and fully opened at its current site in 2015, it offers free services to children, parents and educators.
The library covers 18,000 square meters and has more than 1,300 reading seats. Its collection includes more than 5.6 million physical items and 20 terabytes of digital resources, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building.
Reading spaces are organized around themes such as children's literature, picture books, science, history, foreign-language books, audiovisual materials, exhibitions, digital learning, and family reading.
The foreign-language collection houses more than 100,000 original-language books, mostly in English, ranging from award-winning picture books to works on literature, science, music and the arts.
Foreign nationals can register for a library card with a valid passport or a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card. Visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan can register with the relevant travel permit or residence permit.
Guangdong Science and Technology Library: A visitor's guide
Founded in 1958, the Guangdong Science and Technology Library is China's only standalone provincial public library devoted to science and technology, and the largest provider of scientific and technical information services in South China.
The library holds more than 1.49 million printed books and journals and offers access to 182 Chinese and international scientific databases. Services include book lending, document delivery, newspapers and periodicals, free study spaces, e-books and e-journals, science outreach programs, and exhibitions.
Foreign-language books are shelved in the Science and Technology Reading Room on the fifth floor, where readers can either borrow them or read them on site.
Foreign nationals can apply for a library card with a passport or other valid ID.
Click to find out how to access its collections, facilities, and library services.
District public libraries across Guangzhou
Beyond the city's major libraries, each district in Guangzhou has its own public library. Whether you're looking for a quiet place to read, study, or borrow books, you'll find plenty of options across the city.
Some district libraries also offer foreign-language collections. However, not all libraries have dedicated foreign-language sections. Currently, only the Conghua District Library has a designated Foreign-Language Library, which is located within its Children's Branch. Other district libraries typically include smaller foreign-language collections within their general collections.
Click to browse libraries by district and find the one that best suits your needs.
Author: Liu Lingzhi
Photos: Libraries mentioned above
