A special area for children is reserved to offer professional reading guidance and stage reading activities. Children will also be able to engage in immersive reading and creative exchanges through modern facilities like smart displays and 4D screenings, Li says.

The library has a vinyl record section, where readers can pick a record of their choice and immerse themselves in the nostalgic melodies of the past. There will also be an ancient literature experience zone where visitors can pick up professional tools and get a hands-on restoration experience with master craftspeople.

Light meals, coffee and creative cultural items will also be available in a multimedia space, where readers can use their smartphones to reserve seats, access documents and register for various types of resources, Li says. Big data technology will be used to generate personalized reading services, based on past reading preferences.

The Tongzhou library is equipped with 2,400 seats and has a collection of around 8 million volumes.

Besides the books visible on open shelves, there are 7.1 million volumes of books stored in the library's underground repository, Li says.

The library boasts China's largest mechanized storage system, with an area of about 3,000 square meters. An efficient, automatic book sorting and delivery system has been installed to provide readers with the books they want, Li adds.

Covering a total construction area of approximately 600,000 sq m, the three buildings are expected to be completed and ready for inspection by the end of September, according to Sha Gang, deputy project manager from the Beijing Investment Group.

The start of building work on the project marked the initiation of the city subcenter's urban development framework and the ongoing enhancement of its urban functions, Sha says.

"It represents a crucial measure in our city's efforts to advance the construction of the national cultural center, promote the development of the Grand Canal cultural belt, and better fulfill the growing cultural needs of the public," he adds.

The project has also transformed the area into a sponge environment, through features, such as sunken green spaces, permeable pavements and a landscape water system along the historical canal route.

By incorporating a hybrid energy system, primarily using ground-source heat pumps and photovoltaic power generation, the project can deliver a low-carbon and green energy lifestyle.

"Calculations show that such measures are projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 10,000 metric tons annually compared to similar public buildings without them," Sha says.