Recently, Beijing's Xicheng District has welcomed another 15 "exquisite and distinctive" members into its cultural brand, "Reading Harbors". Adopting the "physical bookstore +" model, this initiative offers visitors multifaceted experiences through which they can enjoy coffee, savor desserts, and purchase creative cultural products besides reading.

Launched in 2023, "Reading Harbors" is an exploratory initiative led by the government with participation from society. It aims to bring high-quality cultural resources and services directly to the communities, serving as a beneficial supplement to public libraries. It integrates the sales of books, coffee, and creative cultural products.

Up to now, Xicheng is home to 57 "Reading Harbors" scattered across its 15 subdistricts, with the number of total visits exceeding 2.5 million. Among them is Honglou Public Library, which was transformed from the historic Honglou Cinema; the China Bookstore, a treasure trove for antique book enthusiasts; the compact yet exquisite 24-hour Sunshine Reading Space; and the Lishi Library, a beloved space for architecture book enthusiasts, where themed lectures and art salons are also held.

Among the excellent reading-for-all projects awarded during the 14th Beijing Reading Festival, the "Reading Harbors" initiative was selected as a best practice of the 2024 Chinese Mass Cultural Brand and nominated in the Category of Beautiful Cultural Spaces. Previously, Xicheng's characteristic reading space operating model was rated one of the fourth batch of the demonstration projects of the National Public Cultural Service System.

Looking ahead, Xicheng District Reading Promotion Center will continue to enhance the quality of the initiative, strengthen its role as a supplement to public libraries, and better meet the personalized and high-quality reading needs of readers, said the head of the Center.