National Taiwan Library Introduction
The National Taiwan Library, hidden within the No. 4 Park, has a history of over a century, originating from the "Taiwan Governor-General's Library" established before World War II. The library was founded in 1915 and is Taiwan's first modern library, serving as the largest and richest library in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation, with the responsibility of guiding the development of library services across the island. Its collection can be traced back to the "Taiwan Library" established by the Japanese at the Tamsui Museum (the site of the Dengying Academy during the Qing Dynasty). By the time of the war, the library's collection had grown to approximately 200,000 books in Chinese, Japanese, and Western languages. The Taiwan Governor-General's Library was located in Shuyuan Town, Taipei City, in the original building of the Lottery Bureau, northwest of the Governor-General's Office. During World War II, the building was damaged by bombings by American forces; fortunately, the then-director, Shanchung Chiao, ensured a proper evacuation, allowing most of the collection to survive the destruction of war. Due to the large area of the library, services have been planned for different age groups to facilitate public access to books. Additionally, a "Book Hospital" has been established for the restoration of historical collection materials, including both Eastern and Western books, which is open for the public to visit and observe the "healing" process of the books. Moreover, the "Quiet Thinking Corridor" located outside the library, with its classical archway design, has become a must-capture scene for many visitors.
