National Taiwan Library Introduction
Hiding within the Fourth Park, the National Taiwan Library has a history spanning over a century, tracing back to the "Taiwan Governor-General's Library" established before World War II! The library was founded in 1915 and was the first modern library in Taiwan, as well as the largest and most comprehensive library during the Japanese colonial period, tasked with guiding the development of library services across Taiwan. The collection can be traced back to the "Taiwan Library" established by the Japanese at the Danshui Pavilion (the site of the Dengying Academy during the Qing Dynasty). By the time of the war, the collection had reached approximately 200,000 volumes of Chinese, Japanese, and Western books. The Taiwan Governor-General's Library was located in Shuyuan Town, Taipei City, in the original lottery office building northwest of the Taiwan Governor-General's residence. The library building was damaged by American bombing during World War II; fortunately, the then-librarian, Qiao Shan Zhong, managed to evacuate effectively, allowing most of the collection to survive the devastation of war. Due to the spacious area of the library, the management planned age and audience-specific services for the convenience of the public in locating books and established a "Book Hospital" for the restoration of historical collections, featuring both Chinese and Western book repair work, and regularly opens to the public to observe the process of "healing books." Additionally, the "Quiet Thought Corridor" outside the library, with its classical arch design, has become a must-take photo spot for many visitors!
