In Qingdao, spring brings not just blossoms but also books. Here, reading extends beyond traditional libraries and into coastal parks, hotels, cafes, and even smart terminals. The city is creating an environment for book lovers that combines marine heritage, tourism, and technology.

Strolling through the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Coast Park in Shinan district, the city library quietly sits amid the greenery. It is more than just a spot for reading and relaxation; it acts as a community public cultural space that brings together cultural enrichment, civilized practice, and services for all ages.

The library works in close cooperation with Xinhua Bookstore and serves 15 nearby communities. "We hope reading can be like the sea breeze, reaching every ordinary alley," said Wang Yang, who is in charge.

This is just a glimpse of Qingdao's effort to create the most beautiful reading coastline. In recent years, the city has encouraged the establishment of the "Bookish Coast Alliance", creating 34 new reading spaces along the coastal area and more than 100 "Feeling Qingdao" service points across the district. Bookshelves in cafes and cultural venues bring the presence of books into the daily lives of residents.

By integrating reading spaces into people's daily lives, Qingdao has shifted public cultural services from a passive "people seeking books" to an active "books following people", turning the "last mile" of cultural access into a beautiful "zero distance" and achieving a blend of culture and tourism.

Stroll through the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Coast Park, where the city library sits in the greenery, letting the presence of books adorn the most beautiful shoreline. [Photo by Wang lei/Guanhai News]