CRI听力:North China hosts 'world's loneliest library'

A library built in the city of Qinhuangdao in northern China has been dubbed "the world's loneliest library." While isolated, the library is said to offer a unique connection to the sea.

Sitting on the beach in the resort city of Qinhuangdao in the northeastern part of Hebei, the library has a simple silhouette and bare concrete facade.

Inside, the structure takes on a bit more life, with elevated bench seating, allowing unobstructed views of the sea.

Wood has been used for the internal decor of the library, creating a somewhat natural feel that readers in Qinhuangdao appreciate.

"I think the library is very beautiful. I read about this place on the internet and think it's very romantic, so I brought my girlfriend here," said one visitor.

"It's been called the loneliest library in the world. Reading is meant to be a connection between people and books. So, in a sense, it is a lonesome activity. I think it is great to have a place to settle down and read," said another.

500 square meters in size, the library has more than 10,000 books, covering a wide variety of genres.

Two-fifths of the books have been provided to the library through donations.

To help promote the "loneliest library in the world," a series of events are organized throughout the year.

Wang Tianye is one of the staff members at the library.

"There are various of community activities held here throughout the year, such as book and poetry readings, chamber music concerts, choruses, modern dances and plays. Both the people living here and tourists are welcomed to join the activities. We have been holding them once or even twice a week throughout the year."

Because of its location in Qinhuangdao, which is traditionally a summer resort city, there are seasonal variations in the number of visitors.

Staff member Wang Xin admits the numbers tend to swing wildly.

"The building is near the sea, so there are many visitors during summer, around 600 to 700 per day. Sometimes it can reach over 1,000 people. But in winter, there are only 70 to 80 people during the week days, and around 300 during the weekends."

Opened in 2015, "the world's loneliest library" has seen some 160,000 people through its doors so far.