Kaohsiung Public Library

The former Public Library was called Kaohsiung Prefecture People’s Educational Center and the Center was located at the foot of Shoushan. During World War II, the Center was destroyed by gunfire, and the books collections at the Center were nearly all burnt to ashes. In 1945, the Main Public Library rented a house at Gushan 1st Road and there were only more than 400 Japanese books in its collection. In 1949, the Library was moved to Zhongzheng 4th Road and changed its name to Kaohsiung Municipal Zhongshan Library. In April 1954, the Library moved to its new location at No. 39, Minsheng 2nd Road which was completed and opened for operations. The name was officially changed to Kaohsiung Public Library.
In July 1978, the City changed its status to a Yuan-controlled municipality. As the City was rapidly growing with increasing population and a larger crowd of readers, book collections at the Library were also multiplying over time, making the original Library building insufficient. As a result, permission was given for the newly built People’s Activity Center located at No.80, Minsheng 2nd Road to be used by the Library as its new location. In August 1980, the Library moved in and began its operation.
After Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County were integrated on December 25th, 2010, there have been a total of 59 libraries in Kaohsiung, and they are the Main Library, Kaohsiung Cultural Center Branch, Kaohsiung Literature Museum, Gushan Branch, Qijin Branch, Youchang Branch, Zuoying Branch, Sanmin Branch, Xinxing Branch (including Xinxing People’s Reading Room), Yancheng Branch, Qianzhen Branch, Nangushan Branch, Cuiping Branch, Lingya Branch, Yangming Branch, Nanzaikeng Branch, Zuoxin Branch, Baozhu Branch, Xiaogang Branch, Dadong Arts Library, Gangshan Cultural Center Branch, Gangshan Branch, Yanchao Branch, Qiaotou Branch, Ziguan Branch, Ziguan Chidong Branch, Mituo Branch, Mituo Park Branch, Yongan Branch, Qieding Branch, Luzhu Branch, Hunei Branch, Ah-Lian Branch, Tianliao Branch, Zhongluan Branch, Fengshan 2nd Branch, Fengshan Caogong Branch, Dashu Branch, Dashu 2nd Branch, Dashu 3rd Branch, Chengguan Branch, Dashe Branch, Niaosong Branch, Daliao Branch, Linyuan Branch, Linyuan 2nd Branch, Qishan Branch, Meinong Branch, Jiaxian Branch, Neimen Branch, Neimen Neipu Branch, Neimen Muzha Branch, Neimen Gouping Branch, Shanlin Branch, Liugui Branch, Renwu Branch, Zhongzhuang Branch, Heti Branch, and Taroko Park Branch.
The Main Public Library is the hub for all the library branches. Since the Main Public Library at Minsheng Road had been used for more than 30 years, the building was completely worn out and could no longer meet the needs of the people. In order to offer Kaohsiung City residents a comfortable reading space and a Main Public Library with abundant book collections, planning for a new Main Library went underway in 2011. The new location would be within the “Asia New Bay Area” that Kaohsiung City Government devoted wholeheartedly to create. On October 12, 2012, City Mayor Chen Chu led about 100 people representing various professions for the Groundbreaking Ceremony. In November 2014, the construction was completed and the building was open to the public. It is a Main Library that belongs to everyone living in Kaohsiung City, and it will be also a new cultural landmark that Kaohsiung City will feel proud of.
Ever since the Main Public Library was established, Kaohsiung City’s library business entered its climax, the Library also led the trend amongst all counties and cities in Taiwan to devote in building their Main Libraries. In order to continue the pace for innovative reforms, and to respond to the digital era of rapidly changing information, Kaohsiung City began planning to transform Municipal Libraries into an Independent Administrative Institution. After the Ministry of Education Review Meeting agreed on the transformation on April 26th, 2017, The 2nd Kaohsiung City Council Regular Assembly – 5th Sitting held on May 26, 2017 passed the third reading of “Kaohsiung City Self-Government Ordinance for the Establishment of a Municipal Library.” And on September 1, 2017, the Main Public Library was officially transformed to be operated as an Independent Administrative Institution.