The children's library (room) in China was developed at the beginning of the 20th century. 19 14 the children's reading room of Shi Jing public library established in Beijing is the first children's reading room created by China public library. Subsequently, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and other provinces have also set up children's reading rooms. 191710 June 12 The Social Education Department of Tianjin, Zhili Province established the earliest children's library in China.

In the 1920s and 1930s, children's libraries were established in Jilin, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Tianjin. 1940, Ying Yongyu initiated the establishment of Shanghai Children's Library. Soong Ching Ling is very concerned about children. She suggested getting some money from China Welfare Foundation to set up a library for children in Shanghai. 1949 In April, under the sponsorship of people from all walks of life, the first reading room of children's library was opened to children free of charge. 1In August, 942, Yan 'an Zhongshan Library (Lin Ren as curator) added the Children's Book Department. Yan 'an Youth Federation also mobilized social forces to build Yan 'an Children's Library, helping the Party to strengthen social education for children.

In 1950s, Beijing Library set up a children's reading room. In Beijing, Shanghai, Lanzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan and other places, several independent children's libraries and children's branches of adult halls have been established. More than half of public libraries have children's reading rooms or reading gardens. During the period of 1958, an exchange meeting on the working experience of children's libraries in some parts of China was held in Shanghai, which promoted the development of children's libraries. However, it was greatly damaged during the Cultural Revolution. 1980 the outline of library work report adopted by the central secretariat requires the establishment of special children's libraries in cities and districts of big cities.

Public libraries at all levels should actively create conditions to open to children. In May of the same year, the Central Committee of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education jointly held a national symposium on the work of children's libraries in Beijing. After the meeting, the State Council 198 1 forwarded the report of the national symposium on the work of children's libraries. 1982, the national symposium on children's library work was held in Changsha, Hunan; 1984 held a symposium on children's library and collection construction in Chongqing; And in 1987, a children's library cooperation Committee was established by region. By 1989, there are 75 children's libraries independently established at or above the county level (data do not include Taiwan Province Province), more than 1000 children's reading rooms at or above the county level, and more than 200 street children's libraries (rooms) in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.

In addition to the children's library (room) of the Ministry of Culture, the school library (room) of the education system, the children's palace (home) library (room) of the Communist Youth League system and the children's library (room) of the trade union system all serve children.

Many countries attach great importance to library services for children. Public libraries in Britain and America generally have children's departments to serve children. In the Soviet Union, 1989 has more than 8,000 independent children's libraries, and adult libraries have more than 1000 children's departments, forming a nationwide network of children's libraries. Many children's libraries in developed countries not only collect printed books, periodicals and pictures, but also provide non-printed knowledge carriers, such as records, audio tapes, slides, movies, toys and game devices, in order to attract children's reading interest, strengthen the intuitive publicity of books, spread scientific and cultural knowledge and promote children's intellectual development.