Wuhan Branch of the National Science Library (WBNSL), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is the Science Library of Hubei. It is also named Wuhan Documentation and Information Center of CAS and Wuhan Library of CAS. WBNSL is the largest science and technology library of south-central, the information center with strong technical force, wuhan branch center of China Science and Technology Network (CSTNet), the Scientific Novelty Consulting Center of CAS, and the Document Retrieval and Consulting Center of Hubei. WBNSL offers advanced technology and first-class service on research and innovation in the fields of energy, new materials and advanced manufacturing, high-tech industries, and other disciplines for the institutes of CAS and scientific communities in the country. It provides service for the socio-economic development of the central region and “two types” social construction of Hubei. WBNSL constructed “the Science and Technology literature information service center” using its advantages of documentation and information resources and services. WBNSL expanded the information services for high-tech parks and national innovation, and built the "Documentation and Information Center of East Lake High Technology Development Zone”, “National Science and Technology Library NSTL, East Lake High-tech Zone Service Station" with The Optics Valley of China. It created “the optical information service portal”, “the Yangtze River Basin Resources and Environment ecological information portal”, “the information portal on emerging diseases“, "strategic emerging industries Information Network" platform and the resources service system. Here we do strategic information analysis to support the formulation of Science and Technology Planning of Hubei and the constructions of local science and technology library platform.
WBNSL opens every day from 8:00am to 9:30pm. All the collections are open to the society, forming an integration mode of “checking, reading, borrowing and collecting”. The reading building and the stack room have the space over 10,000 square meters. The reading environment is reasonable distributed, civilized and tidy, safe and comfortable, and convenient. WBNSL uses open coherent service layout, and sets more than 400 information points to provide readers with a “one-stop” service.
The book reading, digital resources online browsing, PC advanced application, communication and discussion, multi-media, personalized training, and other functional areas in the Graduate Information Commons(IC) together with the multi-functional classroom and the studying room offer an open ,clean, rich, live and integrative learning environment. Its new image, new service model, and new service concept are welcomed by more and more readers.
The subject librarians in WBNSL also provide site services for their responsible counterparts in Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Suzhou etc. They go to the institutes often, most of them are in other cities rather than where the library is located, and stay there for longer periods of time, making runs into research labs, offices, experiment sites, and wherever research is conducted, to discuss the needs and problems in users’ information activities. Subject information service supports the research and innovation effectively, and receives wide acclaim from researchers.
WBNSL adheres to the technology-driven strategy. By upgrading the technology, WBNSL comprehensively upgraded its network information platform, so that the whole information infrastructure is leading domestic. At the same time, based on the demands of users, we keep on researching and developing information technology, information tools and information platform of embedded user environment. "Interactive integrated information service platform ",which is developed by WBNSL, has been applied in more than 50 institute libraries of CAS, such as Wuhan, Nanjing, Suzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai etc.
In order to realize knowledge innovation project of CAS and to enhance strategic information research and service, WBNSL has developed a strong decision-making information, subject information and competitive information service to support decision/policy-making, scientific research, progress of science and technology and the sustainable development of society service for CAS and our country. WBNSL plays the role of a national “think tank”, and its services are widely recognized and praised by national leaderships and the communities.
WBNSL is making effort to develop a world first-class knowledge service center in the fields of advanced energy, advanced manufacturing and new materials. It strives to be the best by strengthening its resources, improving its services, enhancing its reforming and innovation.
