“Transformation and Development: Symposium on Libraries’ Serving the Future and the Information Sharing Space Construction of University Libraries” sponsored by Books and Information Center of Zhejiang University was held on 14^th January 2013. Prof. Luo Weidong, Vice President of Zhejiang University and Robert Miller, Director of American Internet Archive Global Books were present at the opening ceremony. Prof. Luo delivered a speech on the special role of libraries in the development of universities and the close affinity between libraries and basic functions of universities. The Book Exhibition Hall of “NationalZhejiangUniversity” is a witness to ZhejiangUniversity’s westward movement and its assiduous school running with the books and wooden boxes which went through all the vicissitudes of life. With the arrival of digital era, libraries should follow the readers’ demands, shatter the traditional constraints and create space for knowledge innovation and cultural sharing.

Six experts from the libraries of BeijingUniversity, ShanghaiJiaoTongUniversity, and City University of Hong Kong delivered excellent speeches on technological and space transformations of libraries and their roles in intelligent campuses. Chen Jin, Director of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Library expounded the connotations and elements of intelligence libraries and dealt with the basic models of intelligence libraries and key issues in the construction. Nie Hua, Deputy Director of Beijing University Library introduced the construction of new web portals in Beijing University Library based on the space transformations, in particular, the perfect integration of human, technology, service and space.

Hsianghoo Steve Ching, Director of Library of City University of Hong Kong, based on he optimal management concept, raised the idea that books and humans should be put in the best space and he introduced the concepts and development of physical space, cyber space, intelligence space construction of the library of City University of Hong Kong. Huang Chen, Deputy Director of Zhejiang University Library said in his speech that libraries should strive hard to be the social intercourse and intelligence space for innovation and cultural upgrading. Zhejiang University Library planned and realized the information sharing space, aiming at enabling readers to enjoy the latest reading experience, sharing information in the multi-media, knowledge, learning and research space. He thought the construction of information sharing space should realize sustainable development, conduct evaluations and input-output analyses and find multi-partners.

The participants had heated discussions on the technology and space transformations after the keynote speeches.