Shanghai's public libraries welcomed a vibrant community of young readers last year, with a total of 304,000 active child readers across the city's public libraries, according to an annual report unveiled ahead of World Book Day.

Among them, there were young readers from 49 countries and regions worldwide, said the report, which was released by the Shanghai Children's Library in collaboration with some other institutions, including the Shanghai Library.

Among readers aged 16 or younger, children between 5 and 14 accounted for approximately 90 percent of the total readership. Those between 7 and 9 held the highest proportion of readers for three consecutive years. Moreover, there was an obvious rise in the ratio of readers below age 2.

Intriguingly, more than 3,700 young readers chose to step into one of the 454 library facilities around the city on their birthdays last year, starting a new year with the joy of reading.

Regarding book borrowing habits, the total number of borrowed children's books in Shanghai reached 15 million copies in 2024, with an average of 8.73 books borrowed per person, marking a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

Literary works emerged as the most popular genre among young readers, followed by art, culture, science, education and sports-related books. There was a noticeable rise in the borrowing rates of books in mathematics, chemistry and economics last year.

In 2024, 157 child-friendly reading spaces were newly opened across the city, providing more accessible reading havens for youngsters and families near their homes.

The downtown branch of the Shanghai Children's Library on West Nanjing Road, which opened its doors in 1958, recently reopened to the public following enhancements in its facilities and services. The main building now features diverse reading and interaction spaces, housing a wide array of reading materials, including comics, classic works from both Chinese and foreign authors, traditional culture, local literary works, picture books and children's magazines.