The East Lake Science City Academy, the eleventh branch of the Optics Valley Book House, is set to open on Sept 21 in the Wuhan Chip Optics Industrial Park of the Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China, or OVC).

The East Lake Science City Academy spans 1,800 square meters and offers 285 seats. With a core theme of "Technology + Chu Culture during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC)", it aims to provide an immersive reading experience and establish itself as a cultural landmark in the East Lake Science City.

The East Lake Science City Academy. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The academy houses nearly 40,000 volumes, with a focus on ancient texts and technology-related books. Additionally, it offers a wide range of literature, popular science, children's, and lifestyle books. All materials are part of a shared network with the Hubei Provincial Library, allowing for seamless borrowing and returning.

On its opening day, the academy will showcase its prized possession, the Yongle Encyclopedia. Compiled in 1408, this monumental work includes 7,000 to 8,000 texts from the pre-Qin period (before 221 BC) to the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is hailed as the world's largest ancient encyclopedia.

Optics Valley Book House is a public service platform created by OVC to establish a "12-minute reading culture circle". In collaboration with the Hubei Provincial Library, it aims to foster a love of reading in OVC. Since April 2022, OVC has established 11 book houses, serving over 2 million readers and facilitating over 2.83 million book transactions.