Across China: "Oxygenated library" ignites reading dreams for plateau students

XINING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Students in Atrang, a plateau town in northwest China's Qinghai Province, welcomed a long-awaited gift -- an "oxygenated library," on World Reading Day, which fell on Wednesday.

The new library, donated by State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply Company, was officially unveiled at a school in Atrang Township in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, bringing warmth, oxygen, and hope to children learning at an elevation of 3,900 meters.

The 36-square-meter library, crafted from a retrofitted container, features rooftop solar panels to ensure stable energy supply. Beyond its collection of 1,600 books spanning history, textbooks, comics and more, the facility is equipped with oxygen generators, heating systems, and multimedia tools -- critical amenities for a region where harsh winters and thin air once made year-round reading a challenge.

Since its trial operation, the library has become an after-class hub where children read, study, and relax.

"I love the new books here. Now I can read every day," said sixth-grader Nyima Drolkar, clutching a freshly borrowed storybook.

The "oxygenated library" project is part of a 15-year-long "Light Up Yushu" charity initiative, launched after a devastating earthquake in 2010. Since 2018, five such libraries have been built across Yushu.

"Our goal is to build one library a year, empowering children with quality education and resources -- not just electricity, but opportunities to thrive," said Zhu Xiaowei, the program's leader. ■