The library of South China Agricultural University has a long history along with the development of the University from 1909. The library now has a total staff number of 60, 80% of whom hold Bachlor's degree or above.
The library has a total collection of more than 800,000 items, including about 3,000 kinds of foreign and domestic periodicals, 9,000 kinds of E-materials. The library has established a periodical online searching system, an electronic/audio-visual reading system, and a CD-ROM searching network. Meanwhile, it keeps a good interchange relationship with all major libraries in the country, and is authorized to keep the publications of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The collection of the library covers all academic displines in many languages with a focus on agricultural science and life sciences. The library also has a good collection of ancient Chinese agricultural books.
The present library building was completed in 1987 with a floor space of 10,000㎡. There are more than 2,000 seats for teachers, students, and in an eletronic/audio-visual reading room. The library plans to expand its building soon to 18,000㎡ and will establish a new building of 8,000㎡ within 5 years.
The library has formed a well-organized service system providing readers with online database searching, problem searching, reference, cataloging, training, and self-building databases, and is making efforts towards its automation, digital library and networking.