Page 43 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2018 Vol. 44

042 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.10, 2018

transformation of “lending space”, “spreading space” and “communicating space”. The “lending
space” reflects the basic service of the library as a physical space to provide readers with
lending services, and belongs to the passive user service mode. While the “spreading space” is
to disseminate scientific knowledge and culture to the society as a “knowledge center” of the
city, and release the hidden value of knowledge in active service. Further more, “communicating
space” is the sublimation of the library space value. As the library promotes the transformation
and innovation of knowledge value by providing users with an open and free place for knowledge
exchange (X.C.Luo & Yao, 2014). In recent years, the highly acclaimed “third space” and “maker
space” are the practice and application of “communicating space”.
Consequently, the historical development of the library is essentially the change and development
of the core elements of the library. The shift of focus from “resource” to “people” and “space”
and the internal changes reflect the transformation of the library concepts from exclusiveness to
openness and from the resource-centric to the people-oriented.

1.2 Historical changes have not yet reshaped the core idea of library development

The changes of the library highlight the development process from “book” to “people” and “people”
to “space”. The changes are fundamentally reflected in that the library service is getting closer
to people and their real knowledge needs. It pays attention to both knowledge and knowledge
environment. And the knowledge content and environment are the core external factors influencing
human cognition (Sweller, 2010). Thus, the development of library knowledge service is more
and more in accordance with the essential elements of human cognitive construction through
knowledge learning. The changes are related to the core concepts of the library, which is based on
knowledge, driven by technology and constantly evolving according to the needs of the users.
1) Knowledge content is the foundation of the library. Knowledge is derived from the experience
of human beings in adapting to nature and transforming the world, which continues to extend and
deepen with human existence in history. The development of human society to the unprecedented
age of wisdom is inseparable from the human nature of exploration and transformation of the
world, as well as the memory and inheritance of knowledge in this process. With the development
of science and technology over the time, knowledge can be stored and disseminated in a more
advanced way. Indeed, the most fundamental role of the library is to collect and disseminate
the resource carriers carrying knowledge so as to promote the application and transformation of
knowledge. This fundamental has never changed, although circumstances change with the passage
of time. Users learn from different types of resources in the library according to their own needs,
communicate knowledge and apply it creatively, and exert the power of human wisdom.
2) User needs are fundamental to the library. The existence of library originates from the needs
of users which will fundamentally determine the development and survival of the library. The
operation and service focus on the needs of users. And three laws are related to users in the book