A Cool Refreshing Breeze

Reading rooms were important features of American YMCAs at the beginning of the last century; and, the Chengdu YMCA's Public Reading Room was popular in the 1950s. The Chengdu YMCA's Public Reading Room was recently reopened during a time when the craze for money and profit seemed to be fashionable. Some doubted the YMCA's initiative and its spiritual value, but more people endorsed their move. Local TV and a newspaper hailed the program as "a cool refreshing breeze" in Chunxi Lu.

The Reading Room offers a variety of newspapers and magazines and a small library of books. The room is staffed and is open to the public 9:30 AM to 12:00 noon and 2:30 to 5:30 PM. Since opening it has maintained a group of constant readers. About 10,000 persons come to the Reading Room annually.