Hi bookreaders of km, any idea if there are local libraries with english books AND how to use them, borrow books and so on? I'm trying to get a library card at shifan daxue, shouldn't be too much of a problem. Any luck about other universities?

I am a member of the Main Kunming library, just off Green Lake. Cost me a 500 rmb deposit.

You need your passport ID and address in Chinese and take them straight to the reception desk downstairs. Then it was 35 rmb for the year member fee.

The English section is on the forth floor. If you have any problems with Chinese language there is a lovely girl called Alex who speaks great English. She works on the 4th floor English section and has gone out of her way to help us on many occasion.

They have heaps of books on everything from Science to Business marketing, Internet, spiders, breastfeeding, nutrition etc and in the last 6 months they have had a whole heap of new books, cds and dvds.

(Sure they have 83743462 text books on physics from the 1960's and lots of psychology that are just as dated!!!!, However they have many newer books too)

If you want a particular book that they do not have they are more than happy to order it for you as a library book.

The service has always been excellent.

Go Nuts!

Hi amina, guess I should have asked you in person then... thanks for the informations :) see you.

Is this still accurate? Are there children's books?

@Elisa.
The library is on Qianjujie. When you are on Wenlinjie, you have Wenhuaxiang to your right and Qianjujie to your left. Go down Qianjujie and the library will be on your left hand side.
You can read the books in the library for free. When you want to borrow some books, you need 500kuai deposit, your address in Chinese and your passport. Some books can only be read inside the library.

About the children's books I'm not sure. But the library is huge, so you might be able to find what you are looking for.

By the way, when you enter the building on groundfloor, left and right of the reception desk there are computers. You can use them to look for specific books ;-)

Great! Past the market a bit I assume? We will look tomorrow. Our place is on Wenhua so I'm thrilled it's so close.

Yes, past the market and before the T-crossing to Cuihu nan lu.

The Name of the library is:

云南省图书馆

We went this morning, and it exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. The selection that's appropriate for my 2.5 yr. old is fairly small, but it was good! There are some books on the shelf that we have at home, and others that we have enjoyed from the library in the U.S., and she pinpointed one immediately. Getting the card required a photocopy of my passport, Y500 deposit, and my phone number. Not my address. There was also no annual member fee. Alex still works there, and is still helpful and friendly :)
I used to do toddler programs so I feel like I should offer to do a weekly story hour but I don't know if anyone would be interested.

I bet if u offered to do a story hour theyd be utterly delighted!

@Elisa, Daithi: Good idea!