An action plan on promoting the reform and upgrading of rural reading rooms and advancing rural reading has been jointly issued by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The plan outlines comprehensive arrangements for improving layout, optimizing content supply, fostering a reading culture, and strengthening support mechanisms, comprising six sections and 14 specific measures.
Regarding layout, the plan proposes leveraging "reading room plus" and "plus reading room" approaches: well-functioning rooms will receive greater support and expanded functions, while less effective ones will be integrated into other cultural spaces to consolidate resources.
In terms of content supply, the plan calls for combining digital and traditional reading, promoting a "people's order list" book replenishment mechanism, and utilizing resources such as the "Xuexi Qiangguo" learning platform, cloud audio apps, and digital libraries at all levels to facilitate scanned reading for the public.
The plan also deploys measures to cultivate local reading brands and organize extensive rural reading activities, aiming to foster a reading culture through innovative forms. Additionally, it encourages and guides social forces to participate, enhances the efficiency of fund usage, and establishes a more scientific service standard and performance evaluation system.
The plan is based on pilot reforms launched in April 2025, which focused on classified management, enriched service functions, innovative content supply, promotion of rural reading, and improved guarantee mechanisms. The State Council's Regulation on Promoting Nationwide Reading, which took effect in February this year, provides legal support for related work. The overall requirements emphasize a problem-oriented and people-centered approach, classified management, differentiated investment, dynamic adjustment, and performance priority, aiming to adapt to demographic changes in rural areas and technological development, and to enhance the equalization of basic public services between urban and rural areas.
For implementation, the three departments stressed the need to be realistic, respect local conditions, and respond to public opinion, with tailored measures and a focus on the real needs and experiences of rural residents.