Tianjin to promote new normal for eBook reading

On the 25th World Book and Copyright Day, the city of Tianjin is exploring how to stimulate a “new normal” for the promotion of book reading and selling via online platforms.

From 7pm tonight, it is launching a live broadcast promoting ‘digital reading for all’ via popular sites such as Douyin and iQIYI. This will mark the start of a series of online reading activities for the facilitation of digital reading and technology-based book-selling citywide.

These activities will enable readers to buy books online, listen to online lectures, attend reading competitions, share their reading experiences and exchange thoughts with others.

The activities are based on the idea that the internet can make it easier for both readers and book-sellers to access each other.

As part of the city’s efforts to promote a ‘new normal’ of book consumption, its first 24-hour smart bookstore has officially been opened.

Readers can swipe open the unmanned book store using a valid ID card and face recognition. Once they’ve selected a book, they can scan the code through WeChat or Alipay to pay.

At the same time, the bookstore provides a lot of sample books for readers to read comfortably in the store.

Booksellers including Xinhua bookstore and Yanjiyou bookstore have also added a new book delivery service by working with delivery platforms.