On October 24, in celebration of the 73rd anniversary of Beihang University, the opening ceremony for the Shahe Campus Library was held.

The ceremony was attended by Zhao Changlu, Secretary of the CPC Beihang University Committee, other university leaders present on campus, representatives of donor guests, representatives from the library's construction team, heads of relevant departments and schools based at Shahe campus, as well as faculty and student representatives. The ceremony was presided over by Cheng Bo, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beihang University Committee.

Party Secretary Zhao Changlu and University Librarian Yang Chao jointly unveiled the plaque, marking the official opening of the Shahe Campus Library of Beihang University.

In his speech, Zhao Changlu expressed sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the library's construction, to the donors of precious documents and materials, and to friends from all sectors who care about and support the university's development. He stated that the library, located in the central area of Shahe Campus, complements the surrounding architectural landscape with its simple, grand, and dignified style. With rich collections, the library represents a comprehensive upgrade in service philosophy, functional layout, and technological application, showcasing its unique charm.

Zhao Changlu emphasized the hope that the library will stand at the forefront of the times and become a strategic pivot empowering the university's future development. Efforts should focus on building the library into a key academic landmark and spiritual hall that supports the cultivation of innovative talent, breakthroughs in scientific frontiers, and demonstrates the distinctive aerospace culture, providing more precise information support and intelligent services for the university. He hoped that faculty and students will make good use of these valuable resources to enhance and energize academic development. University teachers should fully utilize library and information resources to inspire wisdom and improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and research, while students should make full use of the university's first-class educational environment and strive to grow into a new generation pursuing excellence. He also hoped the entire Beihang community would strengthen their sense of pride and belonging, promote the Beihang spirit with "Serving the Nation through Aerospace Endeavors" at its core, and jointly write new chapters in serving national strategies.

Li Ying, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, extended warm congratulations and high respect to Beihang faculty and students, as well as the designers and builders who dedicated themselves to the library's construction. She stated that the official opening of the library not only demonstrates Beihang's mission to cultivate the fertile soil of education and deepen its cultural deposits, but also marks an important milestone in promoting the high-quality development of the university and enriching the campus cultural ecosystem. The China National Archives of Publications and Culture looks forward to further deepening collaboration with Beihang, enabling classics carrying the genes of civilization resonate in harmony with documents embodying the power of science and technology, contributing greater strength to cultivating aerospace talent, stimulating cultural innovation and creativity, and promoting the prosperous development of socialist culture.

Student representative Liu Xin, a doctoral student from the Research Institute of Aero-Engine, stated in her speech that the library is not just a "study room," but also a "source of reassurance" and a "supply station," consistently supporting the academic and dream-pursuing journeys of students. She expressed she will continue to cherish every moment in the library and draw on the boundless strength gained from it to support herself in a broader world.

During the ceremony, a donation of precious documents was also held. The son of Wu Guang, the first President of Beihang, donated his father's personally preserved documents, including the record of the Beijing-1 aircraft's flight to the sky, to the library. Yu Jinlong, Secretary of the General Party Branch of the Library, accepted the donation on behalf of the library.

The completion and opening of the Shahe Campus Library is a significant measure for the university to improve educational facilities, optimize educational environment, and empower future development. As a new university cultural landmark bearing the mission of knowledge inheritance and innovation, it will inject new vitality into the dual-core development of the two campuses in Beijing and provide stronger support for faculty and student teaching, scientific research, and personal growth.

The Library of Shahe Campus commenced construction in March 2024, passed the final inspection ahead of schedule in July 2025, began trial operations for new students on August 30, 2025, and officially opened on October 24, 2025. This all-steel structure building also reflects the new "Beihang Speed." With a total construction area of 48,000 square meters and a site area of 13,000 square meters, the library is the first building primarily constructed with steel at the Shahe campus. The overall rectangular building features an ingenious facade design, echoing the Shahe Main Building from afar and integrating perfectly into the "The Realm of Sky" landscape system to jointly form a core campus landscape cluster.

Centered on the spirit of "Serving the Nation through Aerospace Endeavors," the library has been built into a diversified functional service space integrating learning and reading, guidance and discussion, sharing and collaboration, social leisure, and academic exchange. It serves as a documentation center with distinctive aerospace features and a modern learning space. Standing 32 meters tall, the library has 6 above-ground floors and 2 underground floors. It is designed to hold 3 million volumes, including 700,000 open-shelf volumes and 2.3 million volumes in closed-stack storage. It also provides over 3,500 reading seats, creating a modern knowledge community for the university's faculty and students that integrates knowledge acquisition, cultural inheritance, academic exchange, and innovation incubation.

Editor: Liu Tingting