Visitors to some public and university libraries on the mainland may well find themselves in a 'living library', offering 'living books' (real people) to readers.
The idea of a living - or human - library, started in Denmark in 2000 and promotes dialogue, reduces prejudice and encourages understanding as visitors talk with the 'people on loan'.
By 2010, 256 living library activities were being held in 39 countries around the world.
An Yang, superintendent of Guangzhou's Huangdao library, says living books include people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
'Our group of volunteer 'books' included a man who suffered from allergies since childhood, a young woman who'd had an abortion and a university adviser that uses a special method to educate her daughter,' he said.
The superintendent has also acted as a living book. An Yang shared his experiences of tutoring in rural areas with a group of 10 readers.