May and December were key months for final exam revision and recorded the highest number of library visits. In December, the number of visits even surpassed 100,000.

In addition, the daily period between 18:00 and 20:00 received the highest number of visits.

On May 9th, 2025, Graduation Photo Day, the LRC experienced its busiest day of the year, with a record of 9,572 visits. Gathering at the library for graduation photos has become a cherished tradition among all graduating students. This day also marks a long-awaited moment for graduates to collect their letters. The Time Capsule mailbox in the LRC has carefully safeguarded the letters that students wrote to their future selves four years ago. These letters can be collected on the day graduates take their graduation photos, a moment to reflect on their university journey, and to witness the personal growth they have achieved over the past four years.

The Learning Resource Centre is popular for its quiet, comfortable study environment, where many students spend long hours focused on their work. Notably, Jiang, from the 2023 cohort spent an impressive 2,236 hours over the past year. During the library's 311 days of operation, Jiang spent an average of 7.2 hours per day in the library, earning the well-deserved title of the "Library Check-in King" of 2025.

In 2025, the LRC's print and electronic collections continued to grow steadily, reaching a total of 708,987 print books.

The total number of subscribed databases has reached 154, with 4 new additions. Among these, two are academic AI resources: Scopus AI and Scite.

Based on reliable academic resources, Scopus AI and Scite help BNBUers quickly find relevant literature, understand the current research landscape, and enhance research efficiency.

On average, female BNBUers borrowed 2.6 books, while male BNBUers borrowed 1.4 books. Both groups showed a slight decrease from the previous year.

About 60% of library material transactions were completed at the Circulation Desk, suggesting a stronger preference for staff-assisted services over self-check units.

The 2025 cohort of undergraduate students, who began their studies in the fall of 2025,

recorded only 4 months of borrowing data. Despite this relatively short duration, they achieved the 

highest borrowing volume among all others, with a total of 2,366 items checked out.

In 2025, the total usage time of the group study rooms reached 23,015 hours, reflecting sustained demand for collaborative study spaces.

The 2025 undergraduate cohort recorded usage data for only 4 months, while usage among the other cohorts remained relatively balanced. Notably, the 2022 cohort maintained the highest usage rate for two consecutive years, in both 2024 and 2025.

Evening hours are the peak usage period for group study rooms. Students who want to secure a reservation may consider booking during off-peak times, such as in the morning or at midday.

Students can use the MET (More English Talkers) database to practice spoken English in the independent and quiet Soundproof Pods. By simulating an authentic English communication environment, the system enables human-computer dialogue practice, effectively  improving students' speaking and listening skills.

In 2025, total usage of the Soundproof Pods reached 458 hours, with the period from 15:00-17:00 being the most popular time among students.

The Circulation Desk has introduced a range of convenient and thoughtful services, such as the lending of charging cables, desk lamps, extension cords and umbrellas, to better support students' needs.

Therefore, if you encounter any issues in the library, be sure to consult the staff at the Circulation Desk for assistance.

In 2025, Primo VE recorded 149,378 visits and 401,365 searches. The "Add results beyond your library's collection" feature for external academic resources was used 1,764 times. The AI Research Assistant on Primo VE conducted 22,148 searches, with the recommended resources being clicked 35,614 times.

On August 30 and 31, the Learning Resource Centre hosted a Library Orientation Tour for first-year students.

Out of 2,130 freshmen, a total of 2,035 (95.5%) participated in the library tour.

The 9th BNBU MET English Speaking Contest was successfully held from April 7th to May 7th, with a total of 164 BNBU students participating in the competition.

Over 100 students (around 60%) scored 180 or above out of 200 (maximum score). 24 students were recognised with awards, among them Wang Yijun from the TESOL programmes, who ranked first place with an outstanding score of 197.41.

On April 28th, 2025, the Learning Resource Centre hosted an E-Resources Discovery Day, featuring over ten renowned domestic and international database vendors, such as Web of Science, ProQuest, EBSCO and Resset.

The event offered a face-to-face platform for BNBUers to better understand and make the most of the library's electronic resources.

A total of 231 BNBUers participated in the exciting lucky draw, with 110 winners receiving a variety of prizes.

In 2025, the featured bookshelf continued to highlight popular subject-specific books related to academic programmes, while also organising collections of "Series Books". These selections mainly include outstanding domestic and international book sets, presented with brief introductions and central displays, aiming to facilitate the discovery of LRC's collection and increase BNBUers' awareness of classic and high-quality series.

The distinguished titles closely align with current events, such as literary award announcements and commemorative anniversaries of notable authors. Regularly updated thematic displays invite BNBUers to explore masterpieces and classic works.

In addition, "Series Books" and event-related exhibitions are promoted through the library's official WeChat account, ensuring access to updated information and enhancing the reading experience.

In 2025, the Learning Resource Centre organised three Chinese and international book exhibitions, showcasing more than 15,000 Chinese-and-English-language titles from renowned domestic and overseas publishers.

Faculty and students actively engaged in browsing and selecting titles, with approximately 5,600 books ultimately added to the library's collection.

"Leather carves landscapes of grandeur, and light and shadows reflect ancient souls."

On the afternoon of October 22, 2025, the themed exhibition "Stories in Shadow Puppetry" was officially inaugurated at the BNBU Learning Resource Centre, and remained on display until December 15, 2025. This unique showcase is sponsored by the Guangdong Museum and the Chengdu Museum, organized by the Guangdong Mobile Museum, BNBU's School of General Education, and the Learning Resource Centre, with support from Wang Dianlin Shadow Puppet Studio of Guangzhou No. 3 Middle School.

The exhibition featured over 150 exquisite shadow puppetry items, representing not only iconic scenes from classic plays such as Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but also highlighting the craftsmanship behind the art through the display of various production tools, scripts, and other artifacts. In addition, Mr. Luo Yongping, a renowned artist, and Mr. Xie Jinlin, a faculty member from SGE, jointly introduced their paintings under the theme "Lingnan Shadow Charm", bringing together multiple art forms to celebrate the elegance of shadow theatre.

Stories in Shadow Puppetry

Shadow puppetry has been part of BNBU's cultural legacy for nearly 14 years. Since the establishment of the Shadow Puppetry Theater in 2011, the university has been dedicated to the innovation and promotion of this ancient art form. Aligned with BNBU's 20th anniversary, this exhibition not only marks another important step in supporting traditional Chinese culture, but also opens a new chapter in spreading the charm and essence of this intangible heritage.

Every week, at the scheduled time, participants gathered at the Book Club Corner to share their reading experiences and insights with other members under the guidance of a foreign teacher in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. These discussions helped deepen their understanding of the book's characters and plot, while giving them the opportunity to practice vocabulary and idiomatic expressions they had learned through reading and real-life conversations.

In 2025, the Learning Resource Centre welcomed over 150 official visits from government units, schools, colleges, universities, companies and associations, introducing its resources, services and facilities to more than 2,600 visitors.  

In 2025, a total of 18 students worked in the library as student assistants, helping with book shelving, Circulation Desk services, and daily tasks in the Acquisition and Cataloging sections, contributing a total of 4,570 hours. In addition, after receiving training on the Call Number system, 60 students volunteered for a total of 6 hours, checking the bookshelves and ensuring that books were properly placed.

These experiences allowed the students to gain a deeper understanding of the library, accumulate precious work skills, and witness their own personal joy, growth and sense of accomplishment.