English-language copies just 1 percent in libraries

English-language learning materials and novels are being read by Chinese library card-holders more than ever before, yet they still only account for a sliver of the books that are frequently borrowed by local residents, according to a yearly report compiled by Shanghai Library, which lists the books borrowed most from the city's 262 public libraries.

Shanghai Library said while that English language learning books ranked first in the bilingual and foreign language categories for a third consecutive year since the annual report was first put together in 2008, such materials were only borrowed some 100 times in the last year.

"Still, they made up roughly 1 percent of the total items borrowed from libraries last year, which is more than previous years," Xu Qiang, who helped gather the data for the report, from Shanghai Library, told the Global Times Monday.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Complete Sherlock Holmes was the most popular English-language fiction book to make the list, followed by Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

Of the entire 22 categories, the most widely borrowed book among local residents last year was Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, which tells the legend of Chinese kung fu masters during the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1270 AD). Penned in the 1960s by Hong Kong writer Louis Cha, the novel was lent out 3,349 times last year.

Foreigners in the city, who wish to borrow foreign language books from public libraries, are required to present their passport and put down a 1,000 yuan ($157)-deposit to obtain a library card that remains valid for two years. A two-year library card that permits only Chinese books to be borrowed, meanwhile, can be received for a deposit of 100 yuan.