Abstract: There has been a global “Library Rejuvenation” since the 1990s, and a number of new libraries are emerging or being rebuilt, many of which are iconic buildings. At the same time, library has gone through a period of transition from book-oriented to people-oriented. The past 20 years of “Library Rejuvenation” has witnessed how the library architecture is becoming increasingly rational and returning to its origin. “People-oriented” is now the guiding ideology behind the library architecture. Shanghai Library East, which stands out in the era of “Library Rejuvenation”, is truly a piece of world-class work in both appearance and function. This paper examines Shanghai Library East in the context of global library construction over the past two decades, focusing on three themes, namely, return, transformation and cooperation. It elaborates how the library design has evolved from emphasis on aesthetic look to emphasis on function, from book-oriented to people-oriented, and from an architect’s work to a collaborative work between architect and users. By making such an in-depth comparison and analysis of the architectural features of Shanghai Library East, the paper demonstrates its influence on the field of library design.