Abstract: This paper elaborates on the strategic vision of the Shanghai Library as it embarks on the development of a new generation research public library at the beginning of the “15th Five Year Plan” period. It reviews the historical evolution of the Shanghai Library since its establishment, when it was positioned as a research public library, and analyzes the strategic background behind the subdivision of its vision during the “14th Five Year Plan” into building both a “world class urban public library system” and a “world class research public library”. By benchmarking against the public library systems of international metropolises such as New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo, the paper proposes forming four major service systems: “serving the general public”“serving professionals” and “serving decision making”, based on six major library facilities, including the Shanghai Library East Branch, the Huaihai Road Branch, and the Xujiahui Library(also known as the Bibliotheca Zi Ka Wei). Against the backdrop of digital and intelligent transformation, the paper argues that the new generation research public library should adhere to the principles of “five equal emphases” and “three reconstructions,” balancing the dual missions of being both a “public library” and a “research library,” and ultimately achieving a leapfrog development toward an intelligent and hybrid library suited to the era of mass reading.