Abstract: As we approach the stage of in-depth informatization led by a new generation of information technologies such as big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, we are greeting the advent of “Big Reading” era, when artificial intelligence resurges to create the times of intelligence and to transform and even subvert human reading behaviors. Public libraries, amidst the critical challenges and opportunities, should adopt people-oriented design thinking to construct hardware and software, while resorting to connection strategy to connect people to people, people to knowledge, people to space to knowledge, as well as physical space to cyberspace so as to develop constantly. Since reading is omnipresent, public libraries could well implement the strategies of reading+ and library+.

Key words:  Public library, Big reading, Design thinking, Connection strategy, Reading+, Library+