Abstract: How research public libraries can achieve innovative transformation through the development of thematic libraries is a critical issue in the era of digital intelligence. The Chinese Cultural Celebrities Manuscript Library of Shanghai Library serves as a typical case of such transformation. This paper traces the library's development over three decades(1990-2026), dividing it into three stages and analyzing the transformational characteristics of each stage from four dimensions: collection development, service model, space utilization, and management mechanism. Based on this analysis, four key elements are identified: systematic resource development strategy, research service integrated function repositioning, public cultural space construction for diverse user groups, and data driven operational mechanism. These elements constitute a transformational framework that shifts the focus from “collection” to “utilization”, and extends services from specialized academic support to broader public engagement. The paper further proposes the construction of a research service integrated smart service platform to address the needs of resource datafication, business platformization, and smart application development.