Community Reading Spaces as Social Infrastructure: A Case Study of Nanjing

Abstract

This study conceptualises community reading spaces as essential social infrastructure that promotes spatial justice and social capital. Drawing on case studies from Nanjing, it proposes a three-dimensional interactive framework integrating physical, institutional, and social perspectives to analyse the mechanisms underlying their social functions. Through comparative analysis of three governance models—leading, co-operative, and autonomous—the study explores how different operational logics affect the dual social functions of reading spaces. The findings highlight the complementary logic among governance types and offer theoretical and practical insights into enhancing the inclusivity and relational capacity of urban cultural services.