According to relevant documents, on the eve of Hunan’s peaceful liberation, the total collection of public libraries and university libraries in the province was only 370,000 volumes. These libraries have no funding all year round. The buildings are small and dilapidated, the books are covered with dust, and the entrances and courtyards are desolate. They are in a state of decay. In order to change this backward situation, the provincial party committee and the provincial government concentrated their efforts on strengthening the construction of the provincial museum despite economic difficulties and a lot of waste waiting to be done. Around 1953, while doing a good job in taking over the provincial museum, the internal management, rules and regulations, and direction of the provincial museum were reformed to make it adapt to the needs of the political, economic, and cultural development of New China, and truly become the basis for the broad masses of the people. A socialist cultural position that serves the masses. In 1952, the director was re-appointed and the staff was increased to 30. In 1954, based on Comrade Xu Teli's suggestion, the precious ancient books in Nanyue Library were transferred to the Provincial Library to strengthen its document service capabilities. Around 1957, another 300,000 precious ancient books collected and collected by the Provincial Cultural Affairs Bureau were transferred to the Provincial Library. In the early days of liberation, the provincial library had only six small classrooms. In 1955, the provincial government invested in a new reading and exhibition building of more than 2,800 square meters for the provincial library. In 1956, under the urging of National People's Congress representatives Tian Han, Li Renren, Jian Bozan and others, the provincial party committee and the provincial government decided to build a library of more than 3,300 square meters for the provincial library. During the Cultural Revolution, in 1967, the 47th Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army sent a platoon of soldiers to guard the library in order to protect the provincial library's documents from destruction. At the same time, it ensured the continuity of ordering for most foreign periodicals.
After the Cultural Revolution, the provincial party committee and the provincial government increased their leadership in the construction of the provincial museum. In 1978, it was the first in the country to decide to build a new provincial library. In 1984, the new provincial museum was completed with an investment of more than 11 million yuan (including 3 million yuan arranged by the State Planning Commission), covering an area of ??66 acres. At that time, the construction area was more than 35,000 square meters (including 22,900 square meters of the main building). With more than 230 people and a collection of nearly 2.8 million volumes (items), it became the largest provincial public library in the country at that time.
In order to strengthen the work of the children's library, with the care of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, the Hunan Provincial Children's Library was officially established on December 31, 1981, becoming the first provincial-level children's library in the country. library. By 1997, the Provincial Children's Museum had a building area of ??13,000 square meters, a staff of 68, and a collection of more than 610,000 volumes (pieces), which was at the leading level in the country.
In order to play the leading role of the two provincial libraries, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government tried their best to ensure the normal funding of the two provincial libraries despite the financial austerity and implemented modern management such as computers. At present, the provincial library is playing an increasingly important role in promoting the construction of two civilizations and promoting the construction of library services in the province.