The LCSD operates the Hong Kong Public Libraries system, which comprises 74 public libraries, including 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The libraries system provides free library and information services to meet community needs for knowledge, information, research and recreation, and to support lifelong learning and continuous education. It promotes reading and literary arts and offers library extension activities to all ages.

The libraries have a comprehensive collection of 10.22 million books and 1.4 million multimedia materials, with a total of 3.3 million registered borrowers. During the year, library services were well received, and the number of library materials borrowed from the 74 public libraries amounted to 61 million.

	Primary school students participating in a reading activity held by the public libraries.

	Citizens can surf web sites using the Internet Express Terminals at public libraries.

Hong Kong Central Library

Since its opening in May 2001, the Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL) has developed into a major knowledge, information and cultural centre. Occupying a gross floor area of 33 800 square metres with a total stock of two million items, the 12-storey building provides a wide range of facilities. Special features include a Multimedia Information System, a Central Reference Library with six subject departments, an Arts Resource Centre, the Hong Kong Literature Room, a Map Library, a Language Learning Centre, a Young Adult Library and a Toy Library. There are also hiring facilities including a 1 500-square metre Exhibition Gallery, a 293-seat Lecture Theatre, two Activity Rooms, a Music Practice Room and a number of Discussion Rooms. On average, the Hong Kong Central Library is visited by about 14 000 users daily.

In addition to regular cultural activities and subject talks, the Hong Kong Central Library has continued to organise a wide range of large-scale cultural activities such as talks on 'Successful Women in Hong Kong Tell Their Stories' series, 'Cosmopolitan Hong Kong', a 'Translation and the Arts' seminar and a series of 'Public Lectures on History and Business in China'. Two Hong Kong-wide exhibitions, Eye on the World map exhibition and Beijing in the Past — An Exhibition of the Old Pictures Collected by Capital Library of China, were held at the Central Library during 2005. The exhibitions were presented in collaboration with the Marco Polo Cartocell and the Capital Library of Beijing respectively, and a variety of ancient and modern maps as well as old photos of Beijing people, lives and events in the early 1900s were introduced through the exhibitions.

	Audrey Eu Yuet-mee (left) and Chan Yuen-han (middle) telling their success stories.

	An ancient map at the Eye on the World map exhibition.

	Reminiscences of old Beijing.

New Initiatives in Library Services

The Hong Kong Public Libraries system has made dedicated efforts to improve its service to the public through the enrichment of library stock and reference and information services, the use of information technology, the promotion of reading habits in the community and the enhancement of the accessibility of public library services. Two new libraries were opened during the year. In April, a new district library at Ma On Shan was added to the public library network, significantly enhancing library services in the Sha Tin district. In December, the Tai Kok Tsui Public Library, a sub-standard small library, was re-provisioned to the new premises at the Tai Kok Tsui Municipal Services Building, and an additional mobile library was put into service. Active preparation was in hand for the opening of two new small libraries, one at Stanley and the other at Tin Shui Wai North. These libraries are expected to be in operation in mid-2006 and late 2006 respectively.

	A corner of the children's library at the Ma On Shan Public Library.

		Children using the computer workstations for multimedia services and the Online Public Access Catalogue.

2005 also saw the opening of the Education Resource Centre, a specialised reference library on education, at the Kowloon Public Library. Opened in late October 2005 with an initial collection of 13 000 books, journals, electronic items and online databases, the centre aims to provide information materials on education and language learning, as well as reference services for education professionals, researchers, and the general public who need to pursue continuing studies in education and related subjects. The centre is the fruitful result of a partnership with the Hong Kong Institute of Education, whereby continuous professional advice was received from the Institute for collection planning and development.

	The Education Resource Centre at Kowloon Public Library.

The Libraries@neighbourhood — the Community Libraries Partnership Scheme was launched in December 2005 to promote reading and lifelong learning in the community. Taking into consideration the special needs of non-governmental organisation (NGO) user groups, libraries will, through the block loan service, make available suitable reading materials for ready use by NGOs. To achieve better results in the joint collaboration between NGOs and the Hong Kong Public Libraries, libraries also offer advice to NGOs on stock management and the operation of the service. At present, 472 schools and 77 organisations have joined the scheme.

The public libraries continued to promote and support lifelong learning in the community. In collaboration with the Education and Manpower Bureau, the Library Cards for all School Children Scheme was continued to encourage primary school students to use library services. Regular meetings were held with school librarians on the enhancement of library services to support the school reading programmes. Moreover, public libraries continued to provide support services to the Project Yi Jin education programme, and 16 public libraries stocked the course materials of the Open University of Hong Kong, facilitating the pursuit of self-learning by many in the community.

The Artwork on Loan Scheme jointly launched with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council continues to prove popular. The Arts Resources Centre of the Hong Kong Central Library will keep on working with the Council to further expand the collection of artworks in the coming year.

Reference and Information Services

Reference and information services are provided at the Hong Kong Central Library and the five major libraries — the City Hall, Kowloon, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun Public Libraries. The Central Reference Library at the Hong Kong Central Library has a total collection of 910 000 items, providing comprehensive reference and information services through its six subject departments. It features a comprehensive collection of electronic resources including databases, electronic books, electronic journals and multimedia programmes, all of which are available for online access by the public. The library also holds the permanent collection of books deposited under the Books Registration Ordinance and the depository collections of nine international organisations. Specialised reference services are also provided at the Arts Resources Centre, the Hong Kong Literature Room and the Map Library of the Hong Kong Central Library. During the year, 4.05 million reference enquiries were handled. In addition, the City Hall Public Library offered specialised reference services through its Business and Industry Library, Creativity and Innovation Resource Centre and the Basic Law Library.

	The Business and Industry Library at the City Hall Public Library.

Web-based reference services form an integral part of the reference and information services. The Hong Kong Central Library operates an Internet Reference Enquiry Service in collaboration with the Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Library and the Macau Central Library, which enables readers of the respective regions to post reference enquiries directly to the participating libraries with the easy click of a link on a webpage. A wide range of electronic resources, including online databases, electronic books, web-resource guide and topical resources guides are posted on the library web site for ready reference by users.

Information Technology Initiatives and Digital Library Initiatives

The Library Automation System of the public libraries is one of the world's largest computerised library systems with both Chinese and English capabilities. It provides 24-hour Internet library services for online catalogue searching, and the reservation and renewal of library materials. In 2005, 16.68 million items were renewed through the Internet and Telephone Renewal Services. With the growing popularity of online public library services, the Hong Kong Public Libraries homepage (http://www.hkpl.gov.hk) is ranked among the most popular web sites in Hong Kong.

In 2005, the Hong Kong Public Libraries completed a major revamp of the homepage. The revamped homepage has a refreshingly new appearance, clear navigation flow and much ready reference information and many online library services for Internet users. Enhanced with user-friendly navigational features, it is more interactive and informative. It contains up to date and useful information on library facilities and services and gives library users easier access to most frequently used library services such as library catalogue searching, renewal and reservation of library materials, and borrower record enquiry, as well as online electronic resources.

In 2005, the Hong Kong Public Libraries continued to expand the application of information technology to provide more convenient and efficient services to the public. Following the launch of the new smart ID cards in 2003, residents of Hong Kong are allowed the option of using their smart ID cards as library cards to borrow, renew and reserve library materials. There was continual growth in the number of readers opting for this service in 2005. One hundred and seventy-eight computer terminals with Internet access were installed with e-Cert compatible smart card readers for public use to promote the wider use of information technology and electronic services.

Moreover, the email notification service that has been in operation since 2003 has met with warm response. Increasingly more patrons have opted for the service to enjoy the convenience of email notification. To enhance public access to the Internet and facilitate immediate searches for online information and email checking on the Internet, a pilot scheme to set up Internet Express Terminals in eight libraries was successfully implemented in 2005. To further promote self-service by end users, 58 additional self-charging terminals were installed in branch libraries in 2005.

The Multimedia Information System that was developed for the Hong Kong Central Library has opened up new realms of information retrieval by offering the public instant access to a wide variety of digital documents, as well as audio and video programmes on demand. Equipped with powerful and sophisticated search facilities, the system enables users of all ages to explore the multimedia archives via the Internet at home or through some 600 workstations in the Hong Kong Central Library and the 26 branch libraries. Since its launch in 2001, the Multimedia Information System has been honoured with a number of awards both locally and internationally. In the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award Scheme 2005, the system continued that legacy by receiving the Merit Award in the 'Innovation / Application of Technology' category. To further improve the system, the upgrading of servers and various application enhancements is underway.

Outreach Programmes and the Promotion of Reading and Literary Arts

Outreach programmes form an integral part of library services, and the libraries continued to organise a balanced mix of extension activities for the cultural enlightenment of the public in 2005. Regular programmes such as storytelling sessions, book displays and exhibitions, thematic talks and seminars, group visits and community talks were organised throughout the year. In line with the digital library initiative, user education programmes on teaching the public to use the Online Public Access Catalogue, online and CD-ROM databases, the Multimedia Information System and the Internet were also held regularly. During the year, a total of 18 540 library outreach programmes were organised.

A variety of reading programmes and reading-related activities were organised to promote reading and sustain reading habits and interest. A month-long programme, the Summer Reading Month, was organised during the summer holidays to promote reading among children and families. It comprised a large-scale exhibition on children stories, A Journey to the Whimsy Kingdom, that introduced stories of adventures, fantasy, science fiction and detective work, and a series of children's programmes including story-telling sessions and performances, competitions on characterisation and the dramatisation of stories, film shows, reading talks, a magic show and interactive workshops.

In addition to the Teens' Reading Clubs, which were held at 34 libraries including the Hong Kong Central Library and major and district libraries, the Family Reading Clubs were also held at major libraries as a pilot scheme. A number of activities, including meet the creators sessions, talks on storytelling skills and performances, were organised to support the reading clubs, and these drew encouraging responses. To tie in with the 4.23 World Book Day, the libraries organised reading report competitions for students and combined with the Hong Kong Publishing Federation and a number of other organisations in the Hong Kong Reading Month to promote reading across the territory. Other major reading activities included the Reading Carnival and the Selection of Good Books Scheme for Secondary School Students that was jointly presented with the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, and the Ten Recommended Good Books programme that was held jointly with Radio Television Hong Kong.

	Family Reading Club: Workshop on Paired Reading.

	Meet the creators session.

	Reading Carnival 2005.

	Selection of Good Books Scheme for Secondary School Students 2004/05.

A number of special programmes and large-scale competitions that were aimed at promoting creative writing and the appreciation and development of the literary arts were held. The 8^th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature was presented in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council to encourage the pursuit of excellence in Hong Kong writers and the publishing of quality literary books by local publishers. Other major competitions included the Chinese Poetry Writing Competition and the Competition on Story Writing in Chinese for Students. The winning entries of these competitions were also published for the further promotion of quality creative works to the community.

	A seminar at the 8th Hong Kong Biennial Awards for Chinese Literature.

	Officiating guests and awardees of the Chinese Poetry Writing Competition.

To encourage the sharing of books, to support recycling and to promote extensive reading, the Book Donation and Sale Campaign was held again in February, recording the sale of 195 000 books and raising over $1,010,000 for the Community Chest.

	The two-day donated book sale attracted over 25 000 people and more than 195 000 books were sold.

Cultural Exchange

Efforts to strengthen cultural links and cooperation with public libraries outside Hong Kong continued during the year. Within the Greater Pearl River Delta, library news and happenings were shared through hyperlinks among the Hong Kong Public Libraries, the Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Library and the Macau Central Library. Reading activities organised by individual library systems in celebration of World Book Day were also uploaded to the Internet for sharing. Apart from reciprocal library visits for continual professional exchange and the development of joint services in the areas of cataloguing and reference services, cultural ties were also strengthened on the international stage during the year. In conjunction with the University of Hong Kong Libraries, the Fifth Conference on Chinese Resource Cooperation and Development was successfully held in Hong Kong. The Conference brought together representatives from the largest public and academic libraries in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and other parts of the world who shared the aim of enhancing the development of Chinese resources and promoting cooperation amongst different Chinese resources centres and libraries worldwide.

	Mr Zhan Furui (left), Director of the National Library of China, visited the Hong Kong Central Library and viewed its rare document collection.

Books Registration Office

The main functions of the Books Registration Office are to help preserve Hong Kong's literary heritage through the registration of local publications and to monitor the use of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system. A Catalogue of Books Printed in Hong Kong is published quarterly by the Books Registration Office in the Government Gazette, which can be accessed through the Internet. In 2005, the office registered 14 603 books and 14 163 periodicals, and 708 new publisher prefixes conforming to the ISBN.