Public Libraries

The LCSD operates the Hong Kong Public Libraries, a library network comprising 66 static libraries and 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The library 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 the literary arts and offers library extension activities to people of all ages.

The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) has 3.4 million registered borrowers and a comprehensive collection of library materials which includes 10.43 million books and 1.48 million multimedia materials. More than 61.3 million books and other library materials were borrowed from the 76 public libraries during the year.

The Committee on Libraries was established in November 2004 to advise the Secretary for Home Affairs on the provision of public library services, including the promotion of the pursuit of knowledge and the love of reading; the formulation of strategies and plans for the development of library facilities and services with reference to the policy recommendations of the Culture and Heritage Commission; and the encouragement of community support and partnership with different sectors in the promotion of reading, lifelong learning and the literary arts.

The Committee, which comprised 21 members from the cultural and business sectors including professionals, academics, local personalities and government representatives, was chaired by Professor John Leong Chi-yan, with Professor Lee Chack-fan as the Vice-Chairman. During its two-year term, the Committee reached out to various categories of local library stakeholders to canvass their views on the development of the public library services. In addition, the Committee also visited libraries in Singapore, Dongguan and Shenzhen to gain a better understanding of their systems and development. Upon the completion of its two-year term, the Committee submitted a comprehensive report with recommendations for enhancing the services of the HKPL. Their valuable suggestions will definitely help improve the provision of public library services in Hong Kong.

Two new libraries were added to the public libraries network during 2006. The Stanley Public Library and Tin Shui Wai North Public Library, which were opened in July and December respectively, have significantly enhanced library services in the Southern and Yuen Long districts.

A comfortable area for quiet reading at Stanley Public Library.

Libraries@neighbourhood — community libraries

Libraries@neighbourhood — a community libraries partnership scheme — meets the needs of the community for reading and learning materials and information. Under the scheme, public libraries work in collaboration with non-profit-making local community organisations to provide reading materials to their user groups. By the end of the year, 614 schools and 78 local organisations had joined the scheme, and 25 community libraries were set up.

Since its opening in May 2001, the Hong Kong Central Library has become a major information and cultural centre in Hong Kong. Occupying a floor area of 33 800 square metres with a total stock of 2.19 million items, the 12-storey building provides a wide range of facilities. Special features include an arts resource centre and a multimedia information system, central reference library with six subject departments, Hong Kong literature room, map library, language learning centre, young adult library and toy library. There are also facilities available for public hiring. These include a 1 500 square-metre exhibition gallery, a 290-seat lecture theatre, two activity rooms, a music practice room and discussion rooms. On average, the Hong Kong Central Library is visited by about 14 000 users each day.

In addition to hosting regular cultural activities and talks, the Hong Kong Central Library continued to organise a wide range of large-scale cultural activities such as New Vision in the 21st Century: Young Outstanding Persons' Discourse on Globalisation, China Fever and Technology Revolution, Cosmopolitan Hong Kong, and Translation, Language and Culture seminars and Public Lectures on History and Business in China, 2005-06. Two territory-wide exhibitions, Art Publishing in Germany and A Passage to Jao Tsung-I — Fusion of Art and Scholarship, in joint presentation with the Goethe Institute of Hong Kong and the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole of the University of Hong Kong respectively were held during the year.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang (right) examining Professor Jao(second from right)'s work in the exhibition A Passage to Jao Tsung-I — Fusion of Art and Scholarship.

New Initiatives in Library Services

The HKPL makes every effort to improve its service to the public by enhancing the library stock, the reference and information services, and the use of information technology and promoting reading habits in the community. The project for reprovisioning the Shun Lee Estate Public Library to the Shun Lee Tsuen Sports Centre is in progress and the public will be able to enjoy this new service in late 2007.

The Education Resource Centre, a specialised reference library on education at the Kowloon Public Library, opened in late October 2005. With a collection of over 20 000 books, journals, electronic items and online databases, the Centre provides information materials on education and language learning and reference services to teachers, researchers and the general public.

To promote and support lifelong learning, the public libraries continued to work in collaboration with the Education and Manpower Bureau to promote the Library Cards for All School Children scheme to encourage primary school students to use the library services. Furthermore, regular meetings were held with school librarians to foster mutual understanding and support in utilising library resources for teaching and learning, as well as organising reading activities.

Course materials of the Open University of Hong Kong are available in 16 public libraries to facilitate the public's pursuit of self-learning.

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 collection of 950 000 items and provides reference and information services through its six subject departments. It also features a comprehensive collection of electronic resources including databases, electronic books, electronic journals and multimedia programmes, all of which are available online. The Library also holds a 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. In addition, the City Hall Public Library offers specialised reference services through its Business and Industry Library, Creativity and Innovation Resource Centre and Basic Law Library. During the year, a total of 4.14 million enquiries were handled by the reference libraries.

The Basic Law Library at the City Hall Public Library contains a rich collection of reference materials on the Basic Law.

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, Shenzhen Library and Macao Central Library, which enables readers to contact these libraries directly for information on their respective regions. A wide range of electronic resources, including an online database, electronic books, a Web-resource guide and topical resources guides are available on the library website for ready reference.

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 2006, more than 17.76 million items of library material were renewed through the Internet and Telephone Renewal Service. The Hong Kong Public Libraries Homepage (www.hkpl.gov.hk) is among the 10 most visited websites in Hong Kong, reflecting the growing popularity of online public library services.

The HKPL continues to expand its application of information technology to provide more convenient and efficient services to the public.

During the year, an additional 192 computer terminals with Internet access and e-Cert compatible smart card readers were installed to promote wider use of information technology and electronic services by the public.

Internet Express Terminals were set up in eight libraries on a trial basis, and an expansion of this pilot service is being planned. To further promote self-service by end-users, two additional self-charging terminals were installed in branch libraries.

The Multimedia Information System (MMIS) developed for the Hong Kong Central Library has opened up new realms for information retrieval by offering the public instant access to a wide variety of digital documents and audio and video programmes. Equipped with powerful and sophisticated search facilities, the system provides a one-stop search facility that enables users of all ages to explore the multimedia archives via the Internet or through 600 workstations in the Central Library and the 26 major and district libraries. Since its launch in 2001, the MMIS has been honoured with a number of awards both at home and abroad.

Outreach programmes form an integral part of library services and the libraries continued to organise a balanced mix of activities. Regular programmes, such as storytelling, book displays and exhibitions, and community talks were organised throughout the year. During the year, a total of 18 905 library outreach programmes were offered.

A variety of reading programmes and reading-related activities were organised to promote reading and sustain reading interest. These included a programme called Summer Reading Month 2006, which was designed to attract the interest of children and to promote family reading.

Teens' Reading Clubs were formed at 34 libraries during the year and Family Reading Clubs were set up at the five major libraries. To tie in with 4.23 World Book Day, the HKPL organised a book report competition, Into the World of Books, and a bookmark design competition, Into the World of Stories, for students.

Winners of the book report competition gather in celebration of 4.23 World Book Day.

A number of special programmes and competitions were held which aimed to promote creative writing and the appreciation and development of the literary arts. The 6^th Hong Kong Literature Festival was held in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC). In addition, the Awards for Creative Writing in Chinese 2006 was held in collaboration with the HKADC to encourage creative writing in Chinese and to help budding writers to develop. Other major competitions included the Chinese Poetry Writing Competition and the Competition on Story Writing in Chinese for Students. A Book Donation and Sale Campaign was held in February to promote reading and the re-use of old books.

Awardees and officiating guests at the Awards for Creative Writing in Chinese 2006.

The two-day donated book sale attracts more than 30 000 people with more than 225 000 books sold.

Cultural Exchange

Efforts to strengthen cultural links and cooperation with public libraries outside Hong Kong continued during the year. Websites of the HKPL, Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Library and Macao Central Library were linked to share library news and events with each other.

The Books Registration Office helps to preserve Hong Kong's literary heritage through the registration of local publications and monitors the use of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system. It publishes 'A Catalogue of Books Printed in Hong Kong' in the Government Gazette on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed through the Internet. In 2006, the Office registered a total of 14 842 books, 13 924 periodicals and 717 new publisher prefixes conforming to the ISBN.