Public Libraries

The LCSD operates the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) network of 67 static and 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The library system provides free library and information services to meet the community's need for knowledge, information, research and recreation, and to support lifelong learning. HKPL promotes reading and the literary arts and offers library extension activities to people of all ages.

HKPL has 3.91 million registered borrowers and a comprehensive collection, comprising 10.87 million books and 1.7 million multimedia materials. During the year, more than 59.9 million books and other library materials were borrowed from Hong Kong's 76 public libraries.

The Hong Kong Central Library is a major information and cultural centre, offering more than 2 million items and a wide range of facilities. Special features include: an arts resource centre and a multimedia information system; a central reference library with six subject departments; a Hong Kong literature room; a map library; a language learning centre; a young adult library; and a toy library.

Facilities are also available for hire, including a 1 500-square-metre exhibition gallery, a 290-seat lecture theatre, two activity rooms, a music practice room and eight discussion rooms.

In 2010, the Hong Kong Central Library organised a variety of large-scale territory-wide cultural programmes. Major talk series included: Explore the World of Medicine: Public Lecture Series 2010; Subject Talk Series on Life and Death Education: Impermanence & Permanence of Life; New Vision in the 21st Century Subject Talk Series 2010; The Outstanding Young Persons’ Discourse on Green Globe; Leaders’ Talks Series 2010; Public Lectures on History and Business in China 2009–10; Public Lectures on Asian Studies 2010; and Talk on Sculpture in Hong Kong.

A series of Talk on Education and Heritage was held to tie in with the Hong Kong Oral History Special Collection project. A cultural exchange programme － Best Book Design: An exhibition of award-winning books in Germany, Mainland China and Hong Kong in 2008 and 2009 － was also held.

University of Hong Kong professors inform the public about the latest developments in cancer treatment at the Explore the World of Medicine: Public Lecture Series 2010.

Awardees of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Selection give their perspectives on global climate change during the New Vision in the 21st Century Subject Talk Series 2010.

Public Libraries Advisory Committee

The Public Libraries Advisory Committee meets regularly to provide valuable advice to the Government on the overall development strategy of the HKPL. Its members include professionals, academics, community personalities and government representatives.

District Council Review

In 2010-11, Hong Kong's public libraries continued to work with the District Councils (DCs) to develop district library services and organise activities that better meet people’s needs and aspirations. Their concerted efforts provided the impetus for another encouraging year, illustrated by the growing diversity of community involvement activities and the wider variety of projects to enhance library facilities and environments.

With financial support from the DCs, more than 3 100 regular extension activities, such as storytelling, talks and workshops were organised throughout the year. There was increasing interest and support from DCs in organising large-scale activities for the promotion of reading, many of which involved outreach efforts to bring public libraries to local communities. They included: the summer reading programme Colours of Fairy Tales in Sham Shui Po; Vote for Good Books for Children and Youth and Creative Book Report Writing in Tuen Mun; a Book Fiesta in the North District; and the 'Reading with Love and Care in Sha Tin' Carnival.

New initiatives included: READ Ambassadors Programme in Sai Kung; Reading@Tung Chung － Library Promotion Day in the Islands District; and Know More about the History of Kowloon City District in Kowloon City.

Often co-organised with district organisations, these outreach activities boost the popularity of Hong Kong's public libraries and promote the reading habit. Some DCs also support reading by organising promotional campaigns to subsidise the establishment of more community libraries or improve facilities and services of existing community libraries under the 'Libraries@neighbourhood － Community Libraries Partnership Scheme'.

Islands District children enjoy a delightful reading session at Tung Chung Public Library to cultivate their reading habit.

DCs have also been actively enhancing library facilities and environment by initiating projects and providing financial support. Examples of projects undertaken and completed in 2010-11 included: the expansion of Butterfly Estate Public Library in Tuen Mun District in June 2010; upgrading and replacing equipment such as air-conditioning, lighting and CCTV; installing Braille floor plans and reading magnifiers; replacing furnishings; and upgrading audio-visual systems.

New Library

Two new libraries were opened during 2010. In June, the Butterfly Estate Public Library was re-provisioned with enhanced library services and facilities. In July, a full-scale district library was opened in Tung Chung Municipal Services Building to replace the temporary small library at Yat Tung Estate, Tung Chung.

The new Tung Chung Public Library, which opened in July 2010, offers comprehensive library services to residents there.

New Initiatives in Library Services

The HKPL is making a dedicated effort to improve services by enhancing its stock, reference and information services, information technology (IT), and by promoting good reading habits in the community.

Under the Library Cards for All School Children Scheme, students are encouraged to get library cards to make better use of public libraries.

To promote and support lifelong learning, HKPL will continue to collaborate with the Education Bureau to encourage students to use public library services through the Library Cards for All School Children Scheme. Open University of Hong Kong course materials are available in 16 public libraries to facilitate self-learning.

Information Technology Initiatives and Digital Library Services

HKPL's Library Automation System (LAS) is one of the world's largest computerised library systems providing comprehensive automated library services, including 24-hour Internet library services, online catalogue searching and reservation and renewal of material.

HKPL also provides a wide range of online services through its website (www.hkpl.gov.hk), which recorded more than 152.3 million visits in 2010-11. To further enhance efficiency of public library services and collection management, HKPL is implementing the replacement of the existing LAS and planning to launch a pilot run on the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sub-system by end of 2011.

Over 90 new Internet express terminals have been installed at branch libraries, most with a motorised height adjustment feature to promote wider use of IT. More than 1 700 computer workstations with Internet access have also been installed. Wi-Fi is available in all 67 static public libraries.

The Multimedia Information System (MMIS) has opened new forms of information retrieval through instant access to a wide variety of digital documents and audio and video programmes via the Internet. Through this sophisticated one-stop search facility, users can explore multimedia archives via the Internet or through any of the 600 workstations at the Hong Kong Central Library and 27 major and district libraries. A major upgrade of the MMIS incorporating the latest technology is underway. It is expected to be completed in 2013.

The Multimedia Library provides sophisticated one-stop search facilities, enabling users to access multimedia archives via the Internet.

Reference and Information Services

Reference and information services are available at the Hong Kong Central Library and five other major libraries － City Hall, Kowloon, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun public libraries. The Reference Library at the Hong Kong Central Library has six subject departments with a collection of over one million items and a wide range of electronic resources, including 60 online databases, and 61 000 e-books. All the e-books and 10 online databases in the e-resource collection are available to registered members for home access via the Internet. The Reference Library continually adds reference materials to the Hong Kong Collection and the Hong Kong Oral History Special Collection. It also houses the depository collections of nine international organisations.

Specialised reference services are available at the Arts Resource 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. The Kowloon Public Library provides specialised resources and services through its Education Resource Centre. The thematic collection and the information webpage on sports and fitness resources at Sha Tin Public Library are promoted through workshops, library visits and subject talks, in collaboration with the Education Bureau and NGOs of the discipline concerned.

The Hong Kong Central Library operates a referral service to enable registered users to access the collections of The University of Hong Kong Libraries.

During the year, the HKPL handled 3.8 million enquiries.

Extension Activities and Promotion of Reading and the Literary Arts

Outreach programmes are an integral part of library services and our libraries organised a wide range of activities throughout the year, including storytelling programmes, book displays, exhibitions and community talks. A total of 20 835 library outreach programmes were offered in 2010-11.

A variety of reading programmes and reading-related activities were also organised to promote and sustain reading interests. Programmes organised in the year tied in with the theme of ‘Expo 2010 Shanghai China － Better City, Better Life’, while presenting the subject of cities from different perspectives. They included: 4.23 World Book Day in 2010: Creative Competition on Cities Today; Meet-the-Authors 2010: Reading Cities; Story-telling Workshop: Marching into the Techno-City; Summer Reading Month Exhibition: Ideal Cities: Know More About Infrastructure; and Talks on Cosmopolitan Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Central Library held the thematic exhibition Liu Yi-chang and Hong Kong Literature to show the development of home-grown literature. Picture shows the author autographing books.

Hong Kong public libraries regularly organise a variety of reading-related activities to cultivate children’s interest in reading. The storytelling workshop Marching into the Techno-City, held in 39 libraries, was part of the programme.

School children took part in the Top of Hong Kong collage contest during Summer Reading Month 2010 which aimed to teach children the basic building blocks of a city.

During the year, Teens Reading Clubs were set up at 37 libraries and Family Reading Clubs in five major libraries. Public Libraries also joined hands with other organisations to hold territory-wide reading activities such as the Reading Carnival.

Many other special programmes and competitions were held throughout the year to promote creative writing and encourage the appreciation and development of the literary arts. One of the major events was the 8th Hong Kong Literature Festival which presented a wide array of literary programmes by eminent writers, scholars, cultural critics and literary groups from Hong Kong and overseas. The Festival has become a major literary event. Other major creative writing competitions in 2010 included the 20th Chinese Poetry Writing Competition and Competition on Story Writing in Chinese for Students.

Community Libraries

Libraries@neighbourhood is a community library partnership scheme designed to provide community-based library services in collaboration with non-profit-making local community organisations. Participating organisations are offered a block loan of library materials and professional advice to set up community libraries tailored for their target audiences. By the end of 2010-11, 194 community libraries had been established.

Books Registration Office

The Books Registration Office helps preserve Hong Kong's literary heritage through the registration of local publications and monitors the effective use of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system. It publishes A Catalogue of Books Printed in Hong Kong in the Government Gazette at quarterly intervals. This Catalogue can also be accessed through the Internet. In 2010-11, the Office registered a total of 14 428 books, 11 824 periodicals and 1 099 new publisher prefixes conforming to the ISBN.