Hong Kong 2006 - Recreation, Sport and the Arts

The LCSD operates the Hong Kong Public Libraries system which comprises 66 static libraries and 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The public libraries system provides free library and information services to meet community needs for 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 library materials which include 10.43 million books and 1.48 million multimedia materials. It has 3.4 million registered borrowers. More than 61.3 million books and other library materials were borrowed from the 76 existing public libraries during the year.

Since its opening in May 2001, the Hong Kong Central Library has become a major information and cultural centre in Hong Kong. Occupying a gross 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 a multimedia information system, a central reference library with six subject departments, an arts resource centre, a Hong Kong literature room, map library, language learning centre, young adult library and a toy library. There are also facilities for hire. 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 regular cultural activities and talks, the Hong Kong Central Library continued to organise a wide range of large-scale cultural activities such as the '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'. Two territory-wide exhibitions, entitled 'Art Publishing in Germany' and 'A Passage to Jao Tsung-I — Fusion of Art and Scholarship', were presented jointly during the year by the Goethe Institute of Hong Kong and the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole of the University of Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Public Libraries system makes every effort to improve its service to the public by enhancing the library stock, the reference and information services, the use of information technology and the promotion of reading habits in the community.

Two new small libraries were added to the public library network during the year. They are the Stanley Public Library and the Tin Shui Wai North Public Library, which were opened in July and December respectively, strengthening significantly the library services provided in the Southern and Yuen Long districts.

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 for teachers, researchers and the general public.

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 78 organisations had joined the scheme, and 25 community libraries were set up.

To promote and support lifelong learning in the community, 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 library services. Regular meetings were held with school librarians to foster mutual understanding and support in maximising library resources on teaching and learning as well as organising reading activities.

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

Reference and information services are provided at the Hong Kong Central Library and the five major libraries — at 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, providing 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 online. 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. In addition, the City Hall Public Library offers specialised reference services through its Business and Industry Library, Creativity and Innovation Resource Centre and the Basic Law Library. During the year, a total of 4.14 million enquiries were handled by the 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, 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 online database, electronic books, web-resource guide and topical resources guides are posted 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 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 Services. More patrons are now using the new e-mail notification 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.

Hong Kong Public Libraries continued to expand the application of information technology to provide more convenient and efficient services to the public. New ways of providing wireless Internet service are being tested.

In 2006, the number of readers opting to use their smart ID cards as library cards continued to rise. By the end of the year, 192 computer terminals with Internet access had been installed with e-Cert compatible smart card readers 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, additional self-charging terminals were also installed in branch libraries.

The Multimedia Information System (MMIS) developed for Hong Kong Central Library opened up new realms for 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 provides a one-stop search facility enabling users of all ages to explore the multimedia archives via the Internet at home or through some 600 workstations in the Central Library and the 26 branch 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 continue to organise a balanced mix of activities. Regular programmes like storytelling sessions, book displays and exhibitions, and community talks were organised throughout the year. During the year, a total of 18 905 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. These included a programme called 'Summer Reading Month', designed to get children and the whole family to read more.

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 the 4.23 World Book Day, libraries organised a book report competition, entitled 'Into the World of Books' and a bookmark design competition, called 'Into the World of Stories' for students.

A number of special programmes and competitions were held, aimed at promoting creative writing and appreciation and development of the literary arts. The 6th Hong Kong Literature Festival was held in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In addition, the Awards for Creative Writing in Chinese in 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. The Book Donation and Sale Campaign was again held in February to promote reading and to reuse old books.

Efforts to strengthen cultural links and cooperation with public libraries outside Hong Kong continued during the year. Hong Kong's public libraries, the Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province, the Shenzhen Library and the Macao Central Library used hyperlinks 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 and 13 924 periodicals, and 717 new publisher prefixes conforming to the ISBN.