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RECREATION AND THE ARTS
In 1979, the Urban Council opened two new libraries in Wan Chai and Chai Wan. Plans are in hand to open more district libraries and to start a postal book service for the disabled and the aged.
The Urban Services Department opened two district libraries in Yuen Long and Kwai Chung in 1979. A mini-library for Tai O and a mobile library service to cover other areas of the New Territories are being planned for 1980.
During the year 169,656 new books were acquired, bringing the total stock to 1.1 million volumes. The libraries also subscribed to 2,520 newspapers and periodicals. Other material included 3,333 reels of microfilm, 114 video cassettes, 784 sets of slides, and 10,786 gramophone records and cassette tapes. A total of 3,147 new publications were registered under the Books Registration Ordinance.
Some 87,675 people registered as new members in 1979, bringing the total membership to 870,558. The lending libraries issued 4,733,754 books, while a further 4,595,652 were read in the libraries. More than 558,000 people participated in the various library extension activities such as book exhibitions, story hours, film shows and interest group sessions.
A Chinese creative writing competition, organised under the Urban Council Arts Award Scheme, received ja good response.
The British Council
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Eleven British Council Bursaries, two Hornby Trust Scholarships and 10 Hornby Trust Bursaries were awarded for short English courses and attachments during the year. Acting for the Sino-British Fellowship Trust, the council arranged four scholarships and four grants for post-graduate studies and training in Britain. The council also completed placing and travel arrangements for eight Commonwealth fellows and scholars going to Britain. The British Council runs English language courses for students who wish to take part in the First and Proficiency Certificates Examinations of the Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate. About 20,000 students attended various courses during the year. The Professional and Company English Unit of the British Council has been set up to meet identified language training needs within companies and other organisations. Training programmes were organised for junior police officers, English language training officers of the Civil Service Training Division and inland revenue assessors.
The British Council makes arrangements for specialists from Britain to visit Hong Kong for consultations with government departments, the universities, and with local experts in their fields. It also advises students leaving for higher education in Britain.