RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
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The libraries provided lending services for adults and children, newspapers and periodicals, audio-visual services, study rooms for students and a wide range of extension activities. Block loan services are made to non-profit-making organisations and penal institutions. Comprehensive reference services, databases on compact discs and current awareness services are provided in the Kowloon Central Library, the City Hall and the Arts libraries. Reading machines for the blind are also available in the City Hall Library and Kowloon Central Library. The year saw the waiving of fees for the use of headsets in audio-visual libraries and electronic language dictionaries in all libraries and study rooms.
In an effort to enhance book security, book detection systems are being installed in the libraries in phases. So far, the detection system has been installed in nine libraries.
To encourage reading and to support the publication of good quality reading materials, two Creative Writing in Chinese competitions were organised in 1990 and winning entries were published. During the year, four books of the competitions' winning entries were published by the Urban Council libraries, bringing the total number of books published to 44.
The annual reading programme for young readers, which was first launched in 1984, was held in November to arouse their interest in reading. Since the launch of the programme, 61 574 young people have enrolled as members and read a total of 895 080 books. A wide range of activities including story-telling sessions, prose and poetry reading, book talks, - oral book reports, the dramatisation of books read and workshops on reading skills were
organised.
Regular extension activities organised by the libraries included book exhibitions, interest clubs, subject talks, children's hours, computer literacy projects and library visits. In all, some two million people took part in the library extension activities.
The library collection was further increased to 2.6 million items. This includes 2.44 million books and 133 414 items of audio-visual material. The libraries also subscribed to 4 988 local and overseas newspapers and periodicals.
More than 8.1 million books and 328 940 audio-cassette tapes were on loan during the year while 16.3 million books were read in the libraries and 778 840 reference books consulted. Staff of Urban Council libraries handled 208 330 enquiries.
The Regional Council has a network of two central libraries, 20 district libraries and two mobile libraries, with a total stock of over 1.6 million books and audio-visual materials. So far, 673 090 people have registered as members of the Regional Council public libraries.
Public libraries are particularly welcomed in new towns such as Tuen Mun and Sha Tin where the majority of the population is young. The usage rate of the Regional Council's public libraries has remained high. During the year, there was an increase in the overall usage at all council libraries, with 5.5 million issues of library materials borrowed for home use and 11.2 million books read in the libraries. The newly-opened Tuen Mun Central and the Sha Tin Central libraries have been well patronised. Sha Tin Central Library remains the most-used public library in Hong Kong.
The year saw the opening of Tai O Public Library at Lung Tin Estate and a small library in Sha Tau Kok. Work on the superstructure of the Tsuen Wan Central Library and government offices complex started and when completed in 1992-3, will provide a third central library for residents in the area. Plans are in hand to reprovision the Tai Po Public Library at Kwong Fuk Road to larger accommodation at Plover Cove Garden, and to open a third mobile library.
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