RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
They have a registered membership of 1.22 million and a total stock of 2.32 million books and 164 000 audio-visual items. They issued 10.37 million books and audio- cassettes for home use in 1996. The Sha Tin Central Library and Tsuen Wan Central Library are the most heavily patronised public libraries in Hong Kong.
Books Registration Office
The Books Registration Office is under the administration of the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority. It is responsible for the registration of books first printed, produced or published locally. A bibliography of registered books is gazetted at quarterly intervals.
In 1996, a total of 7 200 books and 10 119 periodicals were registered with the office, which is also the local agent for the International Standard Book Numbering System (ISBN). During the year, 243 new publishers' identifiers conforming to ISBN were issued.
Sport and Recreation
Sports and recreational facilities and activities are many and varied in Hong Kong. The Urban and Regional Councils develop and manage facilities which include sports grounds, playgrounds, indoor games halls, holiday camps, swimming pools and beaches. The two councils also organise training courses, sporting competitions and other activities for people of all ages and abilities, and encourage passive recreation. by providing parks and landscaped open spaces.
The Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation provides grants for the construction and improvement of recreational and sporting facilities, and for the purchase of equipment for sport and recreation.
Hong Kong Sports Development Board
The Hong Kong Sports Development Board is the statutory body responsible for the promotion and development of sport and physical recreation in Hong Kong. In 1995-96, the government allocated $71.5 million to the board. Of this, over $42.4 million was used to support the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong and the National Sports Associations (NSAs) in meeting personnel, office, sports programme expenses and financing the staging of major international
events.
The concept of identifying target sports and providing them with additional resources for development is one of the fundamental pillars of Hong Kong's sports policy. For 1995–96, eight target sports were identified: badminton, rowing, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, windsurfing and wushu, while football, basketball and rugby became part of the new Focus Team Sport category.
Progress has been made in the coach education field since the inception of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee in 1991. One of its major components is the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme. By the end of March 1996, 4 500 coaches from 39 NSAs in 48 different disciplines had participated in the Hong Kong Coach Accreditation Programme, a major component of the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme.
The board has injected considerable effort and resources into junior sports development. Under the Go!Sport Programme, over 38 per cent of all primary and
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