19
Recreation, Sport and the Arts
Conservation Office
In 2012, the Conservation Office conducted conservation treatment on 561 museum artefacts including paintings, prints, historical documents, textiles, metals, ceramics, organic objects and archaeological finds. Scientific research and analyses were undertaken prior to the treatment work to devise the most appropriate conservation methods and long-term preservation plans.
The office organised 34 'behind-the-scenes' laboratory visits and workshops for 713 students. and members of the public, and recruited 79 conservation volunteers contributing 3,480 service hours to the conservation and extension programmes in 2012.
During 2012, the office staged an exhibition at Hong Kong International Airport, delivered lectures at Guangdong Museum of Art to senior professionals from Mainland art museums and won 'Best Poster Prize' at the International Institute for Conservation Congress in Vienna, Austria. Hong Kong will host the 25th Congress in September 2014,
Museum Trainee Scheme
A 'Museum Trainee Scheme' was launched in 2010 to train museum professionals. Ten graduates from local and overseas universities in a range of disciplines are attached to the Conservation Office, the Art Promotion office, the Hong Kong Film Archive and various LCSD museums for two years' training. The number of trainees was increased from 10 to 15 in 2012. Guided by supervisors, they gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience in managing museums and events through comprehensive training in venue management, curating museum exhibitions and organising education activities and programmes.
Public Libraries
The LCSD operates 67 static and 10 mobile libraries and a books registration office. The libraries hold some 11.13 million books and over 1.72 million items of multimedia material, serving almost 4.08 million registered book borrowers and lending more than 56.15 million books and other library materials in 2012. Some libraries are being re-provisioned and new public libraries at Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Chau Kok are under construction.
Hong Kong Central Library
The Hong Kong Central Library is a major information and cultural centre, with a stock of over 2.45 million books and other reading materials and a full range of library and multimedia facilities, a central reference library with six subject departments, an arts resource centre, a Hong Kong literature room, a map library, a language learning centre, a young adult library and a toy library. It offers for hire a 1,540 square-metre exhibition gallery, a 290-seat lecture theatre, two activity rooms, a music practice room and eight discussion rooms.
In addition to regular cultural activities and talks, the central library organises a wide range of programmes and holds user education sessions to promote library resources to members of the public.
335