4
Saturday, January 27, 1973
INCREASE IN MOBILE LIBRARY
Third Van Joins Social Welfare Department Rural Fleet
The Social Welfare Department's mobile library service in the
New Territories has just been increased by the addition of a new van.
It joins a fleet of two other vans, but is more modern, bigger,
and better equipped than ite counterparts.
All three are operated by the Library and Rural Mobile Service Unit
of the Group and Community Work Division. Their task is to bring the pleasures
of reading and recreation to young people in remote areas;
This involves weekly calls at 34 "stations" where books may be
borrowed or consulted and read on the spot.
The travelling libraries have a stock of 24,000 books, periodicals
and magazines. Young readers are encouraged to browse through the 1,000 or
so carried on each trip when the vans stop in their localities on regular
circuits.
Mr. Wong Pak-shuen, Officer in charge, says the lending service
acvers 8,854 readers, made up mostly of village students.
Since the new van joined the fleet, an average of 850 people a day,
have made use of its facilities,
t
/15