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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1975.
MORE LIBRARIES PLANNED FOR N.T.
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PLANS ARE IN HAND TO BUILD MORE PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE RURAL AREAS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON. ALEX VU.
MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT A WORKING PARTY REPORT ON LIBRARIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BEING COSTED WITH A VIEW TO PRESENTING COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL.
THE PROPOSALS, HE ADDED, RECOMMENDED THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES BE PROVIDED WITH A LIBRARY SERVICE COMPARABLE TO THAT EXISTING IN THE URBAN AREAS.
AT PRESENT, THERE IS ONE PUBLIC LIBRARY AT FUK LOI ESTATE IN TSUEN VAN. ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THIS LIBRARY IS DEVOTED TO CHILDREN.
THE LIBRARY WAS OPENED IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR AND SINCE THEN BOOKSTOCK HAD BEEN BUILT UP UNDER A PHASED PROGRAMME, +SO FAR, $176,000 HAS DEEN SPENT ON ENGLISH AND CHINESE LOOKS, APPROXIMATELY ONE FIFTH OF THIS SUM WAS FOR CHILDREN,+ MR. AKEKS-JONES SAID,
IN ADDITION, THERE WERE OTHER FACILITIES FOR NEW TERRITORIES CHILDREN TO BORKÓW
IN A BOOKS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE SOCIAL
VELFAKE DEPARTMENT.
LIBRARY SERVICES WERE PROVIDED IN EIGHT HOUSING ESTATES AND COMMUNITY CENTRES AND THERE WAS A BOOK LOAN SERVICE WITH 26 STATIONS IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS AS WELL AS A
MODILE LIBRARY SERVICE WITH STOPS AT 25 POINTS MAINLY IN VILLAGES.
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