XN000022-1985-11-24 — Page 8

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 235

?

ROADS TO CLOSE FOR AIRPORT EXTENSION SCHEME

*****

THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING TO CLOSE AIRPORT DRIVE NO. 2 COMET ROAD, VISCOUNT ROAD AND A PORTION OF AIRPORT DRIVE NO. 3 TO FACILITATE CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE EXTENSION OF THE EAST WING OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING.

THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS WOULD BE INSIGNIFICANT AS THEY SERVED THE FORMER AIRPORT STORES BUILDING WHICH HAD BEEN DEMOLISHED, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SAID.

THE PLAN MAY BE INSPECTED AT THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN

DISTRICT OFFICE, CENTRAL ENQUIRY SUB-OFFICE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WEST WING, MAIN ENTRANCE LOBBY, HONG KONG THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE, KOWLOON WEST, YAU MA TEI CAR PARK BUILDING, 10TH FLOOR, 250 SHANGHAI STREET, KOWLOON; AND THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT OFFICE, 141-143 KAU PUI LUNG ROAD, 1ST FLOOR, KOWLOON.

OBJECTIONS IN WRITING MUST BE SENT TO THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS BY JANUARY 21.

HIGHER DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES

***

THE DEMAND FOR LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE NON-URBAN AREA IS GROWING STEADILY FOLLOWING THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA IN RECENT YEARS.

THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED BORROWERS IN THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S PUBLIC LIBRARIES WHICH ROSE FROM 251 571 IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR TO 304 566 IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR, AN INCREASE OF 21.06 PER CENT, A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN THE SAME PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF BOOKS ISSUED FOR HOME USE REGISTERED AN INCREASE OF 11.87 PER CENT, FROM 242 465 TO 271 237, WHILE THE NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN THE LIBRARIES WAS UP BY 12.32 PER CENT, FROM 434 586 TO 488 122.

TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND, THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF THE RSD PURCHASE NEW BOOKS AND AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS REGULARLY TO STRENGTHEN THE STOCK.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT UP TO THE END OF OCTOBER THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT'S 15 STATIC AND TWO MOBILE LIBRARIES CARRIED A STOCK OF 681 539 BOOKS AND 27 118 ITEMS OF AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING AUDIO CASSETTES, VIDEO CASSETTES AND COMPACT DISCS.

THESE REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF 20.19 PER CENT AND 50.25 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY WHEN COMPARED WITH 567 057 BOOKS AND 18 049 ITEMS OF AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR.

18