XN000022-1996-05-01 — Page 64

(a)

(b)

(c)

51 -

of the number and locations of public libraries in the territory as well as the services they provide;

whether any survey has been conducted to find out if the variety of books in public libraries is sufficient to meet the demand of users; if so, what the results are; if not, why not; and

whether it will consider extending the opening hours of public libraries at weekends so as to enable the working population to utilise the library services?

Reply:

(a)

The Urban Council currently operates a total of 33 libraries including 1 central library, 1 specialised Arts Library, 15 district libraries, 12 small libraries and 4 mobile libraries in the urban areas. The Regional Council operates a total of 25 libraries including 3 central libraries, 7 district libraries, 12 small libraries and 3 mobile libraries in the New Territories. The number and locations of the two Municipal Councils' libraries are shown in Annexes I and II.

As regards the services provided by these libraries, they include:

i)

Reading. Listening and Viewing Services

ii)

The two Councils provide a combined stock of more than 5.55 million items of library materials in various forms, including books, newspapers and periodicals, audio-cassettes, audio compact-discs, video discs, video cassettes, microforms, computer programmes, Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD- ROM), Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I), educational kits and maps to meet the varied needs of the people of Hong Kong.

Lending Services

Lending services for adults and children are available in all libraries except the Arts Library where the materials are for reference only. In addition to books, audio-cassettes and back issues of periodicals are available for home lending in central and district libraries. In 1995, a total of 21.44 million items of library materials were borrowed for home use.