TNAG-0353-FCO40-389-Reform-of-local-government-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 90

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Impressive though these figures are by standards anywhere in the

world, we in the Library Select Committee of the Urban Council are convinced

that the sheer pressure on the existing libraries coupled with the long

distances in difficult traffic conditions that people have to travel to

get to a library, act as a deterrent for many who would become library

users, were there more libraries conveniently spread and located.

Some time ago we recommended and Government approved the

establishment of three new libraries. The first was opened at the Wah

Fu Estate in late 1970, the second the Yau Ma Tei Branch Library the

main library for Kowloon was opened in November 1971. The third to be opened

at the Ping Shek Estate probably this coming July will end this particular

phase of expansion. A year later we are to review the whole situation.

There are no prizes for guessing what we will be asking for -

certainly we need additional libraries in Shau Kei Wan and Sham Shui Po.

We now have the following libraries:- the City Hall, Wah Fu,

Waterloo Road (formerly Cambridge Court), Yaumati and quite soon, Ping Shek.

The City Hall Library acts as the central library and administrative and

book-processing centre for the library service as a whole, serving

-

primarily the Central, Western, Mid-Levels, the Peak, Wan Chai and Tai Hang

areas on the island. The Aberdeen Pok Fu Lam Branch Library serves the

population of Wah Fu Estate, Aberdeen and the South of Hong Kong island.

The Waterloo Road Branch Library serves primarily the areas of Yau Ma Tei,

Mong Kok and Hung Hom. The Yau Ma Tei Branch Library is the main library

for Kowloon, again serving the areas of Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Hung Hom

but centrally placed from the point of view of public transport and accessibility

from most other parts of Kowloon.

All the public libraries provide basically the same service and

facilities and each has adult and junior lending libraries, a newspaper/

periodicals section and a reading room (i.e. a room in which any member

of the public, adult or student, may read for pleasure or study). The

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