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operated copying machines should be installed initially at the City Hall and the Yau Ma Tei Libraries.
Arrangements for the installation of copying machines are now in hand, and it is hoped that they will be available for use by the public in a few weeks' time at a charge of 50 cents per copy.
(12) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):-
How many public Libraries have been established in recent years and what are the numbers of books available in each for public use?
In view of the success of the Council's libraries policy, what steps are being taken to expand the existing services and to provide adequate library facilities on a district basis? Is the Urban Council considering, or prepared to consider, a long-term libraries expansion programme, taking into account the growing population and the increasing public interest in the use of library services?
MRS. E. ELLIOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
There are at present 5 Urban Council Public Libraries. The City Hall Library was opened in 1962 and has 256,000 books. The Waterloo Road Branch Library was opened in 1965 and its bookstock amounts to 95,000 volumes. The Aberdeen/Pok Fu Lam Branch Library was opened in 1970 and has 43,000 books. The Yau Ma Tei Branch Library was opened in 1971 and has 80,000 books. The newest library is the Ping Shek Branch Library which was opened last year and has 26,000 books. All the libraries are bi-lingual; Chinese books represent the majority of the bookstock.
It is most gratifying to note that the Council's public library service has been extremely popular. Some 24 million books were borrowed from the libraries for home reading in the year 1972-73, and an average of 4,400 new borrowers are being registered each month. In view of the obvious demand for more libraries, the Libraries Select Committee resolved in May of this year that it should aim at opening one additional branch library each year until there is a library in each of the 10 urban districts. A long-term expansion programme to implement this aim is now being prepared. And may I add that this question rather anticipates the statement that I am going to make later on the same subject.
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MR. MACKENZIE (in English):- Mr. Chairman, in view of the later statement I shall avoid the supplementary.
MR. T. S. LO (in English):- Mr. Chairman, perhaps I might ask a supplementary. I wonder, Mr. Chairman, what is the book list that the libraries adopt. Who makes the decision on the book list? Do we follow the Social Welfare book list, or is it advised by your Committee? What sort of ratio between say reference books, classical books and periodicals? I know that the figures you gave for borrowings include the whole lot, but I wonder how many of them are serious books, and how many are of a lighter nature.
CHAIRMAN (in English):- That question will be referred to the Select Committee and an answer given to Mr. Lo in due course, because it is not tied up with the main question.
MR. LO (in English):- Well, the answer gives certain borrowings, Mr. Chairman, 4,400 new borrowers have registered, and it talks about so many books. I just wonder, you know, what the books are?
CHAIRMAN (in English):- It is a very wandering question though it wanders away from the main question. Nevertheless, as Mrs. ELLIOTT seems very anxious to answer it, I would be very happy to allow it although it is really out of order.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I cannot give numbers, obviously, but I can say that the Committee decides the general principles as to what kind of books are allowed. We try to allow all different kinds of books representing all different opinions, whether we agree with them or not. The actual choosing of the books is done by the Chief Librarian, but special English books are recommended by an adviser we have in London. He was once an adviser in Hong Kong and he continues to be our adviser, recommending English books from London.
Page 89 of 212
Page 89 of 212
110
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
operated coying machines should be installed initially at the City Hall and the Yau Ma Tei Libraries.
Arrangements for the installation of copying machines are now in hand, and it is hoped that they will be available for use by the public in a few weeks' time at a charge of 50 cents per copy.
(12) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):-
How many public Libraries have been established in recent years and what are the numbers of books available in each for public use?
In view of the success of the Council's libraries policy, what steps are being taken to expand the existing services and to provide adequate library facilities on a district basis? Is the Urban Council considering, or prepared to consider, a long-term libraries expansion programme, taking into account the growing population and the increasing public interest in the use of libary services?
MRS. E. ELLOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English): -
There are at present 5 Urban Council Public Libraries. The City Hall Library was opened in 1962 and has 256,000 books. The Waterloo Road Branch Library was opened in 1965 and its bookstock amounts to 95,000 volumes. The Aberdeen/Pok Fu Lam Branch Library was opened in 1970 and has 43,000 books. The Yau Ma Tei Branch Libary was opened in 1971 and has 80,000 books. The newest library is the Ping Shek Branch Library which was opened last year and has 26,000 books. All the libraries are bi-lingual; Chinese books represent the majority of the bookstock.
It is most gratifying to note that the Council's public library service has been extremely popular. Some 24 million books were borrowed from the libraries for home reading in the year 1972-73, and an average of 4,400 new bor- rowers are being registered each month. In view of the obvious demand for more libraries, the Libraries Select
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Committee resolved in May of this year that it should aim at opening one additional branch library each year until there is a library in each of the 10 urban districts. A long-term expansion programme to implement this aim is now being prepared. And may I add that this ques- tion rather anticipates the statement that I am going to make later on the same subject.
MR. MACKENZIE (in English): -Mr. Chairman, in view of the later statement I shall avoid the supplementary.
MR. T. S. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, perhaps I might ask a supplementary. I wonder, Mr. Chairman, what is the book list that Do the libraries adopt. Who makes the decision on the book list? we follow the Social Welfare book list, or is it advised by your Com- mittee? What sort of ratio between say reference books, classical books and periodicals? I know that the figures you gave for, bor- rowings include the whole lot, but I wonder how many of them are serious books, and how many are of a lighter nature.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-That question will be referred to the Select Committee and an answer given to Mr. Lo in due course, be- cause it is not tied up with the main question.
MR. LO (in English):-Well, the answer gives certain borrowings, Mr. Chairman, 4,400 new borrowers have registered, and it talks about so many books.
I just wonder, you know, what the books are?
CHAIRMAN (in English):—It is a very wondering question though it wanders away from the main question. Nevertheless, as Mrs. ELLIOTT seems very anxious to answer it, I would be very happy to allow it although it is really out of order.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I cannot give num- bers, obviously, but I can say that the Committee decides the general principles as to what kind of books are allowed. We try to allow all different kinds of books representing all different opinions, whether we agree with them or not. The actual choosing of the books is done by the Chief Librarian, but special English books are recommended by an adviser we have in London. He was once an adviser in Hong Kong and he continues to be our adviser, recommending English books from London.
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