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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. KAM NAI-WAI, CHAIRMAN OF LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question deals with the acquisition of library materials and is in four parts. The first part asks about the procedures for the purchase of library books and the time required for each step. As Members of the Libraries Select Committee are aware, libraries acquire different types of library materials through various sources. The bulk of the library materials acquired consist of English and Chinese books and these are obtained through contracted suppliers, selected by competitive tender. There are currently contracts with 5 book suppliers. In addition, there are contracts with 5 periodical suppliers and 9 audio-visual materials suppliers and there are special arrangements for the acquisition of the publication of professional bodies through membership (e.g. British Standards). There are also approved procedures for the acquisition of periodicals from news-stands and materials not available through contractors, for urgently required items and for items that are on special discount or sale in Hong Kong. The libraries also receive free publications through donation and depository arrangements with international organisations (i.e. United Nations, UNESCO, World Bank, etc.).
Under the existing contractual terms, Council's suppliers are required to deliver books ordered within 4-6 weeks for locally published books and 8-16 weeks for books published overseas. Annual and overseas periodicals are delivered by air-freight.
Upon receipt of the ordered items, the staff concerned would check against order and arrange payment. In the case of library materials, other than newspapers and periodicals, they then have to be catalogued, classified and laminated if in paperback form, before dispatch to Council's 31 branch libraries where they will be stamped, jacketed and stuck with date due slips before being put on the shelves. On average, it will take some two to three months to process and make available paperback books on the shelves for public use after receipt. The lead time is shorter for hardbacks and those publications which are accorded priority (including high demand books, directories, yearbooks and depository collections etc.).
Concerning the procedures for the purchase of Chinese and English books, they are essentially the same except in the case of Chinese books, many of which are available locally and sent ‘on approval' by the contracted suppliers.
The third part of the question is on methods available for the purchase of library books. Variations of the above acquisition methods are used by different libraries depending on their circumstances and subject coverage. Very large comprehensive library systems may place blanket orders for books on various subjects and university libraries may use special jobbers for out-of-print and journal type materials. The present arrangements for purchasing library materials for Council libraries have been developed over the past 30 years to meet the libraries' special requirement for Chinese materials which take up 80% of the acquired items, and experience has shown that they
Page 447 of 485
Page 447 of 485
158
Page 447 of 485
Page 447 of 485
1
age 447 of 485
158
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. KAM NAI-WAI, CHAIRMAN OF LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question deals with the acquisition of library materials and is in four parts. The first part asks about the procedures for the purchase of library books and the time required for each step. As Members of the Libraries Select Committee are aware, libraries acquire different types of library materials through various sources. The bulk of the library materials acquired consist of English and Chinese books and these are obtained through contracted suppliers, selected by competitive tender. There are currently contracts with 5 book suppliers. In addition, there are contracts with 5 periodical suppliers and 9 audio-visual materials suppliers and there are special arrangements for the acquisition of the publication of professional bodies through membership (e.g. British Standards). There are also approved procedures for the acquisition of periodicals from news-stands and materials not available through contractors, for urgently required items and for items that are on special discount or sale in Hong Kong. The libraries also receive free publications through donation and depository arrangements with international organisations (ie United Nations, UNESCO, World Bank, etc.).
Under the existing contractual terms, Council's suppliers are required to deliver books ordered within 4-6 weeks for locally published books and 8-16 weeks for books published overseas. Annual and overseas periodicals are delivered by air-freight.
Upon receipt of the ordered items, the staff concerned would check against order and arrange payment. In the case of library materials, other than newspapers and periodicals, they then have to be catalogued, classified and laminated if in paperback form, before dispatch to Council's 31 branch libraries where they will be stamped, jacketed and stuck with date due slips before being put on the shelves. On average, it will take some two to three months to process and make available paperback books on the shelves for public use after receipt. The lead time is shorter for hardbacks and those publications which are accorded priority (including high demand books, directories, yearbooks and depository collections etc.).
Concerning the procedures for the purchase of Chinese and English books, they are essentially the same except in the case of Chinese books, many of which are available locally and sent ‘on approval' by the contracted suppliers.
The third part of the question is on methods available for the purchase of library books. Variations of the above acquisition methods are used by different libraries depending on their circumstances and subject coverage. Very large comprehensive library systems may place blanket orders for books on various subjects and university libraries may use special jobbers for out-of-print and journal type materials. The present arrangements for purchasing library materials for Council libraries have been developed over the past 30 years to meet the libraries' special requirement for Chinese materials which take up 80% of the acquired items, and experience has shown that they
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