ENG-2003 — Page 492

RECREATION, SPORT AND THE ARTS

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Reference and Information Services

Reference and information services are provided at the Central Library and the five major libraries — the City Hall, Kowloon, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun Public Libraries. The Central Reference Library has a total collection of 760 000 items, providing comprehensive reference and information services through its six subject departments. It features a comprehensive collection of electronic materials including CD-ROMs, online databases, electronic books, electronic journals and multimedia programmes, all of which are available for online access by the public. The library also holds the depository collection of books required under the Books Registration Ordinance. During the year, a total of 3.91 million reference enquiries were handled by library staff.

During the year, the City Hall Reference Library was renovated into a specialised reference library in business and industry subjects and further enhanced with the setting up of the Creativity and Innovation Resource Centre in November, a joint project with the Creative Initiatives Foundation. The centre helped further strengthen education in innovative and creative thinking and foster a deeper understanding of the potential of creativity, thereby enriching the creative culture in Hong Kong.

Information Technology Initiatives and Digital Library Initiatives

The Library Automation System of the public libraries is one of the world's largest computerised library systems with both Chinese and English capabilities. It provides 24-hour Internet library services for online searching, reservation and renewal of library materials. In 2003, the use of 14.10 million items of library material was renewed through the Internet and Telephone Renewal Services. With the growing popularity of online public library services, the Hong Kong Public Libraries home page (http://www.hkpl.gov.hk) was ranked sixth among the most popular websites in Hong Kong.

With the Government's launching in mid-year of a new generation of identity cards, utilising 'smart' technology, the public libraries provided residents the option of using their smart ID cards as library cards to borrow, renew and reserve library materials. Moreover, a number of computer terminals with Internet access were installed with e-Cert compatible smart card readers for public use to promote wider use of information technology and electronic services. In December, an e-mail notification service was introduced to enable registered readers to receive overdue and reservation notices by e-mail, thereby enhancing service efficiency and economy of paper. Plans were also in hand to install more self-charging terminals to further promote self- services in the libraries.

The successful implementation of the Multimedia Information System (MMIS), which provides audio and video on demand, online CD-ROM and reference resources, as well as searching and viewing of documents through the workstations at the libraries and on the Internet, was a milestone in the development of digital library services. The system was also extended from the Hong Kong Central Library to 24 major and district libraries which significantly expanded the network to a total of 592 workstations across the HKSAR. To further improve accessibility, the service hours of the MMIS on the Internet were extended to midnight from November. At the beginning of the year, the system was linked up with the International Children's Digital Library's Books Project, a programme which collects in digital format children's books and literature written and published in different countries and offers