ENG-2005 — Page 473

Recreation, Sport and the Arts 411

Public Libraries

The LCSD operates the Hong Kong Public Libraries system which comprises 74 public libraries, including 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The public libraries system provides free library and information services to meet community needs for information, research and recreation and to support lifelong learning and continuous education. It promotes reading and literary arts and offers library extension activities to all ages.

The libraries have a comprehensive collection of 10.22 million books and 1.4 million multimedia materials and a total of 3.3 million registered borrowers. During the year, library services were well received and the number of library materials borrowed from the 74 public libraries amounted to 61 million.

Hong Kong Central Library

Since its opening in May 2001, the Hong Kong Central Library has developed into a major information and cultural centre in Hong Kong. Occupying a gross floor area of 33 800 square metres with a total stock of 2 million items, the 12-storey building provides a wide range of facilities. Special features include a multimedia information system, a central reference library with six subject departments, an arts resource centre, Hong Kong literature room, map library, language learning centre, young adult Library and a toy library. There are also hiring facilities including a 1 500 square-metre exhibition gallery, a 293-seat lecture theatre, two activity rooms, a music practice room and a number of discussion rooms. On average, the Hong Kong Central Library is visited by about 14 000 users daily.

In addition to regular cultural activities and talks, the Hong Kong Central Library continued to organise a wide range of large-scale cultural activities such as the 'Successful Women in Hong Kong Tell Their Stories' series and the 'Cosmopolitan Hong Kong' seminar. Two territory-wide exhibitions, 'Eye on the World Map Exhibition' in collaboration with the Marco Polo Cartocell and 'Beijing In the Past An Exhibition of the Old Pictures Collected by Capital Library of China', jointly with the Capital Library of Beijing, were held during the year.

New Initiatives in Library Services

The Hong Kong Public Libraries system makes every effort to enhance its service to the public by improving the library stock, the reference and information services, the use of information technology and the promotion of reading habits in the community.

Two new libraries were opened during the year. In April, a new district library at Ma On Shan was added to the public library network, significantly enhancing library services in Sha Tin district. In December, the Tai Kok Tsui Public Library, a small, sub- standard library was moved to new premises at the Tai Kok Tsui Complex, and an additional mobile library was also put into service.

The Education Resource Centre, a specialised reference library on education at the Kowloon Public Library, opened in late October. With an initial collection of 13 000 books, journals, electronic items and online databases, the centre aims to