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388 Recreation, Sport and the Arts

environment for visitors. With the assistance of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the latest 3-D laser scanning technique was employed to record the setting and physical condition of all of the structural components and design features of the fireboat to facilitate continued monitoring and the proposed production of a virtual tour of the inaccessible zones.

The year's educational and extension activities included 50 workshops, guided tours, thematic talks and seminars, and school programmes. These attracted a total of 2 677 visitors and participants. The Conservation Volunteer team generously contributed a total of 397 service hours to various conservation projects.

The section was represented at the 2008 International Institute for Conservation Congress and the 2008 International Council of Museums Conservation Committee Conference, at which three conservation papers and two conservation posters were presented.

Public Libraries

The LCSD operates the network of Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) comprising 66 static and 10 mobile libraries. It also manages the Books Registration Office. The public libraries system provides free library and information services to meet the community's needs for knowledge, information, research and recreation and to support lifelong and continuous education. It promotes reading and the literary arts and offers library extension activities to people of all ages.

Hong Kong's public libraries hold a total of 10.73 million books and 1.6 million multimedia materials. They serve 3.6 million registered borrowers who borrowed more than 59.37 million books and other library materials during the year.

Hong Kong Central Library

Hong Kong Central Library is a major information and cultural centre housed in a 12-storey building with a total floor area of 33 800 square metres. It has a stock of 2.36 million books and other items and provides a full range of library facilities, including a multimedia information system, a central reference library with six subject departments, an arts resource centre, a Hong Kong literature room, a map library, a language learning centre, a young adult library and a toy library.

Facilities for hire, include a 1 500 square-metre exhibition gallery, a 290-seat lecture theatre, two activity rooms, a music practice room and eight discussion

rooms.

In addition to its regular cultural activities and talks, the library organises a diversity of programmes for large audiences.

Improvements to Library Services

The Hong Kong Public Libraries work continuously to improve their service by increasing the stock of books, enhancing reference and information services, developing their use of information technology and promoting a reading culture.