ThingsAsianAsian Libraries - Hong Kong
Hong Kong's Main Library
Image © 2002 Albert Wen
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
The University has been designated a depository for publications of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Government publications are issued by departments and committees of the Hong Kong Government. They provide information on a wide variety of subjects and include monthly, bi-annual and annual reports, statistical analyses, directories, ordinances and pamphlets. The collection in both Chinese and English is kept in the Reference Room.
The University Library System receives over 80 newspapers, some of which are in branch libraries. In the University Library, the current issues are located on the 1/F of the Library Annex. Back files of many newspapers are available in either bound volumes or microforms. Microform editions are shelved in the Special Collection in the Library Annex. Bound volumes are displayed on open shelves on the LG/F. There are over 10,608 current periodical subscriptions in the entire System, comprising research journals and other serial publications. Approximately two thirds of this collection is in English with the rest in Chinese almost half of which are from Mainland China. More selective journals in Japanese, French, German, Italian and Russian are also available in the System.
Extensive collections of indexes and abstracts, bibliographies, calendars of foreign universities, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and directories in paper and electronic formats are located on the first floor of the University Library.
The rare books collection consists of over 850 titles with more than 14,000 volumes of Chinese classical books in the traditional format of silk-stitched fascicles engraved in China, Japan and Korea from the Yuan Dynasty (1300) to the end of the reign of Chien Lung (1795) of the Ching Dynasty.
Hong Kong
The Library was established in 1984 to serve the then newly founded City Polytechnic of Hong Kong. From 1984 to 1988 it was housed in the Argyle Center in Mongkok. In 1989 the Library moved to its permanent campus in Kowloon Tong and the following year it was named Run Run Shaw Library in recognition of a generous donation by Sir Run Run Shaw.
Located on Level 3 of the Academic Building, the Library occupies a central location which is easily accessible to users. It has a maximum shelving capacity of around 750,000 volumes. The total number of seats available is around 2,600.
The Library has reached a collection of more than 697,000 volumes of books and 156,000 volumes of bound periodicals; it is holding around 6,100 serials titles and is maintaining an expanding number of electronic databases and media resources.
Hong Kong
Located on the Shaw Campus, the Library has a comprehensive collection of Chinese and Western books, periodicals and non-print materials as well as a growing number of electronic resources.
As of June 2002, they have a collection of over 769,000 volumes of printed materials and more than 5,200 active journal subscriptions.
Special collections include the University Archives, Contemporary China Research Collection, Archives on the History of Christianity in China, Elsie Tu Collection and the European Documentation Collection.
In addition to providing on-site information and reference services, the Library offers an active education program designed to introduce and facilitate the use of library resources. The aim of the library online tutorial is to serve as an on-going, self-paced and self-learning package for different levels of users to acquire information competency in an asynchronous way without physical and time limits. At the initial stage, the target of the library online tutorial is to introduce the foundations of searching library resources to users who have limited knowledge and those who want to refresh their previous knowledge on information skills. Basic Library Instruction Workshops, as a part of the University Life Unit, are conducted for all year-one students. The workshops, which provide hands-on practice, cover the basic library skills related to information retrieval from OPAC, and online databases.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong
The University Library (Pao Yue-kong Library) was established on August 1, 1972 to serve the then Hong Kong Polytechnic. On November 25, 1994, the Polytechnic achieved University status and was renamed The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. On December 20, 1995, the University Library was officially named after the late Sir Yue-kong Pao in appreciation of a generous donation by his family.
Opened by Princess Alexandra on February 7, 1977, the Library Building is a six-story purpose-designed building with an area of 16,674 square meters, providing approximately 3,100 reader places. The Library also houses a 24-hour study room, group discussion rooms, a seminar room for library instruction classes, group rooms for use of audio-visual materials, study carrels for private study, and a fully-equipped resource center for the disabled.
The Library comprises one of the largest collections of scientific, engineering and business materials in East Asia. Other areas of strength are information technology, computing, textiles and design.
The present collection exceeds 1.7 million items, to which more than 40,000 volumes are added annually. Over 9,000 active print serial titles are held in the Library. The Library also provides Internet access to over 16,000 unique full-text electronic journal titles and 2,500 electronic books.
The Library also maintains several special collections and self-developed databases, including the China Collection (comprising materials in several languages on China), a comprehensive Standards Collection, the PolyU Examination Paper Database, the PolyU Course Scheme Database, a Slide Collection with over 290,000 slides and a Slide Image Database where 80,000 images can be searched and retrieved electronically.
In addition, a unique and heavily used collection of over 16,250 local Chinese and English language television programs and the Hongkongiana Online database (an index to Hong Kong information found in periodicals published in Hong Kong) all constitute important resources for the study and research of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Public Libraries provides a network of 61 static libraries and 8 mobile libraries. They are evenly spread over the territory of Hong Kong and interconnected by an integrated automated library system to provide convenient access to a wide range of library services for people of all age groups and walks of life.
The library collection has 7.44 million items, including books, audio-visual materials, newspapers, periodicals, CD-ROM databases, microforms, and maps. The automated library system is one of the largest computerized library systems in the world with Chinese and English capabilities.
Through the Online Public Access Catalogue, the CD-ROM Network, Internet facilities and multimedia terminals, information in electronic and multimedia formats has fast become an integral part of the library's resources.
The City Hall Library, the first public library in Hong Kong, is noted for its most extensive reference collections, amongst which are the depository collections of major international organizations and the legal depository collection of Hong Kong.
Equipped with state-of-the art technologies and digital library facilities, the Library is the administrative headquarters and the main library of the Hong Kong public library network as well as the major information center for Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Hong Kong
The TDC Business InfoCenter houses the largest collection of market and trade information in Hong Kong. It contains more than 40,000 titles of books, 2,000 periodicals, 500 statistical tables, 160,000 newspaper clippings, 70 CD-ROM titles, numerous video titles, and many more.
Information that can be found in the Business InfoCenter include: Business contacts, Company & industry reports, Trade & investment opportunities, World economic environment, Overseas market situations, Export & import trends, Trade & investment regulations, Tariffs & taxes, Trade fairs & exhibitions Statistics. For easy searching, the Business InfoCenter is equipped with a modern InfoCenter catalogue system, to assist the users in finding the right information. The general public can also search through the InfoCenter catalogue, which is available on the TDC website.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong
The University Library occupies a central location close to the University's entrance Piazza, commanding a spectacular sea view. There are five floors with over 10,000 square meters of floor space, providing 1,850 seats. The rapid development of the University requires a correspondingly rapid rate of growth in its library collection.
In 2001, the Library has a collection of more than 500,000 volumes of books and bound periodicals, as well as a sizable collection of electronic and non-print materials. Reaching beyond local holdings, the Library has made extensive provisions for various applications of the latest information technology.
The Library Online System forms a part of the campus-wide network, and is therefore accessible from every part of the campus. Through the Library Online System users are able to consult a broad range of bibliographic and full-text information as well as to search CD-ROM databases. The University Library is linked via telecommunications to libraries and databases in institutions locally and overseas.
Hong Kong
Since its beginning in 1968, the Fong Sum Wood Library, Lingnan University has grown to more than 350,000 items of books, journals and media resources. The core collections mainly cover the areas of humanities, social sciences, management, accounting, finance, marketing, computer studies, general education, and Chinese language and literature.
The Library is centrally located in the Main Building occupying two floors with 3,000 square meters of floor space and 530 seats. It has been fully automated and public access terminals are available throughout the Library.
As the library system is connected to the campus-wide network, its online catalogue is accessible inside and outside the campus. It also allows access to other library catalogues and information databases in Hong Kong and overseas via Hong Kong Academic Research Network (HARNET) and the Internet.
Furthermore, the Library has introduced a wide range of electronic information services, including online searching, CD-ROMs and full-text databases, interlibrary loans and document delivery services, to provide access to the latest information worldwide. In 1998, the Library was named after the late benefactor Mr. Fong Sum Wood.
Hong Kong
The Homantin Campus Library is located on Levels 1 and 2 of the academic building. A total number of 304 seats are available in the Library. The Library provides easy access to local and overseas resources as well as user-friendly multimedia teaching and learning facilities.
The Library also maintains a comprehensive collection in distance education resources. The Electronic Library of the University at provides abundant learning resources including full-text electronic journals, electronic books, databases, electronic news, reference resources, past examination papers and supplementary readings.
Library users can access the electronic collections anytime while they are on campus, at home or in office. The General Collection contains over 70,000 titles that include materials in Chinese, English and foreign languages. Materials from the General Collection can be checked out at the Circulation Counter.
Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong Libraries was established in 1911. The Main Library now contains over 2 million volumes that comprise an all-rounded collection of materials in the arts, humanities, architecture, social sciences, and science and technology, giving vital support to teaching and research in the University.
The Main Library occupies the Library Building which is composed of the Old and New Wings. The Old Wing was opened in 1961 and renovated in 1992/93. The New Wing was opened in 1991.
The latest innovative establishment is the Knowledge Navigation Center (KNC) in the central atrium of G/F. The KNC provides one-stop shop convenience for information search and knowledge production. With its state-of-the-art infrastructure, students can efficiently search the myriad of e-resources and prepare their reports and presentations.
* * * * *
