Hong Kong Public Libraries
Tuen Mun branch
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| Established | 1962 |
|---|---|
| Location | 64-66 Causeway Road Causeway Bay, Victoria, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong Central Library |
| Branches | 68 static, 12 mobile |
| Collection | |
| Size | 11.36 million books and 1.74 million multimedia materials |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 60.0 million |
| Population served | 7,184,000 |
| Members | 4.1 million borrowers |
| Other information | |
| Budget | 776.2 million HKD |
| Director | Lee Yuk-man, Leisure and Culture Services Assistant Director (Libraries and Development) |
| Website | Official website |
The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) is a system of 68 static and 12 mobile public libraries in Hong Kong. Offering a total collection of 13.1 million items, the system is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The network of libraries are interconnected by a digitalised library management system, one of the largest bilingual systems in the world, offering both Chinese and English capabilities.
The first public library of Hong Kong, the City Hall Library, was established in 1869 in the former Hong Kong City Hall. The library ceased to operate after the demolition of the old city hall in 1933.
The first modern library opened in 1962 at the new City Hall, which was also the central library for many years before the opening of the Central Library. Over ten thousand library cards were issued in the first month of service, and borrowers were limited to only one book at a time. The second location and the first in Kowloon was the Waterloo Road Library, opened 1965 (later replaced by the Kowloon Public Library in 1984). The Pok Fu Lam Public Library opened next in December 1970 in the newly constructed Wah Fu Estate, and has served that community continuously for over 40 years. The first public library in the New Territories opened in Fuk Loi Estate, Tsuen Wan New Town, in 1974. In 1976 the first mobile library was introduced. The Tsuen Wan Central Library, at the time of its opening in July 1993, was the largest library in Hong Kong.
The public libraries were originally administered by either the Urban Council or Regional Council, depending on the location. When the municipal councils were abolished in 1999, the library systems were merged under the newly formed Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
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