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The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department today (February 17) held the Launch Ceremony of Co-operation on the Digitisation of the Hok Hoi Collection between the Hong Kong Public Libraries and the Hok Hoi Library at Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL). The Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Libraries and Development), Mr Lee Yuk-man, and the Chairman of the Hok Hoi Library, Mr Chan Siu-nam, signed the Hok Hoi Collection Digitisation Agreement to further strengthen their collaboration.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lee noted that Hok Hoi Library transferred its book collection on permanent loan to the City Hall Public Library in 1962, and this collection was subsequently moved to HKCL in 2001 to enhance public access.
The HKPL has maintained a close relationship with Hok Hoi Library since then, and the signing of the agreement will further enhance collaboration between the two libraries. It is expected that readers will be able to access the rare collections through the HKPL's Multimedia Information System (MMIS) from mid-year onwards, said Mr Lee.
Founded in 1923, Hok Hoi Library is committed to promoting Chinese classic literature and culture, with a collection of over 1,900 categories containing about 35,000 books. The collection consists of classical Chinese thread-sewn rare books, valuable out-of-print books and manuscripts of Chinese classics, many of which are of a high academic standard.
The HKPL is devoted to providing comprehensive library services and strengthening its collection to meet the public's needs in pursuit of knowledge, lifelong learning and research. The MMIS is a digital library system providing an interactive platform for access to digital resources such as digitised Hong Kong newspapers, maps, manuscripts, posters and photos, as well as online databases on diverse topics.
The HKPL recently upgraded the MMIS system and enhanced its digital content management and search functionalities. Members of the public can now access the MMIS through the Internet anytime, anywhere.
Ends/Monday, February 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:16
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