Central & Western District is the 'heart' of Hong Kong. It is where millions of commercial and business transactions take place every day. At the same time, it is also the home of a number of historical buildings and monuments including the City Hall where Hong Kong's first public library was born.

Growing with time

In March 1962, the City Hall was built and put into operation. The public library housed in its High Block marked the beginning of Hong Kong's public library services. At that time, the City Hall Public Library had an initial stock of 20,000 books with a loan quota limited to one book only.

The following decades saw the growth of the library through expansion of library facilities, enrichment of library stock and reference and information services. Its stock has reached more than 500,000 items nowadays.

'To meet the needs of the 21st century, the library has been renovated and further enhanced with the extension of the Adult Lending Library and the Computer and Information Centre and the setting up of special reference libraries and collections,' said Ms Daphne Chan, Senior Librarian (Central & Western District).

Three special reference libraries including the Business and Industry Library, Creativity and Innovation Resource Centre and Basic Law Library were set up between 2003 and 2004, forming a part of the City Hall Public Library alongside with its ever-growing lending and reference services.

With its rich resources on finance, banking, securities, insurance, logistics, business management, trade regulations, industrial technology and manufacturing industries, etc, the Business and Industry Library is an ideal reference centre for research and study.

Revisiting Hong Kong's past

For those interested in local history, the public libraries in Central & Western District have something to offer to them as well.

'Central & Western District has a long history, many buildings and streets still retain their traditional characteristics, reflecting the nostalgic look of Hong Kong and livelihood in its earlier years. In view of this, the City Hall Public Library and Shek Tong Tsui Public Library have also organized a number of thematic talks to arouse the public's interest in local history and cultural heritage,' said Ms Daphne Chan.

Previous programmes including 'Talks on Central and Sheung Wan Heritage', 'Nostalgic Walk: Central and Western District', 'Historical Talk: Hong Kong Image - Central and Western District', 'History of the Stock Market of Hong Kong' and 'Old is Better: Traditional Food in Hong Kong' were well received by the public and offer valuable opportunities for participants to revisit Hong Kong's historic past.

Public Libraries in Central and Western District