Hong Kong Public Libraries - Ask a Librarian

The reference materials kept in the Reference Libraries are accessible by all the general public. Users can access the materials placed on the open shelves freely. For the reference materials kept in Closed Stacks, users have to fill in requisition slips and request them from the Service Counters of the Reference Library.

Why reference materials cannot be borrowed out of the Libraries for home use?

Owing to the special role and functions of the reference libraries, reference materials may only be used by the public in the reference libraries only. The purpose of the reference libraries is to provide immediate access to up to date information to the general public whenever they need it. To support this reference and information function, an adequate reference collection needs to be in place. In addition, the reference libraries also serve to preserve publications which are essential for the study of local history and for research into special subject fields. The libraries also hold rare books, flimsy items, expensive sets, and special reference collections deposited by other institutions, which are not suitable for circulation.

If the readers cannot borrow the reference materials out of the library, can they make photocopies of them using library photocopiers?

Self-service photocopiers are available in all the reference libraries and district libraries. Readers must comply with the Copyright Ordinance (The Laws of Hong Kong SAR Cap 528) when making copies of any library material. Generally speaking, unauthorized copying of a copyright work is not allowed unless when undertaken under the exceptions stipulated in the Copyright Ordinance. Subject to conditions, fair dealing for research and private study, criticism, review and news report are permitted under the Ordinance. Library users should refer to the relevant sections of the Copyright Ordinance for details. They should also be cautious with the amount of copying made. Copying an unreasonable amount of a copyright work could constitute an infringement. Extract of the relevant parts of the Copyright Ordinance is posted at the photocopying machines in the libraries.

How can I search for library materials via the Hong Kong Public Libraries' homepage?

You may make use of the Library Catalogue via the homepage of the Hong Kong Public Libraries to search for relevant library materials. When performing your search, you may use the search options of Title, Title Keyword, Author, Author Keyword, Subject, Subject Keyword and Series.

Which classification schemes are used in the Hong Kong Public Libraries? How do they work?

The classification scheme used for English books is the "Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme". For the Chinese books, we use "A System of Book Classification for Chinese Libraries" of LIU Guojun. If you want to browse the books on the shelves, you may refer to the classification tables for reference.

Classification Table for English Books

Classification Table for Chinese Books

Reference Collections

Where can I find the annual reports of the listed companies in Hong Kong?

The annual reports of the listed companies in Hong Kong can be found in the Hong Kong Exchanges Collection of the Central Reference Library of the Hong Kong Central Library, the Reference Libraries of the City Hall Public Library and Sha Tin Public Library. The Central Reference Library has the largest holding of the annual reports.

Where can I find the Laws and Gazette of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region?

Whole sets of bilingual Laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are kept in the Central Reference Library of the Hong Kong Central Library, Reference Libraries of City Hall Public Library, Kowloon Public Library, Sha Tin Public Library, Tsuen Wan Public Library and Tuen Mun Public Library for readers' reference. These sets of Laws are updated annually.

The latest version of the Laws of the Hong Kong SAR can be accessed via Bilingual Laws Information System on the homepage of the Department of Justice.

Printed copies of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR Gazette are also available at the above reference libraries. The Central Reference Library has the continuous holding from 1853 to the current issue. Whilst the other reference libraries has varied holdings starting from the 1990s. You may contact individual libraries for details of their holdings.

You may also view the contents of the Gazette from the online version of the Government of the HKSAR Gazette for issues from 19.5.2000 to the present. In addition, the Government Gazette of Hong Kong from 1853 to 1941 is also available for searching and viewing at the Hong Kong Government Reports Online (1853 to 1941) of the University of Hong Kong Libraries.

Where can I find the International Standards such as ANSI, ASTM, BSI, IEC, ISO etc.?

If you want to consult or purchase the International Standards, you may contact the Product Standards Information Bureau (PSIB) of the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC). Further details on the sale of originals and photocopies of the Standards can be found on the web page of the Innovation and Technology Commission.

Online Databases

Which online databases could be accessed remotely at home?

AccessScience, Grolier Online, Naxos Spoken Word Library, China Doctoral / Master's Dissertation (CDMD) (abstracts only), China Academic Journals Full-text Database (CAJ) (abstracts only), English e-Book at NetLibrary and Chinese e-Book at Apabi are available via the Resources for remote access on the homepage of the Hong Kong Public Libraries.

How about other online databases?

Due to license restrictions, other online databases could only be searched via the computer workstations of the public libraries. A full list of the online databases that have been subscribed by the Hong Kong Public Libraries is provided for readers' reference.

English e-Books at netLibrary

How long can a user use the English e-Book?

Any patron who is viewing eConent online will be prompted to continues their session every 15 minutes. If a patron is actively using a title, they will see no message and they should have no interruption.

How can I access the English e-Book Collection?

There is no need to have a NetLibrary user account to search for or view eBook from within the library. If you wish to access eContent from outside the library, create bookmarks, or save notes, you will need to create a NetLibrary user account.

How can I create a user account for English e-Books?

Follow the link on the HKPL e-Book Collection at netLibrary to create a user account by entering your own HKPL library card number and PIN. After successful login, you may click on the "Create a Free Account" link on the upper right hand corner of the homepage.

Why my computer cannot enter the Create a Free Account page at netLibrary and create a user account for e-Books?

Some readers may have set firewalls in their own computers which block them from accessing the page of creating an account. They have to disable the firewalls before they can access the page. Some readers have already applied for e-Books account at netLibrary before or have visited netLibrary directly but not through the homepage of the Hong Kong Public Libraries(HKPL). Then, some cookies or links may be stored in their computers' temporary Internet files which will automatically direct them to the login page but not to the page of creating a free account. In this case, they have to delete all the cookies in the temporary Internet files and open the Browser again. Then, enter the HKPL's homepage and click the e-Book lending service. By entering the library card number, they can enter the page of creating a free account.

If you have tried all the above methods but still are unsuccessful to enter the relevant page, then you have to use another computer or go to any public libraries and create an account by using the computers there.

If users forget their passwords, how can they obtain them from netLibrary?

If users forget their passwords, they can click the "Forgot your username or password?" at the login page. Then, enter the email address that he/she used for registering the account. netLibrary will send back his/her password to the email address.

Chinese e-Books at Apabi

How many Chinese e-Books can a user check out?

6 Chinese eBooks can be checked out for 1 day.

Also, the user can have "online browsing" function for 20 minutes without checking out the Chinese e-Book.

How can I create a user account for Chinese e-Books?

Follow the link on the To search and check out Chinese eBooks at Founder Apabi D-Lib, entering your library card number and PIN. You can reach the Hong Kong Public Libraries Chinese eBook Collection.

Extract of the Copyright Ordinance

23. Infringement of copyright by copying

(1)

The copying of the work is an act restricted by the copyright in every description of copyright work; and references in this Part to copying and copies are construed as follows.

(2)

Copying of a work means reproducing the work in any material form. This includes storing the work in any medium by electronic means.

(3)

In relation to an artistic work copying includes the making of a copy in 3 dimensions of a 2-dimensional work and the making of a copy in 2 dimensions of a 3-dimensional work.

(4)

Copying in relation to a film, television broadcast or cable programme includes making a photograph of the whole or any substantial part of any image forming part of the film, broadcast or cable programme.

(5)

Copying in relation to the typographical arrangement of a published edition means making a facsimile copy of the arrangement.

(6)

Copying in relation to any description of work includes the making of copies which are transient or are incidental to some other use of the work.

[cf. 1988 c. 48 s. 17 U.K.]

38. Research and private study

(1)

Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe any copyright in the work or, in the case of a published edition, in the typographical arrangement. (Amended 15 of 2007 s.12)

(2)

Copying by a person other than the researcher or student himself is not fair dealing if-

(a)	in the case of a librarian, or a person acting on behalf of a librarian, he does anything which regulations under section 49 would not permit to be done under section 47 or 48 (articles or parts of published works: restriction on multiple copies of same material); or
(b)	in any other case, the person doing the copying knows or has reason to believe that it will result in copies of substantially the same material being provided to more than one person at substantially the same time and for substantially the same purpose.

(3)

In determining whether any dealing with a work is fair dealing under subsection (1), the court shall take into account all the circumstances of the case and, in particular-

(a)	the purpose and nature of the dealing, including whether the dealing is for a non-profit-making purpose and whether the dealing is of a commercial nature;
(b)	the nature of the work;
(c)	the amount and substantiality of the portion dealt with in relation to the work as a whole; and
(d)	the effect of the dealing on the potential market for or value of the work.” (Replaced 15 of 2007 s.12)

[cf. 1988 c. 48 s. 29 U.K.]

Classification Table for English Books

F FICTION - Alphabetically by Author

000 GENERAL WORKS 010 Bibliography 020 Library Science 030 General Encyclopedias 040 General Collected Essays 050 General Periodicals 060 General Societies 070 Newspaper Journalism 080 Collected Works 090 Manuscripts & Rare Works	500 PURE SCIENCE 510 Mathematics 520 Astronomy 530 Physics 540 Chemistry & Allied Sciences 550 Earth Sciences 560 Paleontology 570 Anthropology & Biology 580 Botanical Sciences 590 Zoological Sciences

100 PHILOSOPHY & RELATED DISCIPLINES 110 Metaphysics 120 Metaphysical Theories 130 Branches of Psychology 140 Philosophical Topics 150 General Psychology 160 Logic 170 Ethics 180 Ancient & Medieval Philosophy 190 Modern Philosophy	600 TECHNOLOGY 610 Medical Sciences 620 Engineering 630 Agriculture 640 Home Economics 650 Business 660 Chemical Technology 670 Manufactures 680 Manufactures 690 Building Construction

200 RELIGION 210 Natural Theology 220 Bible 230 Doctrinal Theology 240 Devotional & Practical Theology 250 Pastoral Theology 260 Christian Church 270 Christian Church History 280 Christian Churches & Sects 290 Other Religions	700 ARTS & RECREATIONS 710 Landscape & Civic Art 720 Architecture 730 Sculpture 740 Drawing & Decorative Arts 750 Painting 760 Prints & Print Making 770 Photography 780 Music 790 Recreation

300 SOCIAL SCIENCES 310 Statistics 320 Political Science 330 Economics 340 Law 350 Public Administration 360 Social Welfare 370 Education 380 Public Services & Utilities 390 Customs & Folklore	800 LITERATURE & RHETORIC 820 English & American 830 Germanic Literatures 840 French, Provencal, Catalan 850 Italian, Rumanian 860 Spanish, Portuguese 870 Latin & other Italic Literatures 880 Classical & Modern Greek 890 Other Literatures

400 LANGUAGE 410 Comparative Linguistics 420 English & Anglo-Saxon 430 Germanic Languages 440 French, Provencal, Catalan 450 Italian, Rumanian 460 Spanish, Portuguese 470 Latin & Other Italic 480 Classical & Modern Greek 490 Other Languages	900 HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY & RELATED DISCIPLINES 910 Geography, Travels, Description 920 Biography 930 Ancient History 940 Europe 950 Asia 960 Africa 970 North America 980 South America 990 Other Part of the World

Classification Table for Chinese Books

000 總類 010 目錄學 020 圖書館學 030 國學 040 普通類書 050 普通雜誌 060 普通社會出版物 070 普通論叢 080 普通叢書 090 群經	500 社會科學 510 統計 520 教育 530 禮俗 540 社會學 550 經濟 560 財政 570 政治 580 法事 590 軍事

100 哲學總論 110 思想史 120 中國哲學 130 東方其他各國哲學 140 西洋哲學 150 論理學 160 形而上學玄學 170 心理學 180 美學 190 倫理學	600 中國史地 610 中國通史 620 斷代史 630 文化史 640 外交史 650 史料 660 地理 670 中國方志 680 中國類志 690 中國遊記

200 宗教總論 210 比較宗教學 220 佛教 230 道教 240 基督教 250 回教 270 其他各教 280 神話 290 術數	700 世界史地、傳記 710 史地 720 海洋 730 東洋及亞洲 740 西洋及歐洲 750 美洲 760 非洲 770 澳洲及其他 780 傳記 790 考古學

300 自然科學 310 數學 320 天文學 330 物理學 340 化學 350 地質學 360 生物學 370 植物學 380 動物學 390 人類學	800 語言學、文學 810 文學 820 中國文學 830 總集 840 別集 850 中國特種文藝 857 中國小說 860 其他各國文學 870 西洋文學 880 翻譯詩詞戲劇 889 西洋翻譯小說 890 新聞學

400 應用科學 410 醫學 420 家事 430 農業 440 工程 460 應用化學、化學工藝 470 製造 480 各種營業 490 營業方法	900 美術、遊藝 910 音樂 920 建築 930 雕刻 940 書畫 950 攝影 990 遊藝



	Last Revision Date : 29 October 2007