Latest arrangements on services of Hong Kong Public Libraries

07.07.2020

All Hong Kong Public Libraries and their Students’ Study Rooms will resume normal opening hours from 7 July 2020. All mobile libraries have also resumed service on 29 June 2020.

To help ensure public safety, the LCSD will continue to adopt special measures at the library facilities. Cleaning session(s) will be arranged during the opening hours and seating will be reduced to avoid gathering. Members of the public will be subject to body temperature checks before admission. Children aged under 12 are allowed to enter the library and use library facilities and services (including Students’ Study Room) only when accompanied by an adult. The Toy Library and Children’s Multimedia Room of the HKCL, the Kid’s Internet & Digital Service workstations at other public libraries will remain closed.

The library will continue strengthening the cleaning and disinfection of the facilities in the library, ensure the normal operation of the ventilation system, maintain indoor air circulation. Members of the public are advised to be considerate by wearing their own masks in the library. The LCSD will continue to review the situation and adjust relevant preventive measures as and when necessary.

Details of the library opening
Please refer to the attached list: All Libraries. For enquiries, please contact the staff of respective library: Locate Libraries

Computer facilities
Reopened workstations in Computer Information Centre and Internet & Digital Service of the libraries will be reduced. Patrons may make reservation by phone for use of computer workstation during library service hours on the current or next service day on a first-come, first-served basis. Please refer to the attached list for the telephone numbers for making reservation. Starting from 7 July 2020, patron may reserve a maximum of two one-hour session per day on a first-come, first-served basis. The Kid’s Internet & Digital Service workstations will remain closed.

Students’ Study Room
All students’ study rooms will also resume normal opening hours from 7 July with arrangement of cleaning sessions and reduced seating. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please refer to the attached list of the opening details.

Book drops and Self-service Library Stations
Book drop service of Hong Kong Public Libraries (including service at MTR Central, Kowloon Tong and Nam Cheong stations) has been resumed for the return of library materials. The self-service library stations located at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai have also been reopened. Subsequent to the resumption of normal opening hours of all public libraries from 7 July 2020, library book drops resume to its normal operation, including to remain closed during library opening hours, and to update loan records on the next opening day.

Renewals and Return of Library Materials
The maximum number of renewal is resumed, up to five consecutive times except the borrowed item is already reserved by another reader.

As the book drops, self-service library stations and all libraries will also resume normal opening hours from 7 July, counting of overdue fines shall be resumed from 20 July 2020. Readers are advised to return or renew the overdue items as soon as possible in order not to incur overdue fines.

Public libraries will also plan to resume some library programmes with implementation of enhanced precautionary measures.

 

If the borrowed library materials have been overdue and cannot be renewed, while public libraries have closed before, what should readers do? Can the overdue fines be waived?
From 6 May, readers may return library materials to library book drops, self-service library stations or the re-opened libraries. During the period of service suspension of public libraries, overdue fines will not be incurred. As the book drop service, self-service library stations and all libraries will resume normal opening hours from 7 July, counting of overdue fines shall be resumed from 20 July 2020. Readers are advised to return the overdue items as soon as possible in order not to incur overdue fines.

Since overdue fines will not be incurred during the period of service suspension, why overdue notices were still sent to remind readers of the overdue items and overdue fines?
No overdue fines will be incurred during the period of service suspension. As the book drop service, self-service library stations and all libraries will resume normal opening hours from 7 July, counting of overdue fines shall be resumed from 20 July 2020. Hence, the issue of overdue notices was resumed to remind readers to return the overdue items.

Will pick-up service of reserved library materials be resumed in all libraries?
At present, all public libraries are reopened to provide lending services to public. Readers may collect their reserved items in person at the aforesaid opened libraries that have been selected for pick-up. Readers can check the revised expiry date by login to their online patron accounts or through “My Library” mobile app.

Will all computer facilities in library be resumed?
In the interest of public health, to avoid people gathering and to foster social distancing, the number of the workstations in Computer Information Centers and Internet & Digital Service Workstations provided in the libraries will be reduced. Patrons can make reservations by telephone in advance to use the workstations during library service hours on the current or the next service day on a first-come, first-served basis. Please refer to the attached list for the telephone booking numbers. Effective from 7 July 2020, each patron may reserve a maximum of two one-hour sessions per day, on a first-come, first-served basis. The children's Internet and multimedia services will remain suspended.

With cleaning session during the service hours, the duration of each service session varies. How to reserve the computer facilities?
Effective from 7 July 2020, all libraries will resume normal opening hours. In the interest of public health, one cleaning session will be arranged during the service hours for effecting cleaning operation. Each patron may reserve a maximum of two one-hour sessions during the service hours per day. First-come, first-served basis.

Is reservation service available for Internet & Digital Service Workstations of HKCL?
There are relatively more Internet & Digital Service Workstations available on different opened floors in the HKCL for use by patrons who have been admitted to the Library on a first come, first served basis. Effective from 7 July 2020, patron may also reserve to use the Internet & Digital Service workstations at HKCL by telephone.