Number 56, September 1998
ORIENTATION PROGRAMME
New students were introduced to the services and facilities available in the Main Library through an orientation programme in late August. Library courses on online public access catalogue and library research techniques will be arranged from mid-September onwards. Please contact the Reference Librarian, Miss Rebecca Yeung at Ext. 7071 or 7010 if you wish to arrange for specialized subject instruction.
FOUNDATIONS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (FIT)
Starting this Fall, the Computer Science Department, Computer Centre and the Libraries will be offering a three-credit course on information technology for freshmen. Through this course, we aim to introduce the basic knowledge of information technology including PC and software technology, Internet, WWW and library information search strategies. The Libraries will conduct two modules which include introduction to the Libraries, an overview of information resources, basic and advanced search strategies and ways to select information tools and evaluate results obtained.
KNOWLEDGE NAVIGATION CENTRE
In response to the evolution of information technology and the University’s efforts to create a digital campus, the Libraries has been proactive in expanding our electronic information service to better assist our students and faculty in the use of new information tools. Based on the recommendations of a specialist in the field, we have decided to set up the Knowledge Navigation Centre (KNC) in the Main Library.
The KNC will be equipped with the latest hardware and software to facilitate knowledge retrieval and creation. Here our professional staff will teach users the skills in navigating through the massive amount of information on the Web, identifying resources useful to them and applying them to their study and research needs. It is hoped that through this learning process our users will be empowered to meet the many challenges of this knowledge-based era.
HKU ACEnet
The Main and Branch Libraries are well-equipped with 450 network access points in various locations throughout the Libraries for users to plug in their notebook computers to connect to the campus network.
HKU IT CAMPAIGN
Mr David Palmer, Ms Antonia Yiu and Ms Carmen Tsang organized a Library IT Exhibit along with other university departments as part of the programme to launch the HKU/IBM notebook computer roll-out ceremony and forum on September 15.
NEW ELECTRONIC DATABASES
Table of Contents and proceedings Database
Humanities and Social Sciences
Science and Technology
Newspaper Index
Electronic Journals on CD-ROM
ELECTRONIC COURSE RESERVES
We are pleased to offer a new Electronic Reserve Book Room (E-RBR) service starting September 15.
E-RBR aims to provide a supplemental access point to traditional reserves. At the request of faculty, lectures notes, articles, and tutorial solutions are scanned and indexed to allow 24 hour access and electronic delivery of these high-demand materials via the Web. Because of copyright concern, presently these course materials are restricted to those written by academics of the University of Hong Kong or are otherwise not under copyright.
To access:
Electronic course reserves can also be retrieved from our Web OPAC by author or title.
In addition, we have mounted on the E-RBR system Web pages created for course materials by teaching staff at their request. They can be retrieved by following:
These Web pages are also linked to the Library's Web page on <Internet Resources> under the Department’s <Web Tutorials>.
Teaching staff are encouraged to take advantage of the E-RBR system to provide fast and convenient access to course materials for students in the University.
LIBRARY PREMISES WORKS
The summer break saw unprecedented amount of premises works being undertaken in the Main Library as well as in the branch libraries.
The Libraries participated in three campus-wide projects: [1] network upgrade in which some 450 new campus network access points were installed in the Main and branch libraries, [2] switch to electronic ballasts in lightings as part of the campus-wide energy-saving exercise, [3] installation of HKU Smart Card access control system in the Main, Medical and Law Libraries.
Our Bindery was relocated to an off-campus site in Hing Wai Industrial Centre in June. Half of the old Bindery site now houses the Interlibrary Loans Department (ILL) and Photocopying & Microfilming Unit (PMU), leaving the rest for a spacious area designed for our readers to study or use their network computers.
The area vacated by PMU yields Audio-visual Department's much needed space for additional compact shelves. The vacated ILL area was renovated to set up a Knowledge Navigation Centre to expand IT services.
Inadequately lit areas and units that require additional air-conditioning were upgraded. A new computer room has also been set up to house our growing number of servers.
Much staff effort and time went into planning and co-ordination with the Estates Office and contractors, monitoring work progress into after office hours to ensure timely completion.
THE LAST GOVERNOR
The Last Governor, the resource material (795 videotapes, 508 sound tapes and 11 computer disks containing interview transcripts) produced by Glebe Productions in the making of their series portraying the political life of Chris Patten is available in the AV Department. It starts with an interview in 1992 when Patten talked about his feeling on losing the seat as the Chairman in the Conservative Party, and ends with his last speech to Legco in 1996. It also includes many interviews with well-known Hong Kong personalities.
Readers interested in the governorship of Chris Patten and the political scene in Hong Kong during 1992-1997 may consult Chris Patten's latest book East and West and Jonathan Dimbleby's The Last Governor available in the Main Library as well as the Hong Kong Collection.
AUDIO-VISUAL DEPARTMENT
Due to the high video quality and durability of digital video disc (DVD), it is believed that DVD will become a very popular video storage format in the future. To keep pace with technology, the AV Department has installed 18 DVD players recently. The first DVD - "Air Force One" - has been added to our collection, and more will soon be added.
Five networked PCs and one Macintosh G3 have been set up in the group viewing rooms. Users may use them for Internet browsing as well as for group assignment. The time limit for using the group viewing room is two hours.
DENTAL LIBRARY
During the summer, the Dental Library embarked on several projects to improve its facilities for the benefit of the users. The computer network cables were upgraded to enable faster connection to the University network. Lighting was improved throughout the Library. The book security system has also been upgraded to allow better access and sensitivity in book detection.
With the help of staff from the Fung Ping Shan Library, all the Chinese titles in the Dental Library have recently been input into the library system. All titles are now searchable in the library catalogue and can be loaned out through the Innopac system.
To coincide with the launching of the new problem-based learning curriculum in September, the reserve book collection has been expanded to cater for the increased need of students to make use of library materials for self-learning.
FUNG PING SHAN LIBRARY
A range of renovation and upgrading works was carried out in the Fung Ping Shan Library over the summer. This includes the installation of a 24-hour air-conditioning system at the Chinese Rare Books Room and the addition of 12 network access points and 14 computer workstations for OPAC, CD-ROM and database searching. Additional racks were acquired to display 100 more current periodicals. A network laser printer will be installed for public use.
In order to cope with the increasing amount of Chinese electronic resources, a user-friendly interface has been designed for all the reference CD-ROMs and databases in FPSL. Over 20 new CD-ROMs/databases will be available for use by late October. These include statistical database 統計數據資料庫, scientific theses and citations database 中國科技論文與引文數據庫, conference papers database 中國學術會議論文數據庫, master theses and doctoral dissertations index CD-ROM 中文博碩士論文索引光碟資料庫, and some main newspapers such as the People's Daily 人民日報 (1945-1997) and the Central Daily 中央日報 (1928-1949).
The old card catalog was also removed during the summer. The main portion of FPSL's Retrospective Conversion Project is finished and users can now search the library's complete holdings on the OPAC. In addition, all monographs in FPSL as well as the East Asian monographs in the Branch Libraries were all barcoded for automated circulation.
Ongoing enhancement efforts include the addition of Hepburn and McCune-Reischauer romanization in the bibliographic records for Japanese and Korean titles respectively, addition or correction of Pinyin romanization when defective records are discovered, and upgrading of holdings information in serial records. Analytics will be created for titles within important series.
LAW LIBRARY
In addition to local printers attached to selected workstations, a network laser printer is now in operation to link up most of the OPAC/CD-ROM workstations in the Law Library. Readers may buy a network printing card from the Law Library counter (or the Main Library) to get quality print-outs of their search results.
The Law Library's electronic resources on Hong Kong law have been strengthened with the recent addition of Ordinances of Hong Kong on CD-ROM (available on the campus network). This CD-ROM covers all of the Ordinances reported in the Annotated Ordinances of Hong Kong loose-leaf service, and the next update to be released shortly is expected to include all other Ordinances as well.
From September 1, in addition to the existing search workstation in Fung Ping Shan Library, a designated workstation in the Law Library has also been connected to the China InfoBank online service. Legal researchers can search, view and download texts from the China Infobank, a one-stop shop for PRC central and municipal laws and regulations from 1949 to date, as well as legal news clippings and official documents from government bodies.
MEDICAL LIBRARY
Building improvements
During the summer, network lines were upgraded to fast ethernet. More than 50 nodes were installed on the first floor to facilitate roaming connectivity for notebook computer users.
Earlier in the year, a room on the first floor was converted for information skills training purposes and 15 workstations installed for general use.
A smartcard access control system was installed in August and is scheduled to run trial operations from October.
Collection development
As a result of the 1997 comprehensive journal survey, 65 titles were cancelled and 63 new subscriptions taken out, reflecting areas of increasing research interest. The library also managed to obtain runs of back issues for some major nursing titles.
To fill some important gaps in research provision, the following new databases were put on the library network: Allied and alternative medicine (British Library), FDA guidelines full-text, FDA approved drugs since 1938, Health Management Information Consortium (UKDOH/ Nuffield Institute/King's Fund), Patient education library (JCAHO compliant), USP DI Collection. The Cochrane Library has also been transferred to the library CD network.
User Education
Orientation programmes were organized for 180 medical students, 80 full-time nursing students and 40 part-time students from September 1-11.
Library staff gave a series of practical tutorials on information skills for first year medical students as an integral part of the Informatics and Decision-Making Week held from 14-18 September. The programme was organized by the Department of Community Medicine in collaboration with the Medical Library.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The Special Collections made headway in improving the reading/printing facilities for use of the expanding collection of microfilm. The Microform Room has largely been re-arranged, making room for the addition of 49 microfilm and eight microfiche cabinets. A microform Reading/Printing Room has been set up, equipped with four self-service microform reader/printers, three microfilm readers and one microfiche reader to provide improved microfilm printing facilities in the Special Collections.
The collection of microfiche has, at the same time, been greatly enriched by the addition of 200 years' worth of United States Senate and Congressional Committee hearings. This has been made possible by a Research Grants Council (RGC) grant of $2.8 million - the largest RGC grant ever made for library materials. Being the only complete set in Asia, this collection will be invaluable to local scholars researching in American history and reinforce the University of Hong Kong's position as a regional centre of research and scholarship in American Studies.
The Special Collections have recently acquired from the U.K. Public Records Office a set of Hong Kong-related CO 1030 (Far Eastern Department: Original Correspondence) files, covering the period from 1954 to 1966. These files deal with a wide range of subjects relating to post-war Hong Kong such as refugees and immigration control, lease of land, education, etc. which should be useful to historians and political scientists alike.
Also added to the collection are the microfilm of a number of Hong Kong newspapers, including 120 reels of The China Mail (January - November 1941, October 1953 - June 1974), 126 reels of The Hong Kong Telegraph (June 1881 - October 1883, January 1897 - December 1903, May 1904 - August 1908, November 1912 - November 1924) and 137 reels of South China Morning Post (November 1903 - April 1916, January - December 1941, July 1951 - December 1955).
STAFF NEWS
Ms Jennifer Nason Davis, Music Librarian, resigned on August 31, 1998.
Ms Janny Lai Kei, BA Br Col; MLIS Calif, took up appointment as Assistant Librarian II in the Reference Department on September 16, 1998. She was formerly Assistant Librarian at Johnson, Stokes and Master.
Ms Helen Woo, BA HK; MA Calgary, MLS W Ont, will take up appointment as Music Librarian on October 1, 1998. She was formerly Head Librarian of Manitoba Natural Resources and Manitoba Environment.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Dr Ma Tai-loi, Deputy Librarian and Fung Ping Shan Librarian, was appointed a Special Editiorial Committee Member (特約編委) for the Literature Section (集部) of the monumental Sequel to the Si Ku Quan Shu (續修四庫全書).
Mr Y.C. Wan, Special Collections Librarian, gave a public lecture on "The Hong Kong Newspapers Collection in the Hung On-To Memorial Library, the University of Hong Kong" on July 4, 1998. The lecture was organized by the Hong Kong Museum of History.
CONFERENCES
Several members of the professional staff attended the "Joint Symposium on Library and Information Services" at Lingnan College in June. At the symposium Mr Lawrence Tam, Deputy Librarian, presented a paper entitled "漢語資料的資源共享 : 香港的經驗 - 在數碼 時代科技給 我們的挑戰".
Mr Y.F. Lau of Fung Ping Shan Library participated in the "世界華人和平建設大會" held in New York, July 11 and contacted a number of overseas Chinese organizations such as the Tsung Tsin Association in New York (紐約崇正會). During this trip, he visited the Chinatown Library in San Francisco on July 15, and the Central Public Library of Vancouver on July 17.
A number of our professional librarians met and exchanged ideas with specialists in digital library research at the First Asia Digital Library Workshop held at HKU in August. At the workshop the Librarian, Dr Kan, presented a paper entitled “Digital projects at the University of Hong Kong Libraries: an experience” and the Systems Librarian, David Palmer expressed his views on "Digital libraries: collection development considerations".
PUBLICATIONS
Yen, Jerome and Yang, Christopher, ed. East meets West: Proceedings of the First Asia Digital Library Workshop, August 6-7, 1998. Hong Kong : Authorized cademic JavaSM CampusSM, University of Hong Kong, 1998. 226p. (University of Hong Kong Libraries Publications, no.8).
Kan, Lai-bing. Digital projects at the University of Hong Kong Libraries: an experience. ibid, p.66-77.
Palmer, David T. Digital libraries: collection development considerations. ibid, p.188-194.
Tam, Lawrence W.H. Resource sharing for Chinese language materials: a Hong Kong experience (漢語資 料的資源共享﹕香港的經驗在數碼時代科技給我們的挑戰). Paper presented at the Joint Symposium on Library and Information Services, Lingnan College, June 17, 1998.
DONATIONS
Professor Norman W.M. Ko, Department of Mechanical Engineering, donated to the Libraries his personal production of over 2,000 slides taken underwater during 1964-1985. These slides have captured vividly the beauty of the underwater world and will no doubt be appreciated by library users.
Special Collections received the following donations:
Sixteen cartons of documents, largely trading records of Kam Ngan Stock Exchange Limited from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
One carton of newspaper clippings from the Keswick Foundation.
Five cartons of publications, mainly newsletters and annual reports of voluntary and charitable organizations from the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong.
VISITORS
| Date | Visitors / Institutes |
June 1, 1998 |
Delegation led by Professor Ding Jiping (丁紀平), Director of Personnel Department from Zhongshan University (中山大學). |
| June 2, 1998 | Visitors from Nanjing University (南京大學) led by Professor Guo Guangyin (郭廣銀), Deputy Director of the University Council, Nanjing University. |
| June 4, 1998 | Mr Yu Ruhe (余如鶴), Vice Director and visitors from Shanghai Education Centre for Administrators (上海市委組織部干部教育中心). |
| June 11, 1998 | The President, Professor Byung-Soo Kim; Vice-President, Professor Kee-Young Kim and faculty members from the Yonsei University. |
| June 17, 1998 | Professor Xiong Gexin (洪覺新), Vice President and visitors form Guangdong University of Technology (廣東工業大學). |
| June 18, 1998 | Wu Ming-der (吳明德), Director of Naitonal Taiwan University and Yang Mei-hwa (楊美華) , Director of Graduate Institute of Library & Information Science, National Chengchi University (國立政治大學). |
| June 19, 1998 | Over 40 participants from the Joint Symposium on Library & Information Services held at Lingnan College, June 17-19, 1998. |
| June 20, 1998 | Qin Zeng-fu (秦曾复), Director of Fudan University Library (復旦大學圖書館), Chen Zhao-Neng (陳兆能), Director of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Library (上海交通大學圖書館), and other visitors. |
| June 26, 1998 | Mr Chen Jianhua (陳建華), Genealogy Department, Shanghai Library (上海圖書館). |
| July 6, 1998 | Mr William Alspaugh, Chinese Bibliographer, University of Chicago Library. |
| July 7, 1998 | Ms Melissa D. Trevvett, Associate Director for Information & Research Services, DePaul University. |
| July 8, 1998 | Professor Chen Ruilian (陳瑞蓮),
Director of Presidents’ Office and delegates from Zhongshan University (中山大學). Professor Feng Yangjie (馮仰婕), Library Curator, Professor Zhou Weide (周維德) and Ms Gao Ke Ping (高克平) Library Vice-Curators, East China University of Science and Technology (華東科技大學). |
| July 16, 1998 | Mr Dick Wu (吳招勝), and Ms Jessy Lu (盧生生) from the International Office of the South China University of Technology (華南理工大學). |
| July 21, 1998 | A delegation of over 60 visitors from various editorial offices of Chinese yearbooks and local histories, including those responsible for the China Education yearbook, Almanac of China’s Finance and Banking, Jiangsu Yearbook, Almanac of Zhejiang, Local History of Qingdao, and Local History of Shanghai. |
| July 22, 1998 | Professor Robin Yates, Chair, Department of East Asian Studies, McGill University. |
| August 6, 1998 | Participants from The First Asia Digital Library Workshop held on August 6-7, 1998 at the University of Hong Kong. |
| August 10, 1998 | Professor Zhang Jingao (張錦高), Vice-President and visitors from China University of Geosciences, Wuhan (中國地質大學). |
| August 11, 1998 | Professor Cen Zhangzhi (岑章志), Assistant to the President and visitors from Tsinghua University (清華大學). |
| August 19, 1998 | Delegation led by Professor Zeng Fanren (曾繁仁), President of Shandong
University (山東大學). Delegation led by Professor Chen Chengzu (陳成祖), President of Guangzhou Normal College (廣州師範學院). |
| August 24, 1998 | Professor Shen Zheng (沈政) and delegation from Peking University (北京大學). |
August 10 - |
Mr Frank Shulman, Curator of the East Asia and Gordon Prange Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. |