News & Announcements

The East Asian History of Science Foundation Hong Kong (EAHSF HK) in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong Libraries will present the exhibition “Chinese Wartime Science through the Lens of Joseph Needham” from 27 February – 17 March, 2017 at the Second Floor Exhibitions Area, Main Library.

Amongst all his achievements and accolades at Cambridge University, the late Dr Joseph Needham (1900-1995) was best known for his continuing “Science and Civilisation in China” series. While he was visiting China in the 1940s he came into contact with a significant amount of historical documents regarding Chinese science and technology as well as a number of promising young scholars, in the process igniting his passion in the history of science and technology in China. His main question, now known as the “Needham Question”, asks “why modern science had not developed in Chinese civilization but only in Europe given China’s remarkable scientific achievements before the 15th century”. This had always been his focus during his decades of research on the history of science and technology in China.

Dr Needham provided valuable advice in the post-World War 2 re-opening of HKU in 1945. He stayed close to HKU, particularly with the late Sir Murray MacLehose (Governor of Hong Kong from 1971-1982) whom he befriended in Xiamen while Mr MacLehose was the British Consulate General there during wartime. For his contributions, HKU awarded Dr Needham an honorary “Degree of Doctor of Letters” at the 87th Congregation in 1974.

In 2012, the University of Hong Kong established a permanent endowed chair, “Joseph Needham – Philip Mao Professorship in Chinese History, Science and Civilization” in honour of Dr Needham and the late Dr Philip Wen Chee Mao, founding chairman of the East Asian History of Science Foundation Hong Kong.

Details for the Exhibition:

Date:  27 February – 17 March, 2017

Location:  Atrium/Exhibition Area, 2/F Main Library, The University of Hong Kong

Time: During Main Library Hours

Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

Saturday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm

Sunday: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Closed on Public Holidays

The Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and the East Asian History of Science Foundation Hong Kong have co-organized the “11th Joseph Needham Memorial Lecture” to be held on Friday 24 March, 2017 from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine Lecture Theatre 1, Cheung Kung Hai Conference Centre, William MW Mong Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine. The lecture will delivered by Professor Vivian T. Wong

Details for the Lecture:

Date:  24 March, 2017

Location:  Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine Lecture Theatre 1, Cheung Kung Hai Conference Centre, William MW Mong Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Time: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Online Registration for Lecture: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=47686

Deadline for registration: March 17, 2017

Both Events are Open to the Public

Peter Sidorko

University Librarian

The University of Hong Kong

Message from the University Libraries

Libraries Opening Hours during Chinese New Year Holidays

27 January 2017 (Lunar New Year’s Eve)
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CLOSED at 1pm

28-31 January 2017
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CLOSED

The Library Corner on G/F and the Study Zone on Level 3, Main Library, will remain open for the use by CURRENT STAFF and CURRENT STUDENTS ONLY.

For enquiry, please call 3917-2203 or 3917-2202.

Happy Chinese New Year
Peter Sidorko
University Librarian

Dear Patrons

Please be informed that books with call number 300-330.9 (Q), Social Sciences Collection have been relocated from the 4th Floor New Wing to the 2nd Floor New Wing as part of the Compact Storage Relocation Project (Phase II) (http://lib.hku.hk/csrml/index.html). The Phase II works will complete in late January/early February 2017 with the collection returning to the 4th Floor.

For any enquiries please contact 3917 2202 or visit the Lending Services Counter on the 2nd Floor.

Ms Esther Woo

Associate Librarian

Engagement and Lending Services

Dear Patrons,

In order to recover the service costs for processing Graduate Reader’s Cards, an additional fee of HK$50 will be introduced to new applications with effect from 1 January 2017.

Please also note that the deposit for Graduate Borrower’s Cards will be increased to HK$1,000 for new applications with effect from 1 January 2017 to meet the increasing library material costs.

For inquiries about the above fee changes, please contact the Lending Services Division at 3917-5945 or 3917-2202.

Best regards,

Dr Y C Wan

Acting University Librarian

The University of Hong Kong

PLEASE IGNORE the e-mail below when you receive it.

Message from the University Libraries

Library Opening Hours during Christmas and New Year Holidays

Main Library and Branches

21 December 2016 (Winter Solstice)

– CLOSED at 5 pm

24-27 December 2016, and 1 & 2 January 2017

– CLOSED

31 December 2016

– CLOSED at 1 pm

The Library Corner on G/F and the Study Zone on Level 3, Main Library, will remain open for the use by CURRENT STAFF and CURRENT STUDENTS ONLY.

For enquiry, please call 3917-2203 or 3917-2202.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Peter Sidorko

University Librarian

On the 5 October 2016, The University of Hong Kong Libraries launched the Hong Kong Image Database.

The Hong Kong Image Database is a digital collection of historical images documenting the Hong Kong experience from the 1840s through to the 1990s. The Database features a wealth of images of Hong Kong, including people, landscapes, infrastructures, villages, agriculture and fisheries activities, industrial settings, housing, buildings, panoramas, and more. The University of Hong Kong Libraries unlocks this digital vault of historic images with rich metadata and makes them freely available for public consultation.

The Database contains images scanned from a variety of resources collected by the Libraries’ Special Collections, including photographic prints, slides, negatives, and print publications. Among the many photographs in the Database, several featured collections are available as well, such as, Hong Kong Tourist Association, Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch, Fanling Hunt Club, Land Use Survey Photos, Ng Bar Ling Hiking Photos, Walter Schofield Field Trip Photos, William Floyd Nineteenth Century Costume Portraits, Post WWII Images, Panoramas, Prominent Figures and more.

For more information about the Hong Kong Image Database, please visit http://digital.lib.hku.hk/hkimage/

Waterproofing works in the Main Library

The Main Library will undergo waterproofing works from now till the end of March 2017.

If the noise or smells disturb you, PLEASE consider using other locations in the Main Library or The Oval (Knowles Building 1/F) or Chi Wah Learning Commons

For enquiries, please contact: 3917-2206 (Administrative Services).

Waterproofing works in the Music Library (24 Dec, 2016 – 2 Jan, 2017)

The Music Library will undergo waterproofing works from 24 December, 2016 to 2 January, 2017. The affected areas will re-open on 3 January 2017.

Study tables and seating will be unavailable during the works. The 3 Discussions Rooms, AV Workstations, PC & Mac Workstations shall remain open.

If the noise or smells disturb you, PLEASE consider using the Main Library or The Oval (Knowles Building 1/F) or Chi Wah Learning Commons

For enquiries, please contact: 3917-2218

Message from the University Libraries

 The Main Library and Medical Library will extend the opening hours for the coming Revision Week & Assessment Period from 11 pm, 1 December to 6 am, 21 December 2016:

Main Library: Daily:  8:30am – 6am of the following day Opening hours for Special Collections, AV Collection, and Level 3 Collaboration Zone will remain unchanged.

 Medical Library: Monday – Friday: 8:15 am – 6 am of the following day

Saturday:          8:30 am – 6 am of the following day

Sunday: 10 am – 6 am of the following day

Main Library Extended Opening Hours  (1-21 December 2016)

 Opening hours of Library Entrances 

Remarks: The book drops on G/F will be available for service during closing hours of the entrance.

AV Collection and Special Collections

The opening hours of these two areas will remain unchanged during the extended opening hours of Main Library for the sake of energy saving.

2/F, Level 3 (Collaboration Zone) and 5/F Old Library Building

The opening hours of these three areas will remain unchanged during the extended opening hours of Main Library for the sake of energy saving.

All service counters will be closed outside the normal operating hours.  In order to thoroughly clean the library, all users and their possessions must be cleared by 6 am each morning.  Items not removed from each desk will be removed by staff on duty and can be collected at:

Main Library: After 9 am (10 am on Sundays and public holiday) at the Lending Services Counter on the 2/F;

Yu Chun Keung Medical Library: After 10 am at the Circulation Counter.

During the extended opening hours, contract security guards will be stationed in these two libraries to provide basic security services.  When the circulation counters are closed, users can check out/in books using the self-check stations (2/F and 4/F, Main Library, and G/F, Medical Library). While there is no counter service, all public computers, printers and copiers will be available but no refill of printing paper will be provided.

For enquiry, please call 3917-2203 / 3917-2202 (Main Library) or 3917-9215 (Medical Library).

Best wishes

Peter Sidorko

University Librarian