TEXT_Yan Lam PHOTOGRAPHER_Panda Lei
The production team of Books & the City paid a quiet visit to Red Market Library at 10pm on 17th May. In the library, the team noticed that only few seats remained empty. Readers had buried their heads in books, and more people were coming in to read. If not for the streetlights outside the window, the team would definitely not have realised that such a scenario could take place in a library at 10pm. By taking the opportunity to visit at night, some young readers, who tend to read at night, shared with the Books & the City team their experiences of using Red Market Library.
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| Fong: "Although I am not a frequent visitor to Red Market Library, I know it is the only library in Macao which offers round-the-clock service on a trial basis. I think the library is very convenient with its 24-hour access. It is quite a place, providing a complete reading atmosphere as visitors are allowed to read or study here at any time, especially at night." |
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| Mr Yeung: "Most local libraries tend to open until 7 or 8pm. I am an office worker and the libraries are always closed when I leave the office. I have become a frequent visitor to the Red Market Library since it has extended its opening hours. I like staying here and reading for selfimprovement for two or three hours after work." |
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| Ms Lei: "I have always studied at the Red Market Library since it started to open at night. On my days off, I may stay here for the whole day. On my work days, I usually come after dinner and study until between 11pm and midnight. Moreover, I often see parents bringing their children here to read at night. This is very nice." |
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| Daphine: "I live near the Central Library. I just came in when I happened to pass by the Red Market Library this evening. I think the security here is very good, because visitors can only enter the library by scanning their Identity Cards. As a mother of three, I have finally found my own reading space while sitting here and reading quietly at night." |
KNOW MORE ABOUT RED MARKET LIBRARY
Reading Time Unlimited
Red Market Library boasts a collection of around 7000 volumes, featuring food and cookery reading while holding books in other areas such as literature, tourism and leisure, medication and healthcare and domestic science. Moreover, there are more than 200 types of newspapers and magazines. The library has offered 24-hour service on a trial basis since last October for readers to access at any time. It is worth mentioning that the library is currently conducting assessments on areas such as the services and visitor volume during different time periods. In future, the library may adjust its opening hours appropriately and open until late at night, so as to maximise the rational use of library resources.
More Convenience Created by Self-Help Service
As an overnight library, Red Market Library is operated with self-help facilities from 8pm to 10am every day, namely, with no regular librarians working during this period except security guards and cleaners. How to gain access to the library: readers can only access the library by scanning their Macao SAR Resident Identity Cards or Non-Resident Worker's Identification Cards on the self-registration system. In addition, the library offers a number of self-help facilities to readers, such as 24-hour Book Drop, self-check machine, book sterilizer, electronic magnifier and photocopier.
Library Wonder Why
– Purchasing Recommendations
| Q: | What should I consider before making a Purchasing Recommendation? |
| A: | Before recommending any book/newspaper and magazine/audiovisual material, make sure it is not already available in the library collection by checking the 'Library Catalogue' on the website of the Macao Public Library. If it is listed in the catalogue, it can be read at the library, checked out or reserved; otherwise, information such as book title, publication information, ISBN, material type, sources and so on, can be provided to the Library for purchase. |
| Q: | How do I recommend books/newspapers and magazines/audiovisual materials to the Library? |
| A: | Recommendations can be made in the following three ways: |
| (1) Fill out the online form on the 'Book Purchase Recommendation' page of the Macao Public Library website a http://www.library.gov.mo/en/service-guide/recommendation; | |
| (2) Download and fill out the Purchasing Recommendation Form from the Macao Public Library website and email it to acqsug@icm.gov.mo; | |
| (3) Fill out the hard copy Purchasing Recommendation Form obtained at the Library and summit the completed form to the service desk, into the suggestion box at the library or mail it to the Macao Public Library. | |
| Q: | How can I track the progress of my purchasing recommendation after submitting the form? |
| A: | You can opt to receive notification about your recommendation and provide such personal information as your name, reader card number and contact details when filling out the form. Library staff will assess the recommendation in accordance with the Library's collection development policy and notify you of the result. |
| Q: | Will I be given priority to borrow or read the book/audiovisual material recommended by me after it has arrived at the library? |
| A: | As long as you have checked the box 'First Subscriber' while filling out the purchasing recommendation form, the Library will inform you upon receiving and shelving the recommended book/audiovisual material. For recommended newspapers and magazines, they can be read inside the library upon shelving, further notification will not be provided. |
