The City of Reading, turning the pages of the book. Reading enriches people’s life and knowledge opens the door of wisdom. The Public Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau has been promoting the atmosphere of reading in Macao for many years. Through the theme of this issue the “City of Reading”, it is expected that readers will turn the book pages, embrace the city with knowledge, and nourish their souls with thinking. Each reader has their own interests and habits of reading, regardless they are infants, young children, teenagers, middle-aged or elderly people. For readers with different needs, the Library continues to collect books suitable for readers of all ages, and organize different types of activities to make reading three-dimensional. In addition to static thinking, there are also more dynamic activities, through which readers can build a love of knowledge in a variety of forms, setting the goal of their lifelong learning, and thereby creating an atmosphere of reading in the city.
The topic of this issue analyzes the reading interests of readers of different ages from the perspective of experts, and how a suitable form of reading for readers can be established. Liu Nai Hua, an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education of the University of Macau, believes that parent-child reading plays a key role in cultivating the reading habits of infants and young children. Kou Kam Fai, Principal of the Pui Ching Middle School, believes that young people should make a good use of resources of the Public Library to expand their interests in reading. Chairman Chan In Wa of the Macao Association of Literacy Promotion believes that reading for adults is inseparable from functional needs, and encourages them to engage in lifelong reading as a personal interest. Reading can be done as leisure, or serve a specific purpose. Readers with different needs will have different methods of reading. However, the harvest of reading is also endless. Therefore, the public library shall work together with the readers to find their own lifelong reading goals!
The “Library Handbook” introduces the “Toddler Reading Reward Programme”. As a new practice this year, the Library hopes to use the reading pack to build a bridge of reading with young readers, and help children find their interests in reading through reading together. In addition, the new functions of the Library APP “My Library” make it easier for readers to use library services. Arthur Ng, the interviewee of this issue of the “Author’s Say”, who released the poetry collection Remembering the City last year, through which he recorded his feelings about Macao before and after its return to the Motherland, leaving behind his vision and outlook for this small city.
Turning the pages of the book to see the corners of the city; absorbing knowledge and discovering one’s interests in reading. Through the elaboration of this issue, it is expected that readers can find their own way of lifelong reading, enriching themselves through the tree of knowledge planted by their predecessors, exploring the world with curiosity, obtaining energy from the library, and thereby pursuing the never-ending desire for knowledge.