In the past, the fifteen public libraries and one mobile library in Macao were separately managed by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) and the Cultural Affairs Bureaus (IC). Books had to be returned to the place from which they were borrowed. Starting from this year, the library loan system , under the auspices of IACM, will be handed over to the IC, enabling book circulation among all public libraries, in other words, books borrowed, for example, from S. Lourenco Library, can now be returned to Sir Robert Ho Tung Library.
With the integration of Macao libraries, readers have less inconvenience in borrowing and returning books.
Ophelia, Tang Mei Lin, Chief of Department of Public Library Management, said that given the
integration of library resources, the library system will be upgraded and the new system will be put
into operation in late March.
‘We will adopt a uniform cataloguing format that is used worldwide and carry out staff training
in this regard to enhance professional skills’, said Ophelia. She mentioned procurement will be
improved after the transition of management, back– office staff will be able to save on manpower
and time by not having to repeat the cataloguing for the same type of books.
Ophelia added that the management model will be changed due to the increased number of libraries under the management of the IC. Moreover self–services in the library will be continuously added. For example, the Red Market Library will be opening 24 hours per day on a trial basis this year, with no librarian on duty during certain timeslots in the hope of achieving self–service among readers
in the library.
The IC has been organizing reading activities in accordance with the proclivity of readers in various
libraries. The target of Taipa Library is ‘family’ and ‘children’ reading. Since its opening last year, the total annual visits and circulation significantly increased. Activities that were organized by the
libraries previously managed by IACM will continue, while the activity objectives, target participants
and venues will be re–examined and evaluated.
Ophelia pointed out that reading demand exists in different districts in Macao. Now that the resources are incorporated, the public library network will work more closely to provide even more quality services to the readers.
// Taipa Library
// Coloane Library
// Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Taipa
// Mobile Library
