Branch Libraries
Macao Central Library
Opening Hours：Monday 14:00 - 24:00, Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 - 24:00 (Closed on 1st to 3rd day of Chinese New Year, and at 14:00 on Chinese New Year Eve)
Activities： [+More]
Location：Av. Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida N.º 89 A-B, Macau
Telephone：(853) 2856 7576, 2855 8049, 2837 1642
Fax：(853) 2831 8756
Macao Central Library ﹣ Services
| Location | Service / Function / Use | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | 08:00 - 20:00 | 20:00 - 24:00 & public holidays |
| First Floor | Exit |
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| Reception |
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| Atrium |
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| Macao Collection Room |
* Service hours of Macao Collection Room: 14:00-20:00 |
Closed |
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| Audiovisual Materials Room |
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Closed |
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| Children's Reading Room |
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Open from 08:00-20:00 |
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| Second Floor | Reading Area |
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| Reference Books Area and Featured Collection Area |
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| Circulating Macao Collection Area |
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| Foreign Language Books Area |
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| Study Area |
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Macao Central Library ﹣ Facilities
| Location | Seats | Facilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | ||
| First Floor | Exit |
1 24-Hour Book Drop
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| Reception | 6 |
1 self service holds pick-up locker set
2 book sterilizers 2 self check machines
1 locker set
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| Atrium |
3 water dispensers
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| Macao Collection Room | 12 |
1 computer (Webpac)
1 book scanner 1 photocopier 2 microfilm machines |
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| Audiovisual Materials Room | 15 |
13 computers
1 photocopier
2 blu-ray players
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| Children's Reading Room | 32 |
1 computer
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| Second Floor | Reading Area | 117 |
2 computers (Webpac)
1 self check machine 1 desktop electronic magnifier
1 book scanner
1 reading device for the visually impaired
2 photocopiers |
| Reference Books Area and Featured | 31 |
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| Circulating Macao Collection Area |
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| Foreign Language Books Area | 15 |
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| Study Area | 48 |
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The library was formerly the National Library established in 1895. Situated in St. Augustine’s Church, it originally belonged to Liceu de Macau (Liceu Secondary School). The Macao Central Library underwent severe challenges throughout its development. From 1917 to 1929, it successively moved to St. Joseph's Seminary, Hotel Bela Vista, Shelter for the Disabled at Tap Seac and Leal Senado Building (currently known as IAM Building). Settling there for a longer period, in 1983 the library was relocated to the current site at Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, where it has gradually developed.
Today, the services of Macao Central Library are diversified. In addition to providing basic services such as library card application, photocopying, access to the Official Gazette of the Macao Special Administrative Region, book lending and access to newspapers and periodicals, the library also provides a microfilm reading service, Macao information references, back-issue newspapers and periodicals, broadband internet access, electronic news, electronic databases and other services.
To cater for readers’ needs, the interior of the library was refurbished in early 2007, where space and seats for readers were added, furniture was renewed and amenities were introduced. The two-storey main library currently occupies an area of 1,371 sq. m., with seating capacity for about 275 plus a collection of approximately 107,194 volumes (including approximately 42,848 volumes of Macao Information Collection), 672 rolls of microfilms, 5,396 audiovisual materials, 80 newspaper titles and 355 magazine titles. Generally, the collection is mainly comprised of Macao information , English and Portuguese books as well as and historical literature about Portugal in the Far East.
Central District
Library in Ho Yin Garden
Opening Hours：Monday 14:00 - 20:00, Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 - 20:00 (Closed at 14:00 on Chinese New Year Eve and closed on Public Holidays)
Location：Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção do Jardim do Comendador Ho Yin, Macau
Telephone：(853) 2870 6940
Fax：(853) 2870 6939
Library in Ho Yin Garden ﹣ Services
| Location | Service / Function / Use | |
|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | |
| First Floor |
Periphery of Library |
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| Reception |
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| Newspapers and Periodicals Reading Area |
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| Reference Books Area and Foreign Language Books Area |
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| Multimedia Room |
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| Children's Book Area |
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| Second Floor |
Reading Area |
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Library in Ho Yin Garden ﹣ Facilities
| Location | Seats | Facilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | ||
| First Floor |
Periphery of Library |
1 Book Drop
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| Reception |
1 self check machine
1 locker set
1 photocopier 1 book sterilizer |
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| Newspapers and Periodicals Reading Area | 29 |
1 water dispenser
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| Reference Books Area and Foreign Language Books Area |
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| Multimedia Room |
6 computers
1 desktop electronic magnifier
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| Children's Book Area | 15 |
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| Second Floor | Reading Area | 38 |
1 computer (Webpac)
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This library was officially opened to the public in 1993 and then closed in compliance with the NAPE renewal plan in 2005. Finally, it reopened on 10th February, 2009 following reconstruction. The new building, with a total area of 368 sq. m., is located in Ho Yin Garden. There are two floors in this library – the ground floor is the newspapers and multimedia section while the second floor is the reading room. It holds 13,661 volumes, 763 pieces of audiovisual materials, 55 newspaper titles and 92 international periodical titles, with seating for 88.
Southern District
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library
Opening Hours：Monday 14:00 - 20:00, Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 - 20:00 (Closed at 14:00 on Chinese New Year Eve and closed on Public Holidays)
Activities： [+More]
Location：Largo de Santo Agostinho N.º 3, Macau
Telephone：(853) 2837 7117, 2893 0077, 2893 0966
Fax：(853) 2831 4456
Nearby Libraries： S. Lourenço Library
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library ﹣ Services
| Location | Service / Function / Use | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | ||
| Old Building | |||
| Garden | Open Reading Area |
Reading
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| First Floor | Self-study Area |
Library self check-in/out services
Self-study / Exhibits
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| Storage Area |
Baggage storage
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| Second Floor |
Chinese Ancient Books Chamber |
For research purpose only (closed to public)
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| Third Floor | Multifunction Hall |
Exhibition / Lecture / Conference
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| New Building | |||
| First Floor | Outdoor Reading Area |
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| Children's Reading Room |
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| Second Floor | Reception |
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Reading Area (Chinese books)
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| ISBN Agency |
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| Third Floor |
Reading Area (Macao information and foreign language books) |
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| Outdoor Reading Area |
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| Leisure Area |
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| Fourth Floor | Group Discussion Room |
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| Reception |
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| Audiovisual Materials Area |
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| Foreign Language Books Area |
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Sir Robert Ho Tung Library ﹣ Facilities
| Location |
Seats |
Facilities |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Storey | Zone | ||
| Old Building | |||
| Garden | Open Reading Area | 14 |
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| First Floor | Self-study Area | 31 |
1 Self Check Machine
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| Storage Area |
5 locker sets
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| Second Floor |
Chinese Ancient Books Chamber |
34 |
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| Third Floor | Multifunction Hall | 50 |
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| New Building | |||
| First Floor | Outdoor Reading Area | 44 |
1 water dispenser
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| Children's Reading Room | 49 |
1 Self Check Machine
1 computer (Webpac)
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| Second Floor | Reception |
1 Self Check Machine
1 book sterilizer 1 photocopier |
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| Reading Area (Chinese books) | 30 |
2 computers (Webpac)
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| ISBN Agency |
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| Third Floor |
Reading Area (Macao information and foreign language books) |
95 |
1 desktop electronic magnifier |
| Outdoor Reading Area | 6 |
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| Leisure Area | 12 |
1 water dispenser
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| Fourth Floor | Group Discussion Room | 8 |
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| Reception | |||
| Audiovisual Materials Area | 25 |
1 Self Check Machine
1 photocopier
1 book scanner
2 blu-ray players
13 computers (internet) |
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| Foreign Language Books Area | 9 |
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Initially owned by Carolina Antónia da Cunha, the building was constructed before 1894 (20th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty). It changed hands several times before it was subsequently purchased by Hong Kong magnate Sir Robert Ho Tung in 1918. After his death, his descendants executed Ho Tung’s will by not only donating Largo de Santo Agostinho, No. 3 – Ho Tung’s former dwelling – to the community but by bequeathing HK$25,000 for the government to purchase Chinese books to establish a public library collecting Chinese books.
On 1st August 1958, Sir Robert Ho Tung Library was officially opened to the public. With some 3,000 book volumes, the library was then the largest public library in Macao and the only library in Macao and Hong Kong with garden landscaping.
Having served the public for more than five decades, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government allocated tens of millions of patacas to build a new building in the backyard of Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, taking into account the preservation of the historic building and the functions of a modern library. The new structure became operational on 13th November 2006.
Currently, the total area of the old and new buildings is approximately 3,195 sq. m., plus a garden of some 1,583 sq. m., The facility has a seating capacity for some 400 people and a collection capacity of over 100,000 volumes. As the largest local library, it holds abundant information, while also being available for study, cultural activities and leisure purposes. The library has a building for rare collections, multifunction hall, indoor and outdoor reading area, children’s reading area, multimedia area, leisure area, study room, garden, stack room, administrative area, ISBN agency and various other functional areas, providing lending services for books and audio-visual audiovisual materials, sections for reading of periodicals, broadband internet access, music and film appreciation, exhibitions, lectures, ISBN application, ISSN and ISRC application on behalf, etc.
‘Chinese Ancient Books Chamber’ on the second floor of the old building contains about 5,000 volumes of rare Chinese books, including classical Chinese literature and history composed in the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. The most precious items are the 16 books from the Jiaye Book Library Tower previously collected by renowned modern bibliophile Liu Chenggan, including Manuscript of Siku Quanshu’s Synopsis by Weng Fanggang, manuscript of Records of An Accused by Cha Jizuo, Taiping Yulan (Ming manuscript) composed by Li Fang along with other authors, manuscript of Supplements to the History of the Comprehensive Mirror Topically Arranged written by Zhang Xingyao, Chronicle of Yongzhou by He Jingming, and manuscript of Major Events in the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance edited and annotated by Li Zutao.
On the whole, Sir Robert Ho Tung Library’s collection is primarily comprised of ancient books, works of literature, history, philosophy, art and architecture as well as audiovisual materials. The Books Chamber contains about 18,000 books, including about 5,000 ancient Chinese books published before 1912; there are about 94,006 general books (excluding those in the Books Chamber), 6,079 items of audiovisual materials, 62 newspaper titles from various places plus 250 titles of periodicals and bound back issues for 49 newspapers.
S. Lourenço Library
Opening Hours：Monday 14:00 - 24:00, Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 - 24:00 (Closed on 1st to 3rd day of Chinese New Year, and at 14:00 on Chinese New Year Eve)
Activities： [+More]
Location：Rua de João Lecaros, Mercado de S. Lourenço, 3º andar, Macau
Telephone：(853) 8294 7931
Fax：(853) 8294 7944
Nearby Libraries： Sir Robert Ho Tung Library
S. Lourenço Library ﹣ Services
| Location | Service / Function / Use | |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 8:00 - 20:00 |
20:00 - 24:00 & public holidays |
| Next to the Library Main Entrance |
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| Reception |
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Closed |
| Activity Room |
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Closed |
| Periodicals Reading Area |
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| Reading Area |
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| Reference Books Area |
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| Multimedia Room |
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Closed |
| Children's Room |
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Open from 08:00-20:00 |
| Rare Book Area |
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Closed |