Branch Libraries

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 271 plus a collection of approximately 104,317 volumes (including approximately 40,229 volumes of Macao Information Collection), 672 rolls of microfilms, 5,261 audiovisual materials, 97 newspaper titles and 451 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.

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 10^th 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 13,697 volumes, 710 pieces of audiovisual materials, 59 newspaper titles and 105 international periodical titles, with seating for 79.

The Patane Library, opened on 9th December 2016, is comprised of a group of seven old buildings with a history of over 80 years. Built in the 1930s, the buildings of the Patane Library are typical arcade buildings along the coast of the Inner Harbour. Arcade buildings feature an architectural form combining the architectural features of both Europe and Southeast Asia, and only a few arcade buildings are left in Macao at present. The Cultural Affairs Bureau has renovated the buildings and transformed them into the Patane Library. It aims not only to provide more reading space to local residents, but also to preserve and safeguard the buildings with special value and significance in the urban development, thus allowing the next generations to know more about precious historic buildings in Macao. Aside from enhancing the environment of the Inner Harbour, the renovation project has transformed the buildings into a place for the transmission of culture and knowledge.

The three-storey Patane Library covers an area of around 1,130 square metres, and provides approximate 165 seats for readers. In addition to the reading service of newspapers and magazines, the library also provides other basic services such as access to the general collection and children's collection. The library, dedicated to film and music, features a multimedia zone for holding regular film screenings, concerts and other activities. The library holds about 24,982 volumes, 5,049 audiovisual materials, 86 types of newspapers and 298 types of magazines, in order to satisfy the reading demands of readers in the Patane and nearby districts, hoping to create an environment with a reading atmosphere for residents.

Located on the fourth floor of Edf. May Fair Garden, Ilha Verde Library opened in 1995. The first library equipped with a book anti-theft system in Macao, it soon became the culture, education, information and leisure centre of the neighbourhood.

The library occupies a total area of 482 sq. m. It is divided into various zones including reading area, newspapers and periodicals reading area, multimedia area, children’s area and other zones. The library mainly collects audiovisual materials, children, medical and healthcare books. The library provides services such as library card application, books and audiovisual materials lending, photocopying of documents, access to the Official Gazette of the Macao Special Administrative Region, newspapers and periodicals, broadband internet and accessing electronic databases, and so on.  It has a collection of approximately 31,154 volumes, 2,052 items of audiovisual materials, 61 global newspapers and 216 types of magazines along with seating for 85.

Taipa Library is located on the basement floor of Taipa Central Park. It was officially put into public service on 1st September 2015 following its trial operation from 15th April the same year. Occupying a total area of 2,200 sq. m., it provides the largest space for public use among all public libraries. A large amount of translucent glass is used on doors and windows to separate the areas, allowing natural light into the library.

The library has four major zones, including a general reading area, a ‘children library’, newspapers and periodicals reading area and a multimedia room. It also houses a theatre for children, outdoor garden, multi-function room, nursing room, and a book drop device installed on the garden level. The library offers approximately 417 seats for reading, with a collection of some 83,900 volumes (including 29,329 children's books) and 5,415 audiovisual  materials. With the capacity for a maximum collection of up to 150,000 volumes, Taipa Library carries 89 newspaper titles and 387 titles of periodicals from various places.

Senado Library is located on Av. Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lo) inside the Municipal Affairs Bureau Building (IAM Building). The library is based on the design of Biblioteca do Convento de Mafra in Portugal, and a strong classical style is evident in the decoration and furnishings. Noticias de Macau had reprinted an article originally published in the South China Morning Post in 1949 and published its own commentary on in 1951, praising the design of the library as one of the most luxurious libraries in the Orient at the time.

The library opened in 1929, the predecessor to the Macao Central Library, and is one of the libraries with the longest service history in Macao plus the most valuable collection. Currently, the library specialises in collecting foreign rare books from the 17^th to mid-20^th Century, in particular the historical documents of Portugal in Africa and the Far East, many of which are rare treasures.

In addition, the library keeps Portuguese newspapers published in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century, including the Portuguese newspaper A Abelha da China first published in 1822, which was the first journal published by foreigners in the territory of China, and was also the first newspaper in Macao.