With the aim of transforming Macau into a “city of reading”, Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man said in a speech during a press conference yesterday that her bureau will launch this year a raft of programmes to promote reading, while also optimising public libraries’ facilities, thereby continuously encouraging residents to develop a reading habit.
The press conference was held at the Macau Cultural Centre in Nape, which was also addressed by the Education and Youth Development Bureau’s (DSEDJ) Deputy Director Wong Ka Ki and Loi Chi Pang, who heads the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s Department of Public Library Management.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau has earmarked six million patacas for the programmes, including a newly launched “Infant and Toddler Reading Rewards Programme”, in which a “reading pack”, consisting of a number of books and recommended reading lists, will be distributed based on different child development stages to young children under the age of two so that parents are able to cultivate their children’s habit of reading in the early stage of education, stimulate the cognitive development in infants and toddlers, and build up family literacy, according to Leong.
Leong also said that the Cultural Affairs Bureau has joined hands with the Education and Youth Development Bureau and launched a “Reading Incentive Programme on Campus”, adding that self-service book borrowing and returning facilities will be set up in six schools on a trial basis, facilitating teachers and students to reserve and return public library books on campus.
In order for readers of different ages to have a comfortable environment that is more suitable for learning, reading and relaxation, Leong said, a “Parent-Child Space for Infants and Toddlers” will be added to Taipa Library in the third quarter of this year, while also setting up areas for social activities and motion-sensing and board games for youngsters in Seac Pai Van Library in Coloane in the fourth quarter, providing residents with a “happy space” for parent-child reading and interactive experiences while encouraging young local people to visit libraries.
As for the smart development of public libraries, according to Leong, a raft of new functions, such as self-service card applications and online electronic payment, have been gradually added to the “My Library” app. She added that aiming to make it easier for the public to access reading resources, robots will be deployed in some of the public libraries.
At the same time, Leong said, her bureau will also launch a promotion vehicle for public libraries this year, which will be mainly used for publicising libraries’ services, distributing books and carrying out activities such as BookCrossing.
According to Wikipedia, BookCrossing is the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise, aiming to provide reading resources to the community and to reinforce its connection with the public libraries.
Moreover, according to Loi, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many residents expressed their desire to listen to stories with their children, adding that the bureau was planning to turn 60 local Cantonese children’s books into audiobooks, hoping that residents will also be able to listen to stories about the city.
Macao Library Week 2023 to start tomorrow
Meanwhile, this year’s “Macao Library Week”, co-organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau in conjunction with the Education and Youth Development Bureau, the University of Macau Library, and the Macao Library and Information Management Association, will take place from tomorrow through May 14, a statement handed out during the press conference noted.
The statement said that the one-month event will be held on a “larger scale” than before, with a wide range of promotional activities, such as the “I have coffee, do you have a book” activity from April 15-30, in different local neighbourhoods, adding that a number of “Pop-up Library” bookshelves will be set up randomly at “different corners of the city” from April 21 through May 6 for the public to read books for free, while the “Reading on the Go” activity will be held during this and next weekend at outdoor venues such as the square in front of the Ruins of St. Paul’s.
The statement added that carnival-style promotion days will be held at the Macau Cultural Centre next weekend, complete with a book exchange, booth games and a book fair, so as to encourage more residents to develop reading habits.
More details about the library week’s activities can be found by visiting the IC Public Library’s website at www.library.gov.mo, or by calling 2893 0077 or 2855 8049 during office hours.
Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Deputy Director Wong Ka Ki (from right to left), Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man, and Loi Chi Pang, who heads the IC’s Department of Public Library Management, address yesterday’s press conference about their “city of reading” programme, at the Macau Cultural Centre in Nape. – Photos: Yuki Lei
Children’s books are on display during yesterday’s press conference at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM).
