Hong Kong – Hong Kong Public Libraries to launch Summer Library Festival 2023 to share joy of reading (with photo)

     The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch a large-scale reading programme, the Summer Library Festival 2023, in July and August. With the theme “Nature Fun”, the HKPL will offer a diverse range of on-site and online activities for members of the public of different ages to discover the fun of reading and explore the abundant reading resources at public libraries.

     To cultivate children’s interest in reading, Storytelling Theatres and Story Sharing Sessions will be held at public libraries in various districts to enable children to experience the joy of story appreciation through interactive games, musicals or making story-related handicrafts. Storytelling Theatres and Story Sharing Sessions will be conducted in Cantonese, Putonghua or English.

     The HKPL will also organise a series of parent-child workshops, where parents and children will together create leaf collages, pressed flower bookmarks, toys with used materials, etc. Teenagers and adults can also participate in workshops designated for them, including the Leaf and Flower Pounding Tissue Box Workshop and the Nature-Inspired: Zentangle Bookmarks Workshop.

     Furthermore, an interactive storytelling device will take turns to be set up at public libraries in Tiu Keng Leng, Aberdeen, Lam Tin, Sham Shui Po, Tsing Yi and Yuen Chau Kok from mid-July to August. Members of the public can immerse themselves in different stories’ settings by controlling the avatar characters with motion detection devices and engage in story narration or be guided by the narrations of HKPL Story Ambassadors to complete interesting missions. 

     In addition, children can participate in online live workshops to learn drawing, make handicrafts and conduct simple scientific experiments. The HKPL will also organise nature-themed online reading clubs, subject talks, children’s book author sharing sessions and storytelling sessions. Videos about drawing techniques and handicrafts will also be uploaded onto the HKPL YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/hkplgovhkchannel) and the LCSD Edutainment Channel (www.lcsd.gov.hk/edutainment/en) in phases. 

     Public libraries in Southern District, Kwai Tsing District and Sham Shui Po District will organise activities on different topics in summer for participants to experience the fun of paper cutting and art creation; enhance their understanding and appreciation of Chinese traditional arts and cultural heritage in Hong Kong; and nurture children’s creativity and logical thinking, in order to encourage members of the public to make effective use of and learn more about the library resources in the districts.

     All activities are free of charge. Seat reservations or admission tickets are required for some of the programmes. Details of the Summer Library Festival 2023 can be found on www.hkpl.gov.hk/slf-en. Members of the public can also visit the “Reading is Joyful” Facebook page (www.facebook.com/readingisjoyful) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/readingisjoyful) for more information on different events of the HKPL.