HK Public Libraries marks World Book Day and invites public to share the joy of reading beyond boundaries (with photos)

     To tie in with World Book Day, the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) Radio 5 held a ceremony to launch "Reading Beyond Boundaries on 23 April" at the Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL) today (April 23) to announce the highlight reading events this year.
 
     Participating guests in the ceremony shared their reading tips with the audience. There were also readers from different places joining the event "30-minute Read" on the theme "Reading Beyond Boundaries".
 
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, said that the LCSD had been making every effort to promote reading. Continuing last year's theme "Discover and Share the Joy of Reading", the LCSD will hold a series of activities covering various districts, age groups and media to encourage the public to read and to foster a reading culture.
 
     Starting this month, the HKPL will hold a series of reading promotion activities. These include the outreach paired activity "Fun Reading at Hong Kong Public Transportation", in which readers can read thematic picture books on transportation; "Share the Joy of Reading at 18 Districts" with reading activities rich in district features; the 4.23 World Book Day Creative Competition prize presentation ceremony and exhibition of award-winning entries; and "Meet-the-Authors 2019".
 
     In addition, the HKPL will collaborate with RTHK Radio 5 to introduce a new session in the radio programme "Stand By Me" from May onwards. Professionals, authors and celebrities will be invited to recommend books and share their reading experience. Old and young are encouraged to read together so that family members can share the joy of reading. Pop-up libraries have become increasingly popular since their first appearance. The next pop-up library will appear at the "2019 World Book Day Fest: Towards a Reading City – Folktaleoscope" co-organised by the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and the Education Bureau.
 
     Other guests attending the ceremony today included the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin; the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Leung Ka-wing; writer Lawrence Pun and artiste Jason Chan. Artiste Roger Kwok, the "lead-reader", shared the joy of reading with the audience.
 
     Reading is beyond boundaries. The HKPL, Shenzhen Library, the Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province and the Macao Public Library held the event "30-minute Read" simultaneously, aiming at cultivating a reading habit. A "Storyteller of the Theatre Wonderland" then led the participants to read a story book together, bringing children into the story world. Moreover, storytelling workshops were held at 34 other public libraries today.
 
     Details of the activities are available on the HKPL's website (www.hkpl.gov.hk) and its newly launched "Reading is Joyful" Facebook page (www.facebook.com/readingisjoyful) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/readingisjoyful).