Members of Reading Programme for Children and Youth and library volunteers awarded (with photos)
The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department held a certificate presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Central Library today (November 17). More than 40 members of the 2017-18 Reading Programme for Children and Youth received awards for their efforts in library reading while volunteers enthusiastic in assisting with library services in the same year were rewarded with Gold Awards of the Voluntary Helpers Scheme.
The Reading Programme for Children and Youth aims at encouraging readers to share their reading tips and participate in library activities apart from reading. The programme continues to attract an enthusiastic response with nearly 10 000 new members this year. Twenty-two members received Star of the Month awards with their reading reports, in which the seven best were awarded Reading Supernova. Eighteen members of the programme participating in the most sessions of the Monthly Meeting of Joyful Reading were awarded Elite of Joyful Reading medals.
The HKPL hopes that by participating in the programme recommended by schools, students can build up their reading habits on campus. The five schools that successfully nominated the largest number of members in the year, namely Ying Wa Primary School, Good Health Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten (Ma On Shan), Good Health Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten (Tsing Yi), St Stephen's Church Primary School and Kindergarten and SKH Yan Laap Memorial Primary School, were presented with Most Active School in Promoting Participation awards.
Five schools with the highest total number of books read by their nominated members won the Most Active School in Promoting Reading awards. The winning schools are W F Joseph Lee Primary School, SKH Yan Laap Primary School, SKH Tin Wan Chi Nam Primary School, Aberdeen St Peter's Catholic Primary School and Hong Kong Baptist Convention Primary School.
Members of the public, through the Voluntary Helpers Scheme, can assist in providing library services on a voluntary basis while at the same time learn more about resources and facilities of public libraries. Three volunteers providing services of more than 100 hours this year received Gold Award certificates in recognition of their contributions to society.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Libraries and Development), Miss Rochelle Lau, encouraged students to learn writing techniques, improve writing skills and develop their own writing styles through reading. She also thanked the students, parents, teachers, schools and everyone supporting the two programmes.
Since its launch in 1984, the Reading Programme has encouraged the participation of children and youths from kindergarten to Secondary Six. To promote paired reading, children from kindergarten to Primary Three can join the family category with their parents. People interested in participating in the coming year's Reading Programme may contact any public library or visit www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/extension-activities/event-category/23427/reading-programme-for-children-and-youth.
