Library Web search system wins award

Hong Kong's Public Libraries have won an award at a Malaysian technology exhibition.

The Multimedia Information System (MMIS), which was developed to let users search the library's catalogue over the Internet, won the prize for E-Government and Services at the annual Asia-Pacific Information and Communication Technology Awards held in Kuala Lumpur last week.

The awards were a part of Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor Expo.

This year saw 92 entries submitted from 10 countries competing for 12 awards.

The categories were assessed on the basis of their uniqueness, innovation, quality, potential and presentation.

Chan Cheuk-wah, senior librarian of Hong Kong Public Libraries, said the system offered high levels of scalability to cope with the increasing volume and range of information likely to be added to the database in the future.

MMIS users can search through 1.4 million pages of digital images and documents, including posters, maps, photos, newspapers, books and manuscripts.

The system also lists 70,000 audiovisual items and more than 70 online reference resources.

The system features an online booking service where users can reserve computer terminals, books, video or other documents at the Hong Kong Central Library up to a week in advance.

The MMIS previously came second in the application category of the Hong Kong Computer Society's IT Excellence Awards 2001. The system has also been nominated for next month's Stockholm Challenge Award.

The MMIS service is accessible via the Hong Kong Central Library's Web page at hkclweb.hkpl .gov.hk.