Can Hong Kong libraries win back readers? Public facilities try every trick in the book to lose ‘boring’ label amid rise of e-texts, pandemic habits

Hongkonger Garfield Leung Chun-kwan stepped out into a breezy November afternoon armed with a set of books he just borrowed from the new Sham Shui Po Public Library.

The 40-year-old training manager said he made about two trips a month to the library, drawn by its design which created a “relaxing environment”.

The two-storey library opened in March and has a spacious, open-ended layout flush with natural light from its large glass windows. Alongside books, it also has a multimedia library, computer centre and self-service kiosks.

But visitors who spoke to the Post said Hongkongers did not seem as drawn to the library as they expected, and the Covid-19 pandemic might be a factor.

“During the pandemic, we got used to staying at home and reading e-books,” Leung said. “It changed our habits … and maybe it’s made people less likely to go to the library.”

Despite pulling out the stops to expand offerings and modernise services, the city’s public libraries are struggling to bring back residents after years of pandemic restrictions.

Hongkongers made 18 million visits to public libraries in the first 10 months of the year, according to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.