Library opening hours extended

The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has announced its plans to extend the opening hours of public libraries in Macau, as well as establish a trial for 24-hour access to the Red Market library.
The trial period is set to commence in September and will consist primarily of self-service facilities, with minimal library staff. According to the IC, security and cleaning staff will also be provided during the evenings.
Tang Mei Lin, director of the Department of Management of Public Libraries, told TDM that the trial period will last for six months after which time the department will assess the benefits provided by the scheme and determine whether it should be continued and applied to other libraries.
The extension of opening hours comes in response to an increased interest in reading and library use. According to Ung Vai Meng, President of the IC, the number of people registered for a library card grew by over 70 percent in 2015 and the frequency of book borrowings rose 25 percent year-on-year.