PRRLA members – The University of Hong Kong Library

As the oldest academic library in Hong Kong, the University of Hong Kong Libraries (HKU Libraries) has a legacy of promoting knowledge exchange through its special collections and developing many associated digital scholarship projects. By sharing data from these initiatives, HKU Libraries plays a pivotal role in the academic and cultural realms of the Pacific Rim region. Its distinguished collections ranges from early western books and journal titles about Far East and China like the Hankow Club, the Chater and the Morrison Collection to rich special collections in Fung Ping Shan Library.

Preserving Hong Kong’s Cultural Heritage

Established in 1971, the Hong Kong Collection is a vast collection encompassing books, serials, government publications, newspaper clippings, and non-print materials that shed light on almost every aspect of Hong Kong’s history and society. This collection significantly enhances the academic and cultural landscapes, providing unique and rare materials for multi-disciplinary research. Notable digitization projects in recent years include:

• Frank Fischbeck Collection: Spanning over a century, this collection’s 24,000 images document Hong Kong’s rich heritage.
• Hong Kong Chinese Merchants Collection: This collection highlights social, economic, and cultural histories through business records of notable firms and personal documents from prominent merchants.
• Commercial Radio Hong Kong’s Radio Drama Collection: Digitized episodes from 1966 to 1976 preserve a unique aspect of Hong Kong’s cultural history.
• Palmer and Turner (P&T Group) Collection: Showcasing architectural projects across East and Southeast Asia, this collection reveals the region’s architectural evolution.
  
  

The digital collections provide a valuable window into the past, enabling scholars to unravel Hong Kong’s complex history.

Enhancing Global Access to Chinese Heritage

HKU Libraries’ rich and unique Chinese collections are instrumental in augmenting resource sharing and research among scholars around the world. The rare book collection in Fung Ping Shan Library is one of the largest in Hong Kong, comprising more than 700 titles in 14,000 volumes, including Song and Yuan Dynasty editions, as well as block prints from the Ming Dynasty and manuscripts from the Qing Dynasty. Other special collections include genealogical materials mostly from clans in Guangdong and Hong Kong and some 1,500 pieces of stone rubbings engraved during the early 1900s. Several major collections including the ones listed below have been digitized for open access and new projects are being implemented or planned.

• Fung Ping Shan Library Rare Books Online: This project digitizes ancient Chinese literature from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. More titles will be added once resource is available.
• HKU Fung Ping Shan Library Wooden-Fish Books: These folk storytelling books, popular in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao since the 19th century and originating from the Ming Dynasty, include over 230 types printed from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China. They are invaluable for understanding regional storytelling traditions, social history, and the evolution of printing technology in Southern China.
• Luo Zhenfu Collection: This archive reveals the life and achievements of a Qing Dynasty imperial physician who relocated to Hong Kong in the 1930s, offering valuable insights into traditional Chinese medicine and his social life with some famous cultural and political figures.

Through focused digitization, HKU Libraries dissolve geographical barriers, expanding scholarly research opportunities. By leveraging AI and machine learning, these collections can be efficiently managed and analyzed, allowing researchers to access comprehensive information swiftly.

Collaboration Opportunities

As an active member of the Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance (PRRLA), HKU Libraries are committed to sharing and collaboration. We have contributed most of our digital collections’ metadata to the PRL repository site, broadening the academic community’s access to valuable resources. The PRL platform exemplifies our dedication to sharing efforts and resources with the global research community. Our continuous enhancement of collections aims to support both the local and international scholarly communities. Ongoing digital projects ensure future accessibility for global researchers, preserving our rich heritage and promoting cross-border knowledge exchange.

We encourage you to explore our digital collections and collaborative opportunities of participating in our ongoing projects. Your involvement and feedback are crucial in preserving our rich heritage and promoting knowledge exchange worldwide especially in innovation of project design and use of emerging technologies. Please visit our website to discover how you can benefit from and contribute to our resources.

For more information regarding The University of Hong Kong Library, you may refer to the website HERE.