The Use of Public Libraries During the SARS Outbreak in March to May 2003
 

Agnes Lee

Public Libraries Liaison Officer
 

The Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) is one of the public services in the HKSAR which are most heavily patronized by the general public.  The outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong at the end of March had an immediate effect on the library operation and patronage.  Special guidelines for enhanced cleansing and disinfection practices were implemented in the Libraries. Arrangements were made for distributing face masks to frontline staff as well as to library patrons who were in need of them.

 

An analysis of issue statistics of the HKPL in March, April & May indicates that the overall usage has not been much affected by the SARS outbreak.  In these 3 months, the issue of library materials was recorded at more or less the same level, ie., 167,300, 169,600 and 173,400 respectively.  Compared with same time last year, the issue of library materials had risen by 9.53%, 9.66% and 7.47% respectively.  The increase was mostly due to the opening of the Fu Shan Public Library and the re-provisioning of the Fanling Public Library.  Internet renewal, however, surged by 50% in March, 28% in April and 20% in May.  Interestingly, the issue of children's books recorded a higher rate of increase (15% in April & 12.4% in May) than adult's books (4% in April & 6.4% in May).  Parents had a much greater need for books to engage their children when schools were closed.

 

A corresponding analysis of attendance statistics of the Libraries, however, gives a quite different picture.  The total attendance in April dropped by 25.27% whilst that of May by 7.19% when compared with same time last year.

 

The impact of SARS was most pronounced at the Central Library which recorded 4 SARS infected cases among its staff.  The Toy Library was consequently closed until 26 May.  The average daily attendance in April dropped to 7,972 (50%) and in May to 11,863 (26%).  Extension activities for children were cancelled or postponed.  So were school visits.  Very few children came to Children's Library in end-March and April.  Adult patrons only paid brief visits, often to borrow books for their children.  The books returned via book drops increased whilst the attendance and issue rate at HKCL in April dropped by 50% and 12% and in May by 26% and 12% respectively.  As expected, there were huge increases in telephone and Internet renewal of books.  Whilst walk-in patrons were few in the reference libraries, remote users of the reference and enquiries service increased.  Parents anxious about their children's development called for advice about online resources that may be read by their children.  In view of community's concern for the epidemic, the Reference Library arranged book displays and distributed booklists on "infectious diseases" and "crisis and risk management" and links to web resources on SARS were set up at the library website for reader's reference.

 

Public Library is very much part of the life of many people, both as a source of reading materials and information as well as a place for spending one's leisure time.  It remained as important during the outbreak of the epidemic.  The alienation and barriers in interpersonal contact existed in our public libraries as much as in other public places.  However, thanks to technology and the Internet, they can still reach out to people in a distance and be of service to them in many ways.  By now, public library services are back to normal and all are happy that the colleagues who were taken ill are well and back to work again.