A Message from Diana Chan

Dear HKLA members,

I took on the presidency of the Hong Kong Library Association with excitement and fear. In fact, I do not have much experience in HKLA. I must confess that Ms. Louise Jones, our former president (2017-2018), inspired me to give back to Hong Kong society in my profession. That simple message was so powerful and meaningful. It was stuck in my heart and could not be shaken off. People who are close to me know that I have other community services, locally and globally. As such, I have this excuse that I am too busy. However, it is true that I have not served much in my profession, other than fulfilling my full-time job duties. So here I am. It should be my turn to serve in HKLA and contribute before I retire.

We had the first Council Meeting last Friday, Jan 4, 2019. When I left the meeting, I felt relieved. The strong motivation of all Council members have impressed me. Many of them have served on the Council for a number of years, voluntarily. Together we hope to achieve the objectives of HKLA – to develop policies in library services, form a network of communication, represent members’ interests and encourage professional development.

Among the many priorities we have discussed, expanding membership is of the utmost importance. It is not a matter of membership fees – we have a healthy budget. When we join HKLA, we have this sense of belonging. It is a family of colleagues without institutional boundaries. It is a community of practice sharing concerns and interests together. It is a circle of professional connections. It is a network of mentorship. You will receive our reminders on membership renewals. Please act promptly and encourage your colleagues or fellow students to join HKLA. Be HKLA’s ambassadors!

We are still exploring the annual plan of activities, which will very likely include the following:

• Talks about professional library education
• Talks about city public libraries
• The Hong Kong Library Education and Career Forum
• Local visits
• An overseas library visit
• Our Annual General Meeting dinner
• Awarding the Heleni Linton Bursary
• And more

Lastly, I hope to see you at our activities during the year. I also encourage you to take part in some roles in which you could help in HKLA. We will make announcements later.

Yours Sincerely,
Diana Chan