Are you ready to start afresh? “I read; I travel; I become,” a quote by Derek Walcott, the Saint Lucian poet and laureate of Nobel Prize in Literature, echoing the idea that reading brings forth new horizons and creates limitless possibilities in daily life; enabling us to regain strength and fortitude when we are down in the dumps. Themed on “Joyful Reading with You for 60 Years” and in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL), the 4th Hong Kong Library Festival is dedicated to travelling around the world of words and books with Hong Kong people despite ups and downs of the times. Let reading and life nourish each other as “Life / LIBRARY” entwined.

While the Festival lasts only for a period, it aims to establish a lifetime reading habit of Hong Kong people as reading becomes our everyday practice. The 4th Hong Kong Library Festival comprises four sections, namely "A Life of READjoicing”, “A Touch of Life”, “A Glimpse of Arts” and “A Click at Your Fingertips”, in order to connect everyday life and the arts with the initial idea of reading. Not only does the Festival launch live interactive experience, exhibitions and online activities, but it also leads us to experience the diverse fun of reading. The highlight programme of “A Life of READjoicing”, the “READiscovery / LIBRARY” interactive multimedia exhibition, unfolds the memories and evolution of the HKPL in the past 60 years with pieces of installation that integrate the arts with technology as well as traditional and innovative reading approaches, leading to the imagination of the infinite possibilities of reading.

In the interactive exhibition, the six experience zones, entitled "Travel in Time",

"Adventures in Succession", "The Odyssey of Collections", "Journey through the Virtual/Reality" and "Co-creation of Stories", together with "Exploration of Infinity" which is enclosed by the other five zones, connect Hong Kong people to the memories and stories around the HKPL. It all begins with the milestones and features of the libraries, followed by the spotlights on the developments of collections and systems. With interactive creations and virtual/reality reading experience, we can revisit the past, enjoy for the time being, and look ahead to the future while rediscovering the ties between life/LIBRARY.

Reading nourishes our living. Displaying how reading mirrors our everyday life, the section “A Touch of Life” presents various subject talks and handicraft workshops. Along with diverse performing arts programmes in “A Glimpse of Arts”, participants      can rediscover more while enjoying the arts and life as they are enjoying travelling. Not to be missed is the hub of online programmes, with “A Click at Your Fingertips”, the audience can co-read with authors and explore further one’s reading style. Public libraries in 18 districts are also offering on-site activities and outreach programmes to support stronger bonds within the communities.

To begin our journey with reading, let’s go with the HKPL and unfold joyful reading in the next 60 years. May our everyday life become more vibrant and dynamic with reading.