Hong Kong Library Association 50th Anniversary Public Lecture
Dr. KAN Lai Bing
Senior Adviser (HKU SPACE)
School of Professional and Continuing Education
The University of Hong Kong
Ms YU Ling Ling
College Senior Lecturer (Community College, HKU SPACE)
School of Professional and Continuing Education
The University of Hong Kong
About the Speakers
Dr. Kan Lai Bing graduated as a B.Sc from the Science Faculty of the University of
Hong Kong, studied at the University of California (Berkeley) as a Carnegie Scholar
and obtained two Master’s degrees (M.A., M.L.S.) in 1959. After her studies in the
States, she returned to Hong Kong and joined the University of Hong Kong Libraries
as a young professional, thus commencing her almost 50 years’ successful career in
the Library and Information Science field. During the 1960s, 1970s and in later years,
she continued her studies and research and earned a PhD degree at the University of
Hong Kong and later as well as professional qualifications from different countries.
During the period of 1972-1983, Dr. Kan was the University Librarian and Director of
the University Library System of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Between
1983-1999, she occupied the position of the University Librarian of the University of
Hong Kong.
From 1960s to 1980s, she was a few times elected as the Chairperson of the Hong
Kong Library Association (currently addressed as President). In 1990-1993, she was
elected President of the International Association of Orientalist Librarians. In 1994,
she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate (HonDLitt) by the Charles Sturt University,
Australia. In 1998, she was elected Honorary University Fellow by the University of
Hong Kong. Several times since 1990, she was elected by the Charles Sturt University
to be their Honorary Fellow.
Upon retirement from the University Librarian position in mid 1999, Dr. Kan
continued as the Senior Consultant of the University of Hong Kong Libraries until the
end of 2000.
In 2001, Dr. Kan was appointed Senior Consultant, HKU SPACE and since then she
has planned and led all the LIS programmes up to the end of August 2008. Very
recently, she has taken up the role of Senior Advisor at HKU SPACE.
For several decades, Dr. Kan put continuous efforts to the development of libraries
and librarianship as well as to promote the LIS profession in Hong Kong. Over the
years, she spared no effort in the development and expansion of programmes for
education and training of local library and information professionals. In 1964, she
planned the first Certificate Course for Library Assistants. In 1980, she organized the
first Diploma in Librarianship (graduate level), then cooperated with Charles Sturt
University to introduce the Graduate Diploma in Librarianship in 1990 and afterwards
the Bachelor, Master programmes in Hong Kong. Majority of the local LIS
practitioners had first benefited from such education and professional training, then
took advanced studies for higher degrees and obtained promotion to senior
administration. Credit should really go to Dr. Kan.
In 1980-1988, Dr. Kan was appointed Library Consultant of the University of Macau
and University of East Asia. Since 2000, she has held membership on the Public
Libraries Advisory Committee of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department,
Homes Affairs Bureau. In addition, since mid 1970s, she has served as Vice
Chairperson, Committee member and Advisor of the Patients Care and Library
Service Committee of the British Red Cross and Hong Kong Red Cross. She has also
been an Honorary Advisor of the Centre for Promotion of Chinese Culture for many
years.
Over the years, Dr. Kan has published many papers and articles, books and
bibliographies.
Currently, Dr. Kan holds appointments as Senior Advisor of HKU SPACE as well as
Honorary Senior Advisor at the University of Hong Kong Libraries.
Ms YU Ling Ling is currently the College Senior Lecturer of HKU SPACE
Community College and teaching the Higher Diploma Programme and was the tutor
for Charles Sturt University programmes, as well as the instructor for Certificate
Course for Library Assistants and Diploma in Teacher Librarianship course. Before
joining HKUSPACE in 2004, she held numerous positions responsible for
information and technical services in Hong Kong academic libraries from 1982-2003
particularly with lengthy services in Vocational Training Council Libraries, Hong
Kong Baptist University Library and Open University of Hong Kong Library. She
also worked for North York School Board and Ontario Ministry of Labour Library in
Canada from 1989-1992.
A Half Century Panorama of Library and Information Science
Education and Training in Hong Kong:
From 1958 to 2008 and Beyond
Abstract
The Hong Kong Library Association was established in 1958. This paper presents a
comprehensive picture of the education and training in library and information science
during the past half a century in Hong Kong. It gives an account on the development
of certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in full-time or
part-time mode through distance learning or campus-based studies with the provision
of the names of the academic institutions as well as the titles and brief descriptions of
the programmes. More detailed development is given on the local programmes
organized by Hong Kong educational institutions in the first decade of the twenty-first
century. The future trends of development, higher level programmes for education and
training, course contents, etc., are also discussed.