Books and Their Stories
dal 7/6/2006 al 29/7/2006
Segnalato da
University Museum and Art Gallery
7/6/2006
Books and Their Stories
University Museum and Art Gallery - UMAG, Hong Kong
The exhibition will feature a number of valuable books from the rare book collection of the Libraries, some of which belonged originally to historical and literary figures, including Robert Morrison, the first Protestant missionary to China etc.
Gems from the University of Hong Kong Libraries Collection
This exhibition is jointly presented by the Libraries and the University
Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong. It will feature a
number of valuable books from the rare book collection of the Libraries,
some of which belonged originally to historical and literary figures,
including Robert Morrison, the first Protestant missionary to China; Lu
Muzhen, Sun Yat-sen's first wife; and Hsu Ti-shan, a well-known essayist and
novelist etc.
Founded in 1912, the University of Hong Kong Libraries is the oldest and
largest academic library in Hong Kong. Over the past few years the Libraries
have put special emphasis on collection development. Its printed collection
has grown to over 2.4 million volumes, some of which are rare and unique.
Equally remarkable is the growth of its e-book collection. It has taken only
seven years for the Libraries to accumulate one million e-books, after it
first began acquiring web-based e-books in the year 2000, making it the
world’s first library to do so.
This exhibition celebrates the launch of the University of Hong Kong
Libraries' one millionth e-book. It will recount how the library has built
up its wonderful rare book collections and describe the way in which the one
millionth e-book has been created.
Among the highlights of the exhibition are a beautifully produced 1798
edition of George Staunton's An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the
King of Great Britain of China, published in 1798 in five volumes and a rare
copy of the Si ku quan shu (a collection of reference works up to the
eighteenth century), which is believed to have originated in the collection
of the Wenyuange (Wen Yuan Pavilion) at the Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer
Palace). The former is a genuine and copious account of Lord George
Macartney's mission to the court of the Qing emperor Qianlong from the King
George III between 1792 and 1794, and is the only copy that exists in the
world. The Libraries have chosen this to be digitized as its one millionth
e-book.
The opening of the exhibition and launching ceremony of the HKUL one
millionth e-book will take place on Thursday 8 June 2006 at 6:00 p.m.
Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice-Chancellor, and Dr Anthony Ferguson,
University Librarian, The University of Hong Kong will officiate at the
ceremony.
Vernissage: Thursday 8 June 2006 at 6:00 p.m.
The opening hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.
University Museum and Art Gallery
University of Hong Kong 2241 5512 - Hong Kong