After renovation intended to give citizens a superior reading environment, the reopening ceremony for the Library of Cultural Affairs Bureau of Hsinchu County was held together with the launch ceremony for the Book Start reading promotion activity. Facing the spacious and attractive space, Magistrate Chiu had fun reading with children to launch Book Start and also expressed the hope that, with the cooperation of the central government, every library in the county’s township can be renovated.
Over 100 people attended at the library’s reopening and Book Start baby reading promotion activity launch to see the new-look library. The event started with a dance performance by the Pre-K class children of Guo Shu-hui’s dance class and then the ribbon was cut by the County Magistrate and VIPs. Certificates of gratitude were presented to the donating units, the Cultural Bureau volunteers who had helped sort and place books on shelves while the library was closed, and Renai Junior High School Scouts. Free reading lucky bags were presented for the Book Start launch. The library prepared souvenirs for the first 100 visitors.
Magistrate Chiu stated that the library renovation project received funding of NT$4.05 million from the Ministry of Education under its 2015 library environment and equipment upgrading plans environmental improvement program and NT$700,000 under the equipment program in 2016. Donations of NT$500,000 were received from legislator Lin Wei-zhou, NT$400,000 from council deputy-speaker Chen Jian-hsian, and NT$100,000 from councilor Gao Wei-kai, and NT$2.13 million was raised by the county government itself. The overall cost of the renovation project was around NT$7.88 million. Magistrate Chiu stressed that the space is insufficient in every one of the county’s libraries or the buildings are illegal structures and the county government is determined to improve this situation so that children and adults have the best reading environment.
County Council deputy speaker Chen, Jian-hsian said that when he was young Zhubei City had just Zhubei and Liujia junior high schools but now there are seven and Zhubei’s population grows by 6,000 a year. In terms of education expenditure, Hsinchu County does not lag behind Taipei City and has more and better libraries that will drive an interest in reading and increase the cultural literacy of the county.
The library renovation project was carried out from January 11 to April 27 this year, 100 days in all. After renovation was completed, all staff and volunteers worked to sort out and shelve almost 200,000 books. The library greeted users with an all-new look when it opened after renovation. The children’s room and first floor reading space have been given a tree house look and the library now has a single counter, family toilet and nursing room, raising the overall service level and aiming to make the library the center of local life.