Readers urged to report 'undesirable library' material

Readers are being asked to help get rid of any undesirable books that may endanger national security in public libraries, with new ways for readers to report questionable items.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said people should also look out books that "exaggerate violence, pornography and vulgarism."

Readers visiting libraries can express opinions through a designated form, which is available at all libraries as well as on the department's website.

"When filling out the form, people are required to submit information on the library material, title, relevant part, page number, text paragraph," it said yesterday.

"No replies will be given for opinions received. The data collected will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and will not be disclosed to third parties," it said.

The move comes after the LCSD pulled books written by pro-democracy heavyweights, including the late Szeto Wah, and publications related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in May.

Books by critics, including Chinese University associate professor Ma Ngok, political scholar Simon Shen Xuhui and cultural studies scholar Hui Po-keung have also been pulled.

A search for the authors on the public bibraries website shows: "No results were found for your search request."

Non-political books written by pro-democracy politicians were temporarily pulled as well, including former lawmaker Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee's reviews of Jin Yong's martial arts novels and Roy Kwong Chun-yu's romance novels.

The two's books were pulled in May but put back on the shelves last month.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has defended the removals, saying libraries must make sure their collection is "suitable for borrowing" while citizens can still buy books written by pro-democracy politicians from private bookstores.

"These books are accessible by people in bookshops. If they want to buy, then they can buy. What libraries need to do is to ensure that when there are books that may not be suitable for circulation, they have to do their duties," Lee said.

He added that public libraries must ensure there is no breach of laws and the books do not "spread any kinds of messages that are not in the interests of Hong Kong."