Riding the Tiger

Abstract

Hong Kong librarians face a period of intense change on two fronts: the rapid changes in technology and fluc tuations in resources that are common to all librarians; and the unique and fundamental change in political sta tus that will come to Hong Kong in 1997. Traces the political history of Hong Kong as a backdrop for the dis cussion of Hong Kong libraries and librarians (including a profile of the membership of the Hong Kong Library Association) compared with those of the Chinese People's Republic (PRC). While expressing pessimism about the PRC's inten tions, Hong Kong librarians neverthe less feel that the progress made in library provision, over the previous 30 years is solid enough to continue and survive the political and economic changes ahead.