In a landmark collaboration, the libraries and university presses of The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong are launching Open Books Hong Kong, a pioneering open access initiative, to foster global knowledge sharing and biblio-diversity. This is the first open access books programme in Hong Kong.
On 17 July 2024, the initiative releases nine books in the fields of humanities and social sciences. These Chinese-language works, authored by distinguished Hong Kong and international scholars, are freely accessible to the global community, demonstrating our commitment to the open dissemination of knowledge. Additional books will become openly available in the coming months.
Open Books Hong Kong not only showcases the high-calibre research published by Hong Kong's three university presses but also addresses the significant gap in open-access resources for Chinese-language monographs. This pilot programme, currently modest in scope, is a bold step towards a sustainable model for sharing the rich insights and discoveries of the intellectual community of Chinese and international scholars. The programme aligns with the goals of the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong to embrace open access for the benefit of the academic community and the general public as well as to contribute to the global open knowledge movement.
The initiative builds on the strengths of Hong Kong as a bridge between China and the rest of the world and will foster cross-cultural understanding. Benjamin Meunier, University Librarian of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, said: "Open Books Hong Kong stands as a testament to the generosity and forward-thinking nature of Hong Kong people, offering a treasure trove of knowledge to all who seek it."
