Newsletter No. 1

CUHK Newsletter How a library was moved Delving into the Past Never have I seen Chung Chi College more united,' says Dr. Philip Shen, referring to the occasion when some 120,000 books were moved to the Chung Chi new library by students, staff and staff spouses in two days in the autumn of 1971. Dr. Shen, senior lecturer in religion, has taught in Chung Chi College for nearly 28 years. To him, the removal of the Chung Chi library is one of the most memorable events and it is at his suggestion that the Newsletter digs into the background of the story. The building which houses the Music Centre today was in the sixties the library of Chung Chi College. As the college gradually expanded, more space was needed for both students and books and the construction of a new library was planned. By early 1971, the new library - the Elizabeth Luce Moore Library, was almost complete, and people began to ponder how best the books should be removed Some suggested that the task should be given to professional packers and movers. But then the library had to be closed for a considerably long period, because packing and reloading could be very time-consuming. Some proposed that the college should mobilize its students to form a 900-metre long human chain from the old library to the new library and that the books be passed along by hand from one end of the chain to the other. This could save both time and money, they said. But could the college mobilize enough students? After a lot of debate and discussion, the late Dr. Yung Chi Tong, then head of Chung Chi College, decided to take the risk. Once the decision had been made, preparation work went full speed ahead. In August, all teachers and students were encouraged to borrow as many books as possible and not to return them until after the new library had opened. Library staff also began to pack the books together in small bundles, starting from those least frequently borrowed. At the same time, Mrs. Sylvia Shen, former librarian of Chung Chi College, appealed for volunteer helpers to sign up. Over 200 students responded, which was most encouraging. But just in case some might not show up on the important day, Mrs. Shen took the precaution to request teachers and their spouses who lived on the campus to give a helping hand. The day finally came - it was a fine weekday in late October. So many students, teachers, wives and even children turned up at different times of the day that the organizers simply lost count of the number of volunteer helpers. At the peak of the operation, there were four parallel human chains stretching from the old library to the new. They sang together as they passed the books along and spirits reached an all-time high. Their excitement was infectious: it brought the children from the nearby St. Christopher's Home to the campus, who eagerly joined the action and the fun. Dr. Philip Fu of the Department of Accountancy was then a member of the organizing committee for the library removal. He remembers distinctly that Dr. Yung Chi Tong was there all the time in full charge of the operation, distributing sweets to the helpers to boost their morale. 'In the middle of the operation, however, it started to rain. We had Dr. Lu Hui Ching, director of student counselling of the college, station in the college canteen to keep watch all day. When it rained heavily, she'd beat a drum to tell the helpers to disperse. When the rain stopped, she'd beat the drum again to assemble everybody,' Dr. Fu recalls. 'In the meantime, we searched frantically for plastic bags to protect the books from rain.' The operation lasted for two days, each day from 7 am to 9 pm, with short