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In a landmark collaboration, the libraries and university presses of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, and The 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.”

For more information about the programme and to download the books, please visit our website at openbookshongkong.com.

List of open access books

Published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press

Cheng Chung-yi, Inheritance and Reinvention: Neo-Confucian Philosophy from Song-Ming to Contemporary
He Qiliang, The People’s West Lake: Propaganda, Nature, and Agency in Mao’s China, 1949–1976
Helen F. Siu, Tracing China: A Forty-Year Ethnographic Journey

Published by City University of Hong Kong Press

Xiaoshan Zhang, The Lawful Traditional Rights and Interests of the Indigenous Inhabitants of the “New Territories”
Chen Sihe, My Teachers
Fung Yee-wang, A Concise History of Human Civilization: The World through Chinese Eyes

Published by Hong Kong University Press

David A. Palmer and Elijah Siegler, Dream Trippers: Global Daoism and the Predicament of Modern Spirituality
Lucetta Yip Lo Kam, Shanghai Lalas: Female Tongzhi Communities and Politics in Urban China
Wu Yongmei and Lee Pui-tak, Graphic Images and Consumer Culture: Analysis of Modern Advertising Culture in China

Participating libraries and university presses

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
Run Run Shaw Library, City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong Press
The University of Hong Kong Libraries
Hong Kong University Press

Initiators of the programme (in alphabetical order of surnames)

By publishing high-quality titles, City University of Hong Kong Press aims to promote scholarship, enhance knowledge transfer, and disseminate knowledge and creative works to a wide audience. This partnership with local university presses and libraries is an excellent opportunity to make our scholarly works more accessible globally. Our participation in Open Books Hong Kong demonstrates our Press’s community engagement and commitment to sharing knowledge, which benefits academics, researchers, students, and the general public.
—— Edmund Chan (Director, City University of Hong Kong Press)

Asian scholars, publishers, and libraries working together to expand open access content can dramatically enhance and accelerate knowledge exchange, gradually reducing the persistent digital divide between “the West and the rest.” Hong Kong has unique advantages and can soon become an open access pioneer for the region.
—— Michael Duckworth (Publisher, Hong Kong University Press)

Open Access publishing is a quiet revolution of knowledge dissemination, aiming to share, at no cost, human knowledge and our cultural heritage throughout the world.  I am happy to see that the three major university libraries and presses in Hong Kong have collectively joined this emerging publishing trend through Open Books Hong Kong. I believe this initiative will benefit the academic community as well as the wider educated public.
—— Gan Qi (Director, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press)

As an academic library, CUHK Library works to inspire, inform, and support our university community and society in the broader sense. I am thrilled to see us launch Open Books Hong Kong, an initiative that embodies our commitment to knowledge dissemination and global collaboration. It is a meaningful step towards making the insights of our experts available to a wider public, fostering mutual understanding, and addressing global challenges.
—— Benjamin Meunier (University Librarian, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Being “open” means accessibility, receptiveness, transparency, and no restrictions. This initiative will certainly assist learners from different backgrounds to pursue knowledge on an equal basis. We hope to help drive the reach to corners of the world, and we will learn and adapt throughout this exciting journey.
—— Flora Ng (Chief Information Officer and University Librarian, The University of Hong Kong)

The Run Run Shaw Library plays an important role in partnering with the CityUHK community to advance research and innovation, foster knowledge exchange, and facilitate collaboration among institutions, scholars, and disciplines. It is our privilege to be a part of the Open Books Hong Kong initiative to pave the way for achieving effective and sustainable strategies to support the global scholarly community.
—— Stella Pang (University Librarian, City University of Hong Kong)