Ignite Talk 

Expanding the Horizons: A Library Goes Beyond its Four Walls

A library is not just a safe space for reading. It has multiple roles, from knowledge exchange to community building, place-making etc.

In this talk, Nose in the Books founder Dr Chloe LAI will share the journey behind Hong Kong's only non-profit humanities library and the library’s initiatives on making communities.

She will highlight the library’s effort to deepen its connection with the hosting community through the Causeway Penguin project. With a blend of curiosity and humour, the flâneur Penguin crafts engaging non-fiction tales that highlight the area's people, flora, fauna, urban spaces and history.

She will also share the library’s podcast, which was started to facilitate knowledge exchange.

Bookcast HK is a monthly podcast about books related to Hong Kong. Each episode features conversations with authors, editors, and scholars, who explore themes that resonate with the local communities. 

Presenter 

Nose in the Books is Hong Kong's first non-profit humanities library. Established in 2019, the library features a diverse collection of books from retired professors, covering topics like Hong Kong, gender, culture and urban studies, literature and philosophy. We host cultural activities on weekends, including reading groups, book talks and community guided tours. In late 2021, our dedicated team launched a community project called “Causeway Bay Penguin”, sharing the adventures of a delightful character Causeway Penguin on social media and its website. The team also produce a monthly podcast titled Bookcast HK since October 2022.