There are many ways to measure a long career in a university library. You could count the thousands of books carefully cataloged. The printer crises defused with the calm of a hostage negotiator. The lost items reunited with their deeply embarrassed owners. And, of course, the gentle art of waking up students who have face-planted into their textbooks roughly four minutes before closing time.
But on 4 June, we celebrated something far more meaningful than any of that.
The Library takes enormous pride in the devotion of our long-serving staff, who have been part of every milestone since HKUST first opened its doors in 1991. Thanks to their hard work, the University has grown - remarkably quickly - into a leading institution with a genuine international reputation.
On June 4, 2026, the University held its Long Service Award Presentation Ceremony to recognize employees for their 20, 30, or 35 years of dedicated service as of 2025 - welcoming 149 new members into the distinguished circle of recipients. Awardees were presented with an exquisite gold coin, a pendant, and a silver coin respectively, as trophies befitting their commitment.
And we were especially proud to honor ten of our remarkable Library colleagues who have completed 30 or 35 years of full-time service.
Together, these ten bring centuries of combined experience and quiet, steadfast commitment. We would happily list each of their names here in glowing detail - but a few of our honorees politely requested that we don't, on the grounds that 30 or 35 years of service does tend to give away a certain mathematical clue about one's age.
We respect this completely. As far as anyone is concerned, these colleagues are ageless library wizards who simply materialized one day, fully formed, holding a perfectly cataloged shelf.
What we can tell you is this: whether building collections, untangling technology problems, keeping our spaces warm and welcoming, or patiently answering the exact same question for the four-thousandth time without so much as a sigh, they have helped make the HKUST Library a true academic home. Generations of students, researchers, professors, and alumni have benefited from their kindness and professionalism.
At the ceremony, we witnessed happy faces wearing the kind of smiles that could light up the darkest corner of a room. They were joined by colleagues who showed up with vibrant bouquets, eye-searingly bright neon signs, and the sort of thunderous cheering you'd normally only hear at a sold-out concert.
The day was crowned with a full ensemble group photo featuring the entire Library team - a cast so large it makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe look a little understaffed.
For extra fun, the ceremony featured photo booths with props, as well as AI photo booths. Some awardees were spotted pulling gloriously childlike expressions, the finger-gun pose you'd recognize from Charlie's Angels, and assorted thumbs-up and heart gestures. Others got more adventurous, surrendering happily to the AI filters that transformed their faces into full-blown Pixar characters.
After years of staying calm through system crashes, impossible deadlines, and the occasional spot of library chaos, our awardees were finally granted official permission to be a little silly - and the result was plenty of laughter and some genuinely inspired posing.
Beneath the playful photos lies a deeper truth. These moments reflect the warmth, reliability, and good humor our colleagues have shown year after year. In a fast-moving world, they remind us that the most valuable contributions are often the steady ones - the consistent care and dedication that turn a library into a real home for learning.
To our ten Long Service Award recipients: thank you. You have not only witnessed the University's growth - you have helped shape it. Your dedication continues to inspire us all.
Congratulations once again. We are truly fortunate to have celebrated you yesterday, and even more fortunate to keep working alongside such wonderful colleagues - now, officially, certified photo-booth legends (whose ages remain a closely guarded library secret).
Erin Chan
Assistant Officer (Research Support)
lberin@ust.hk
