You have probably already seen the new carrels on LG4.  We went with a colourful mix in a 'hexagon' or honeycomb arrangement.  We changed the carpet too, giving a more engaging and dramatic visual effect. Why this change?  Previously, that area held several large reading tables and a collection of sofas.  For the past couple of years we have been receiving complaints about noise travelling from there to higher floors, especially LG3 and G/F.  And the recent LibQUAL user survey showed a strong student demand for more individual study carrels.  And the sofas were really being underutilised, and sometimes used for sleeping instead of studying. So we killed two birds with one stone, as the western saying goes. Groups of students discussing were switched to individual study options meeting user demands for quiet individual study space.

From Aug 2024 to Aug 2025, scholars from HKUST have published a total of 17 books, as indicated in our Institutional Repository.

What is ILLiad? I bet this question comes to most of your minds immediately when you read the title. It is our interlibrary loan system used since 2004! ILLiad is totally separate from the operating system we used in managing the Library. Each user has to register as an ILLiad user before placing a request and we staff have to install its software in order to process your requests. Do you remember this login page? As of 30 May 2025, we stopped receiving new requests through ILLiad. After wrapping up with outstanding requests, ILLiad finished its 21-year service for our library in June 2025. Let’s give a big hand to ILLiad for serving our community for over two decades! What’s new?

Writing the text for the project Tales from a 1493 World Map: Playing with Augmented Reality (AR) was meant to be a straightforward task - just a bit of history, a touch of mythology, and voilà, a finished story. In reality, it turned into a full-scale expedition through time, culture, and a bestiary of fantastical creatures that make Godzilla seem downright tame. Though my journalism background prepared me for chasing deadlines and digging for facts, tackling a 1493 German medieval map brimming with monsters borrowed from Greek, Roman, and other mythologies was an entirely different challenge. Let’s just say neither history nor myth was accompanied by a user guide. For an entire month, Tory, the Head of the library’s Research & Learning Support, and I became part-time historians and mythical creature specialists. We scoured the HKUST library as if it were a treasure trove, navigating dusty tomes and digital archives from museums across Europe and North America. We encountered ancient manuscripts, encyclopedias, and artistic interpretations that looked like the creative output of medieval monks during a very long sermon. The greatest challenge? Distinguishing fact from fiction - or, as I came to call it, playing medieval myth-whack-a-mole. One source portrayed a beast as a noble fire-breather; another insisted it was merely an irritable lizard with attitude problems.

Hey students and staff! Ready for some thrills? Our new horror film display, featuring over 100 DVDs, is here to get you excited! Whether you are looking for a good scare or a creepy vibe for a cozy movie night, we have got you covered. From classic thrillers like The Shining to modern favorites like Get Out and Longlegs, the display offers something for every horror fan. Don’t miss our selection of Asian titles, such as the iconic 呪怨  (Ju-on) and the must-see Korean zombie flick 부산행 (Train to Busan). If you want some laughs mixed with chills, カメラを止めるな! (One Cut of the Dead) is a must-watch! We are also featuring 5 streaming films, including Smile 2 and Summer of 84. Grab your friends and get ready for a spooky good time! These films are perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit or taking a thrilling break from studying.