For many years now, several delapidated buildings at the end of Rua da Ribeira do Patane have been awaiting demolition. But then the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) decided to give them a second life and recently converted them into the Patane Library, which opened on December 9 last year.
Lo Chi Keong, Head of the IC Division of Reader Services and Promotion says that the Bureau began renting and renovating these seven buildings, featuring a unique balcony structure, at the end of 2010.
Since these buildings were constructed more than eight decades ago on reclaimed land, and have undergone a series of alterations and additions, as well as a long periods of standing idle without proper maintenance, the authorities faced serious challenges during the revamp.
Apart from having to reinforce the foundations and repair the severely damaged areas, the IC team also had to be careful to preserve the unique characteristics of the buildings, while also making sure that they could sustain the weight of all the books and readers.
The result of all this effort is a spacious new library with a modern interior design. The once shabby walls have been repainted to become a colourful facade. A glass-ceiling foyer leads to the main information desk, with a newspaper reading area on the right and a children’s reading area on the left, all well-lit and with old doors and window frames hung on the walls as decoration.
The second and third floors are the bookshelves, reading areas and an audio-visual area, with DVDs of movies and documentaries available for readers. The IC has announced that the Patane Library will focus on film and music, with the first screening activity taking place on January 14, featuring the documentary Farming on the Wasteland by local director Tracy Choi.
In a city where openings usually mean a new hotel, casino or luxury residential complex, this new library for all Macau residents is a very welcome addition for 2017.
