In one of Borges’ famous short stories, ‘The Library of Babel’, the universe is a library of infinite number of hexagonal rooms housing identical but incomprehensible books. It is a universe inhabited and governed by tomes, and human beings are conspicuous by their absence. On CUHK campus, the universe for learning has been expanded by a number of learning commons, most notably the Library’s Learning Garden and that in the Wu Ho Man Yuen Building. Here, it is the books which are conspicuous by their absence.

The spaces are for students to fill in, connect with other intellectually curious souls, and to envelop themselves not with published ideas but with fermenting thoughts. Thus, they can sit, even sprawl; write in their iPads, or on the wall; debate with classmates, and challenge accepted views. New vistas are opened up for visitors and users.

CUHK has always been the place where China meets the West. In the person of Professor Leung Ping-chung, his knowledge of Chinese herbs has been admirably combined with Western clinical methods to help save lives and limbs. How? It will be made plain in ‘In Plain View’.

There is only one taste permeating the marshmallow days counting down to St. Valentine’s—sweetness. The French delicacy of macaron offered by the teaching diner of CUHK’s hospitality programme, in colourful assortments, will sooth your palate and melt some hearts. After reading ‘Mouth-watering Morsels’ in this issue, tweet your friends and treat your valentines.