FAMILY SHARES PASSION FOR BOOKS WITH THE PUBLIC
Zamri Misman and his family have turned their house into a library with 4,000 books lining the walls. Now, they’re sharing their passion for reading with the community. NUR AQIDAH AZIZI and KHAIRUL NAJIB ASARULAH KHAN have the story
NOTHING fancy will greet visitors to the home of Zamri Misman and his wife, Nor Azzah Momin, in Nilai Impian, Nilai. Instead, some 4,000 books, neatly organised on shelves, will amaze guests, fascinating them with a library’s warm and cosy ambience.
“It is a reflection of my family’s love of books and reading.
“Being surrounded by books instead of lavish house decorations brings satisfaction to not only me, but also to my wife and children, who are avid fans of books, too,” Zamri said.
Zamri, 45, who is Federal Court of Malaysia Chief Registrar’s Office (management division) director, said it was a family routine to visit a library each time they went for vacation locally or abroad.
“Some may see it (library) as a boring location, but for my family, our vacation will not be complete without visiting a library.”
His passion for books is shared by his wife and children, Muhammad Syafiq, 19, Syifa, 18, Balqis, 14, and Muhammad Bazli, 11.
This prompted them to turn their house into a library with books of various genres, ranging from light to heavy-reading topics.
The books are the family’s collection, labelled using standard library guidelines.
“My wife works as a librarian at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, and her experience and expertise in managing books come in handy.
“Each book can be traced using the Microsoft Excel software set up by my wife,” Zamri said.
“We used to have a log book system, where all the books were recorded in a log, but it is easier to trace our books using the software. It is more efficient.”
He said his love for books started when he was young.
“During those days, buying books was a luxury that not many could afford. I had to borrow books from a small library in my hometown at Felda Bukit Senggeh in Jasin, Melaka, to satisfy my craving for books.
“I furthered my studies in law at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia. At that time, I had started collecting books; buying them using my savings. It was one of the happiest moments in my life.”
When he landed a job years later, Zamri said he did not let the opportunity to buy books using his salary go to waste.
“I ended up buying books every week. It is a satisfaction that I cannot describe.”
He said his book collection expanded when he got married.
“She (his wife) is a book lover herself. This mutual love for books, plus our children’s collections, has resulted in the number of books in our home.
“I allocate about RM4,000 a year to buy books for the family.
“Going to the library as well as spending time at bookshops and book festivals are something that we do together as a family. It brings us closer.”
With their book collection growing, Zamri said it occurred to him that they needed a big space for the books.
“We did not think twice when the idea to turn the house into a mini library came to mind. But, of course, we needed to invest money to ensure that the proper settings could be built.”
He forked out RM20,000 for a small renovation, which included setting up bookshelves at the living room and other areas at the house.
“Looking at the result of the renovation, I must say it is the best house decoration for bookworms like us.”
Zamri is also a member of Little Free Library (LFL) United States and placed a small shelf outside his house filled with books. Anyone can read the books for free.
Nor Azzah said they wanted to cultivate the reading habit among the community and encouraged them to be a part of LFL.
“More than 40 books are placed on our LFL shelf, and we change the titles every fortnight. Those who like what they read are allowed to keep the book. “The shelf is open 24 hours. “Those who want to read the books can stop by anytime. They do not have to register or sign up if they want to read books from the shelf. It is a small contribution from us to encourage reading among people.”
She said what made the LFL project interesting was when more people started contributing their books to be shared with others.
“I do not know who has contributed, but I take it as a sign of support from the community.
“What is important is that LFL is well received, especially among children, who have been our loyal guests since day one.
“I hope this culture will expand in this country.”