Library in need of new books and better facilities

OCT 8 to 13 was Libraries Week, an occasion to celebrate our muchloved libraries and a time to remind the public about the contributions libraries, librarians and library workers make to their communities.

As one who frequently uses public libraries, I would like to share my disappointment with the Tun Razak Library in Ipoh which I visited recently. This library is located in the middle of town next to a school and the magistrate court. The last time I visited this library was 20 years ago. However, I felt like time had stood still as it looked exactly the same and retained the same ancient rules and regulations, which was quite surprising.

I believe the staff there need to address a few issues in order to make the library user-friendly and attract more visitors. One is the borrowing rules. I found that I could not access the library catalogue online. In this day and age, one should be able to request and renew items from the website.

Charging cables are not permitted inside the library, and this was a shock to me because almost everyone needs his or her laptop, iPad or smartphone for their work nowadays. As far as I know, this rule only applies in this library. If this is because there aren’t many power sockets for charging purposes in the building, this problem could be easily fixed. People would then be motivated to use the library facilities more often, pre- venting it from turning into a forgotten monument.

I saw a small group of people who were there just to borrow books or read the newspapers. Setting aside space for a multimedia section complete with CDs and DVDs would attract a more diverse group of users, especially children and students.

Even the Internet connection is slow and some might feel discouraged when they cannot access the Web. As a result, many are forced to use another library nearby.

This library should also buy new books that are popular among the public. I noticed that the collection of fiction books is rather outdated, with authors like Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie still largely featur- ing on the shelves. To get a more contemporary collection in place, the community could be asked to provide feedback on the authors and types of books they would like to read.

Whenever I am in a public library, I feel like I am a member of a wider community and society, sharing a public space and service that I value highly.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel this at the Tun Razak Library in Ipoh. I sincerely hope the state authorities will look into these shortcomings and consider the suggestions in improving the conditions of the library.

ZARINA ZAINUDEEN Ipoh