Change needed to make national libraries more interesting



source: Google Image


KUALA LUMPUR: Boring, unexciting places that one would go to only if they had to. That was the honest answer given by some Malaysians when asked about the national libraries.


Some also found the library a place that is only suitable for children and university students. They believe the library is of no benefit to those past those ages.


Some Malaysians see the library as merely a place to search for references for their studies or research fields. It would be unfair to label these people as those who are not keen readers.


One may say this is because reading materials now have gone beyond what is printed on paper. We now have smartphone applications that feature all sorts of reading materials.


Perhaps, gaining access to such material no longer necessitates a visit to the library.


It is a different scenario at popular bookstores such as MPH, Kinokuniya, Borders and warehouse-type bookshops that sell books at a discount.
The number of visitors to such places is evidently greater than to libraries.
This quashes the theory that the latest technology has killed the public’s interest in reading printed books.


Interestingly, many are more willing to buy books from such bookstores than to read them for free at the libraries in the country. Why is this so?


Many studies have been done on the importance of environment in stimulating the interest of a person toward an activity or hobby.


An encouraging environment is a motivational factor in a person’s life. In addition to boosting a person’s work spirit, it can also help a person enjoy the time spent in a place, such as a library.


read more: The Borneo Post

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