Kuala Lumpur's first digital library opens

Dr Wan Azizah (front, third from left), accompanied by students from nearby schools, touring the newly operational digital library.

THE first fully digital library in Kuala Lumpur is now operational in Bandar Tun Razak, with more than 4,400 electronic books for visitors.

Pustaka KL Digital Madani was built by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) and is currently managed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

It is equipped with 28 desktop computers as well as 10 iPad devices, and also features an interactive section for children.

There are several private meeting rooms too that students can book to conduct group study sessions or project discussions.

DBKL Socioeconomic Development executive director Ismadi Sakirin said the library project was part of an agreement inked in January 2013.

“Under this deal, MRCB has built two other libraries as well – one in Lembah Pantai in 2015 and another in Gombak in 2017.

“This latest library is different because it is fully digital, unlike the first two which are conventional libraries,” he said during the launch.

The single-storey building for the digital library is the last one to be built under the agreement, according to a DBKL spokesperson.

Ismadi said the library had received more than 1,000 visitors with 260 registered as members since it was opened on Oct 17.

He said Kuala Lumpur now had 19 public libraries, 18 of which are managed by DBKL while the other is the National Library.

Guest-of-honour Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail thanked DBKL and MRCB for building and managing the libraries.

She hopes that a library will be built in Kepong and Cheras as there are currently no such facilities in those parliamentary constituencies.

“I strongly encourage more private players to work with DBKL in providing public facilities to benefit the community,” she said.

The digital library is open daily, except Mondays, the first weekend of every month, and public holidays.

Its opening hours are 10am to 6.45pm (Tuesdays to Fridays) and 10am to 5pm (weekends).

Also at the launch were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s aide Datuk Azman Abidin and former Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan.