We bagged silver & bronze medals @InDeLib Contest

The University of Malaya Library was awarded Silver and Bronze Medals in the International Innovation & Design in Library & Information Science Competition held on 26th May 2016 at Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort, Tanjung Bungah, Penang. Organised by the Faculty of Management, UiTM Merbok Kedah, the competition was divided into four categories :

i. Category A : Libraries
ii. Category B: Professionals, Academicians & Researchers
iii.Category C: Students – Institute of Higher Learning (IHL)
iv.Category D: Students / Teachers – School Resource Centers

The criteria of judgement were based on :

Originality / Creativity: Novelty and Uniqueness / Creative and Innovative idea
Practicality:Usefulness in solving the problem
Thoroughness:Level of completeness of the projects
Project Presentation

Altogether around 30 products/innovations were contested. UM Library presented two products namely :

i. Innovation through Physical Space : COLA (Silver Medal) where we highlighted the renovation of Reading Hall, Level 3, Central Library into Collaborative Learning Area (COLA) measuring 851 m² which includes :

The replacement of concrete wall to glass in order to maximize visual comfort and reduce energy.
Artificial lightings are reduced by installing fewer LED lamps because daylight is present.
The appearance of clerestory windows are used to admit diffused daylight that evenly illuminates the space.
Communal and social spaces for many different activities ranging from solitary academic work to technology-driven collaborative work and socializing.
Elements in design are directly related to accomplishing and expressing the learning outcomes through the use of natural lighting, materials that are engaging and durable and wood finishing which helped define these elements and tied them together into an entire esthetical space.
Communal spaces equipped with technologies that allow users to interact with digital resources – data, images, text and videos.
New amenities and furnishings to support diverse students/researchers’ working styles

The physical space with redefined and enhanced environment serves as a unique facility to students which is relevant to the changing needs of today’s users.

ii. Interaktif Portal : Innovation for Information Needs (Bronze Medal). Developed by Mr Mahbob Yusof, the portal is a gateway designed for registered users to access e-resources such as Past Exam Papers, subscribed online databases, links to open access databases, personalized and customizable. Personalization engine gives users the opportunity to create and populate a personalized MyLibrary. Provides online interactive publication supply service where users can request and check the status of request in real time. Interaktif collects, analyzes, and reports data related to the use of digital resources for various managerial and operational purposes especially to justify the growing expenditure.

UM Library is the only institution in the country which has a portal that serves as a one stop centre for information needs that has the following features :

Publication Supply and Interlibrary loan services which allow registered users to request items which are not available in the library. Books, journal articles, reports, conferences, theses, standards and patents can all be obtained from around the globe.
Suggestions for Collection Development which allow registered users to suggest books or journals to be acquired by the library subject to the availability of funds and on the teaching, learning and research requirements of the University.
Register Information Skills Session which allow registered users to select Sessions on how to use the online databases and EndNote Reference Management Software effectively based on their suitability
Ask us which allows users to make enquiries or provide comments
Survey to collect feedback on library services is also included. Users may review previous surveys.
Statistics of databases usage are gathered and collated using Google Analytics.
Personalized and customizable resources and alerts.