Tuesday, July 5 2005
The Open University Malaysia (OUM) Friday invited students of higher learning institutions to take advantage of its digital library for easy access to a wide range of subjects and journals.
Its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr Anuwar Ali said that OUM was providing the facility in line with its role in promoting Malaysia as a centre of excellence in education.
He said a student's learning process would only be effective when they began to read regularly and extensively.
"They must be encouraged to read as much as possible for a wider paradigm," he said at a media conference after the launch of the OUM Book Fest, Friday.
He said research by the National Library last year showed that 93 percent of Malaysians from the age of 10 were literate but stopped reading by the age of 24 when most would limit their readings to newspapers and magazines only.
Prof Anuwar added the e-library's fees were affordable to those with the urge to gain knowledge as its contents were unlimited and upgraded on a daily basis.
OUM's digital library boasted over 24,000 e-books and access to over 35,000 e-journals and online databases covering the humanities, social sciences, science and technology.
Twenty-seven work stations provide internet access while wireless connection is also available on site.
Users elsewhere can log on to the portal (www.oum.edu.my) to reserve books, to renew and check items on loan.
Annual fees range from RM25 for primary and secondary school students to RM300 for commercial and industrial firms, in addition to a processing fee of RM25.
The second OUM Book Fest 2005 will run for the next three days at its campus grounds here, displaying more than 500 books of academic and general subjects.
Source:
http://www.bernama.com
