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| Vice Rector IV of UMM, Muhamad Salis Yuniardi M.Psi., Ph.D., presented a memento to one of the representatives from the Maldives National University (MNU) (Photo: Faqih Public Relations). |
The Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) Library of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), together with the Indonesian Higher Education Library Forum (FPPTI) of East Java, welcomed another visit. This time, it was from the Professional Development Workshop on Library and Information Services (PDWLIS) of the Maldives National University (MNU) on July 31, 2024. The visit also served as a comparative study for Maldivian librarians in Indonesia.
Aminath Riyaz, one of the representatives from MNU, appreciated the white campus that has various adequate facilities for the library. “We came here to learn, transfer knowledge, and also establish relationships with UMM. In the future, there will certainly be cooperation, especially related to the library. UMM is a very large campus and still maintains the library maximally, as evidenced by the many awards received,” she added.
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Furthermore, she stated that academics currently need to nurture young people who care about libraries. She also expressed her gratitude to UMM for hosting the visit with various facilities provided, from the four-star accommodation at Rayz Hotel UMM to the campus tour.
On the other hand, Vice Rector IV of UMM, Muhamad Salis Yuniardi M.Psi., Ph.D., explained that the progress of civilization cannot be separated from knowledge. One of the sources of knowledge is books, which are commonly found in libraries. He also appreciated that many people still care about libraries amidst the changing times.
“We cannot deny that the current Generation Z is becoming lazy to read long texts, especially books with many pages. They prefer to read short writings and messages on their gadgets,” he stated.
According to him, one of the solutions to this issue is by bringing young people closer to information access through libraries. He also mentioned that the world is now very fast-paced in terms of technology. Conventional libraries can be modernized by transforming them into digital libraries that can be accessed anywhere and anytime.
“It seems that we need to develop digital libraries more massively. Through these libraries, all information can be accessed via smartphones, which indirectly makes it easier for Generation Z to learn,” he emphasized. (Faq/Wil/Fajr)
