| Universiti Putra Malaysia

UPM launches READ@UNI to foster a reading culture among campus community

By Khairul Anuar Muhamad Noh


SERDANG, April 12 - The Sultan Abdul Samad Library of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) launched the Read@Uni programme to increase the percentage of reading habits among university community by 2020.

UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dato' Dr. Aini Ideris, said students of the new millennium should be more active and progressive when adopting a reading culture. 

She said, as a group that exists in the information and intellectual cycle, students need to create a strong knowledge culture that sets as an example for the next generation.

"UPM welcomes the aspirations of the programme and activities to enhance reading habit for the purpose of recreation and knowledge literacy in producing a society that thinks critically, in fostering reading habit and in supporting lifelong learning.

"This is an effort that aims to create a reading society that is passionate towards knowledge and to expand the tradition of knowledge and intellectual discourse in the society. The programme will promote reading habits among the students, lecturers, university community as well as the surrounding communities," she said at the launching of Read@Uni UPM 2019 at Radin Umar Engineering Auditorium, Faculty of Engineering,UPM.

Also present were the National Library director-general, Datuk Nafisah Ahmad, and Chief Librarian of Sultan Abdul Samad Library, Muzaffar Shah Kassim.

The programme is a continuum of an earlier programme initiated by the Ministry of Education which was launched by its Minister, Dr. Maszlee Malik on November 29, 2018. 

"We need to be actively involved in all programmes and activities that have been  prepared in order to realise the government's aspiration and goal in making Malaysia a reading nation by 2030," said Prof. Aini.

She said the Read@Uni UPM 2019-2020 campaign was launched on October 1, 2018 based on the Garis Panduan Pelan Tindakan Bersepadu Program Penggiatan Budaya Membaca Institusi Pendidikan Tinggi Malaysia.

She added that nine special programmes have been designed that involve all departments in UPM and university community:

  • Enhancement of library infrastructures, services and facilities
  • University debate programme
  • Seminars/workshops on writing and publishing
  • Knowledge discourse and waqf
  • Read@Uni reading promotion programme
  • Smart partnership programmes to foster a reading culture
  • Designing information literacy programme
  • Library 4 U
  • Customer Appreciation Day

The Chairman of the Read@Uni UPM 2019 committee, Muzaffar Shah Kassim, said UPM has introduced several awards to further boost reading habits while enhancing the use of various information sources by the UPM Library to selected individuals based on the following criteria:

  1. Top Book Borrower for students and staff categories
  2. Reading icons, by announcing five reading icons identified among the Lecturers, Management and Professional, Implementers and Students. These icons will promote the programme and related activities throughout the campaign.

"The Read@Uni UPM portal launched today displays complete information on Read@Uni UPM and programmes and activities planned for next two years such as the Read@Uni Infographics poster and the Springer Nature Online Quiz.


"The hand over of books to representatives of colleges, faculties, services and institutes symbolises the Read@Uni UPM Reading Corner Competition. Every department in UPM needs to create a reading corner that will be judged by the jury," Muzaffar said. 

He said at the ceremony that they would also introduce the UPM library student volunteer group who will be involved in various knowledge carnivals and community service activities. - UPM

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