A Malaysian slams the National Library after empty shelves were spotted, triggering debate over declining reading culture and access to books.
A Malaysian recently expressed dissatisfaction over the current state of the National Library, after it was reportedly found to have empty bookshelves.
“What is the point of having a library if there are no books to be found? This is an embarrassment to all of us,” the Reddit post read.
According to the post, an accompanying image showed several rows of empty shelves.
To the reader’s dismay, former book collections “spanning languages and genres” were said to have gone missing.
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The post further claimed that the books had either been disposed of or relocated elsewhere, while the remaining history books were allegedly not available for public borrowing, as they were part of a programme in which materials were loaned to other libraries by various agencies.
It was also alleged that library staff were difficult to locate, as they were not “in sight”.
Another concern raised by the avid reader was that the children’s section had been “closed until further notice”, which was particularly upsetting as it meant that children would no longer be able to “indulge” in the same experience of borrowing encyclopaedias and other books.
“What is the point of having a national library if the shelves are empty, with even the most basic books missing, and other books not available for public borrowing?
“It is incredibly disappointing and upsetting to witness the dismal and, quite frankly, unacceptable state of our library.
“Our libraries are in this condition, and yet we wonder why our children no longer enjoy reading. The government needs to do better and restore libraries as places for reading and learning,” the post concluded.
Netizens echoed similar sentiments, reflecting on what they perceive as a rapid decline in reading culture, particularly among the youth in the country.
“The reading culture is well and truly dead in Malaysia,” one user lamented.
Others pointed out that fewer people are turning to physical books, as e-books are more accessible and cost-effective, which they believe has contributed to the decline in readership.
One social media user also added that Malaysia has 879 bookstores nationwide, drawing a comparison with Argentina, where Buenos Aires alone is said to have around 800 bookstores.
