By Aida Aziz
Photo: Balqis Jazimah Zahari
IPOH: Facilities and infrastructure at the Tun Razak Library here need to be improved for the comfort of daily visitors, according to a complaint voiced by an Ipoh resident who frequently visits the knowledge hub.
The main issue raised by many is the air-conditioning, which is not functioning or is broken on certain floors, despite the fact that many users including senior citizens and students make use of the facilities.
In addition, the condition of the fountain area at the front of the building has been found to be mossy and not well maintained, given that it is located right beside a main road.
It is understood that only the ground floor and the second floor have functioning air-conditioning, while the first and third floors do not, causing many visitors to complain about the heat.
Although air cooler machines are provided in areas without air-conditioning, they are unable to reduce the heat and stuffiness, especially during midday.
“I often come here to look for reading materials. It has been hot like this for quite some time and the air-conditioning isn’t working. It’s only available on the second floor. It would be better if every floor had air-conditioning for everyone’s comfort,” said one visitor.
Another visitor said that the floor with air-conditioning does not have the reading materials he needs, so he has no choice but to go to a floor that only has air coolers.
“There are air coolers, but it’s still hot. Maybe they are in the process of upgrading, I’m not sure,” said the visitor from Ipoh.
Tun Razak Library serves as a center for information resources, knowledge, technology, and an educational hub for the people of Ipoh.
Its purpose is to collect, provide, process, preserve, and maintain reading and reference materials.
The ground floor has a children’s corner, newspaper and magazine reading areas, and service counters for membership registration and borrowing.
The first floor contains fiction books and school reference text collections, the second floor includes children’s books, and the third floor houses technology and arts books.
Operating hours are Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the library is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
