The Review of Library Service Rule's Tun Abdul Razak Puncak

Alam Malaysia Library

Dewi Ambar Mawarni

, Nanda Restu Rahmania

, Endang Fitriyah Mannan

and Muhammad Rifky Nurpratama

Library Studies, Faculty of Vocational Education, Airlangga University, Indonesia

Faculty of Vocational Education, Airlangga University, Indonesia

Keywords: Code of Conduct, College Library, UiTM, Tun Abdul Razak Puncak Alam Malaysia.

Abstract: The library moves in the service of users with all the resources they have. To maximize it, code of conduct

is made as a reference for the implementation of services. Besides that, it also provides disciplined direction

for users who visit the library. The UiTM library includes those who have done it well but need

improvement so that the code of conduct is made more based on the behaviour of today's users. The method

used in this study is qualitative, namely by interviews and observations to explore data and information

about the code of conduct in the UiTM Library.

1 INTRODUCTION

The library does become the centre of all knowledge

stored in printed and digital collections (Harisanty,

Diba and Layyinah, 2020). The view of the library is

true but gradually shifts. Where the library has

begun to move in user service, in other words not

only focus on managing books and collections

(Suhariono et al., 2022). But it starts to move to

services that provide the widest creative

opportunities for users, example such as service

centres (Romadhona, Wati, et al., 2022). The

meaning that the library is a learning centre that

means it can be used to support learning (getting

information according to needs in the education

level) (Romadhona, Kurniawan, et al., 2022).

Second, the learning centre functions as a learning

centre (not just learning), meaning that the existence

of a library is used as a place to support the learning

and teaching process (Romadhona, 2022). Third,

information resources centre that means that through

the library all kinds and types of information can be

obtained because of its function as the centre of

information sources. Fourth, preservation of

knowledge centre that the function of the library is

also the centre of preservation of science as a result

of the work and writing of the nation which is stored

both as a collection of deposits, local content or

Gray literature. Fifth, dissemination of information

centre, that library functions not only collect,

process, service or preserve but also function in

disseminating or promoting information. Sixth,

dissemination of knowledge centre that besides

spreading information the library also functions to

disseminate knowledge (especially for new

knowledge) (Romadhona, 2020).

The latest library services as above, which have

been accommodated by the UiTM library (Tun

Abdul Razak Puncak Alam Malaysia), certainly do

not spontaneously serve but through design first.

Library services to users are built from service

design to service operations, because the more

complex the service, the more complex the

implementation design and the operational rules.

One that is also an important part in user service is

the service code of conduct that is included in the

operation of library services (Romadhona,

Subagyono and Agustin, 2022).

Library service rules are arranged in such a way

as to adjust to the conditions of users visiting the

relevant libraries (Subagyono, Chumaida and

Romadhona, 2022). Basically, there are many

variations or differences in behaviour and attitudes

between users with each other, even with other

library users. That difference in behaviour and

attitude, the code of conduct is designed to adjust the

conditions to provide effectiveness and efficiency of

154

Mawarni, D., Rahmania, N., Mannan, E. and Nurpratama, M.

The Review of Library Service Rule’s Tun Abdul Razak Puncak Alam Malaysia Library.

DOI: 10.5220/0008669600002300

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Record and Library: Local Knowledge, Past, Present, and Future (ICRL 2018), pages 154-159

ISBN: 978-989-758-712-2

services that will be received by users. In other

words, it will be useful in serving users quickly and

precisely. Quickly and precisely means that the

services provided are carried out in a short time,

while the exact purpose is to meet the needs of users

who use library services (Romadhona, Kurniawan,

et al., 2022).

The code of conduct is also not only designed to

be applied to users, but also as a standard work rule

for librarians or library organizations themselves in

serving users so as to minimize the potential for

errors or violations from internal libraries. That is

the problem, why code of conduct is an important

part of user service. The problem that most often

arises and is also experienced by the UiTM library is

that there are several rules of code of conduct that

are less flexible or still maintain conventional rules.

In addition, rules of code of conduct cannot be

separated from symbols, signs, or instructions

regarding the rules of code of conduct that have been

set. The most dominant problem is the lack of clarity

of the signs or instructions because visually cannot

be seen or the placement is not right. Therefore, the

researcher focuses on discussing the rules of code of

conduct that apply in UiTM and is associated with

the characteristics of users in the modern

information age.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Rules of Library Rules

According to the Dictionary of Indonesia Language

(Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia) (2007) code of

conduct is derived from two words namely

governance and regulations, management is a rules

(usually used compound) can be interpreted

principle, rules and composition, how to construct a

system. Whereas the code of conduct is organized

according to the rules, neatly. so, discipline is a rule-

a regulation that must be obeyed (discipline).

The library is available to serve the environment,

especially users who incidentally are the dominant

community around the library. To serve users,

certainly library etiquette such as rules of conduct

cannot be avoided, so that these aspects can be

ascertained designed and announced. Rules of code

of conduct that must be in the library are intended to

guide users to resources and services in the library.

So that later can ensure the maximization of access

to collections and library services by users. In other

words, according to Owolabi, Idowu and Aliu

(2015) the rules of library discipline are to ensure

that all people who use libraries get maximum

benefits from their facilities and also provide

legitimacy to punish users who violate the rules.

Owolabi, Idowu and Aliu (2015) mentions that

often one of the users is that academics will use the

library as a meeting place, to talk to classmates

about upcoming examinations, or as a quiet place to

take a nap and in the afternoon, but when they

suddenly use library resources to reach the goal of

the activity they are working on, the results are that

they tend to experience anxiety. Therefore, it is

important to have a guide or set of rules for

controlling students in library use.

Montviloff (1990) observed that libraries must

formulate policies (including rules and regulations)

to ensure the effective and efficient use of their

sources of information. Designing and setting rules,

principles, and strategies is nothing but to help

realize the needs of libraries and users, because it is

a guide to decision making, so that it can ensure that

the goals and results of serving users are in

accordance with the standards that the library has

made.

Rules of conduct are generally designed and

determined by the contents of the process or flow of

library services. One of the things that is certain to

exist and is essential is the rules of lending rules and

returns such as member registration fees and

especially delays. Delay in return is identical to the

rules of regulation regarding fines. Rules of

discipline regarding this fine are related to library

income. Gill (2001) states that it is inappropriate for

fines to be used as the library's main income. Fines

are indeed enabled to ensure that there is no loss of

library resources, namely collections and user

discipline in borrowing collections. Besides that,

fines are also related to library ethics, where Gill

(2001) explained again that fines should not be set at

a level that would prevent anyone from using the

library. Fees are also sometimes charged for

personal services, such as photocopying or using a

printer. In other words, fines can be regulated in the

code of conduct as a responsibility of the library and

users regarding library resources. However, the rules

of the fine are not to be made as heavily as possible

because it will prevent anyone who wants to use and

visit the library.

Rules and regulations not only focuses on the

rules of running a service and accessing collections

such as borrowing and repayment, but also the need

for the rules of conduct library The behavior of

library users, reaction to situations such as theft or

destruction of the collection, or disruptive behavior,

should not only submitted to the assessment of

The Review of Library Service Rule’s Tun Abdul Razak Puncak Alam Malaysia Library

155

librarians or reporters and reported parties, but also

judged on the legal basis in the form of the rules of

the library rules.

2.2 Signage

Warren and Epp (2016) states that libraries and

librarians need to care about (signage) nameplate,

search direction, room markers, and accessibility

because all these factors directly impact library

experience before they use library services. Signage

is everywhere in the library, and while signage that

is good will direct and provide information to users,

ineffective signage will provide information that is

wrong, frustrates, and upsets the user.

Warren and Epp (2016) states that even many

researchers argue about signage that is good and

right to be applied in libraries. For example such as

the use of high contrast, large fonts, without

containing too many illustrations, and placed in a

position where the sign can be easily seen, with the

aim of better signage readability (Barclay and Scott,

2012; Stempler and Polger, 2013). In addition,

previous research on signage shows that library

signage must avoid jargon. For example, O’Neill

and Guilfoyle (2015) study shows that students who

seek help in libraries prefer the term "help" and

"research" above rather than "reference".

3 RESEARCH METHOD

The type of research that is used is research

descriptive if with a qualitative approach.

Information collection techniques are carried out in

two ways, namely observation and interview.

Observation is done by looking directly at the

performance of the library staff. Interviews are

conducted by asking several questions about how the

influence of the code of conduct on the development

of the library.

This research is in the Tun Abdul Razak

Malaysia Library of the Mara Technological

University (UiTM) Cawangan Selangor located in

Puncak Alam, Kuala Selangor. UiTM is designed as

a smart campus, this campus has a modern union

that is suitable for fostering teaching activities,

learning and investigation or research and

development of knowledge among UiTM residents.

The provisions of the sample in this study were

informants who were employees of the Tun Abdul

Razak Library. The number of informants was 3

employees who had library education backgrounds.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Based on observations in the Tun Abdul Razak

Puncak Alam Malaysia library, each service has a

set of rules. Rules of code of conduct in the library

are available on the official website, at the same

time in the field it can be ascertained to be in the

form of symbols or signs for the rules of the code of

conduct, such as red marks which mean prohibited

from speaking loudly and green marks for discussion

rooms. The markers have been introduced by the

library when conducting socialization during user

service for each new student with the aim of creating

code of conductions and comfort for its users. The

purpose of designing and including the rules is that

the users who visit the library do not cause noise at

services or rooms that have been specifically

designated as quiet rooms or silent rooms and do not

cause confusion about the processes and flows of

existing and expected related services can improve

UiTM library services. The problem that is present is

quite a cliché, namely the reading or signs of the

related rules, but that problem is indeed present and

requires improvement.

Mandel and Johnston (2019) states that in

facilities in the library, librarians must first assess

the signs needed, then develop a list of signs and

locations to be placed, or even equipped with

supporting photos, and study the list of signs to

determine which signs should be removed or

replaced and where additional marks are needed.

Bosman and Rusinek (1997) recommend an

inventory of all signs, paying attention to size,

shape, colour, format, type, installation method,

message, and their destination based on physical

location, including photographs.

Rules of discipline are several, starting with the

rules of speech. Rules of speech or crowd code of

conduct have been set by the UiTM library into three

parts, namely discussion, quiet and silent. Freedom

to speak in a tone of voice loud enough can be done

by visitors in the discussion room and free area. For

quiet rooms, the rules are free to speak, but in a low

voice, while the silent room is given a rule, you

cannot speak at all or you can, but in a whisper. In

addition to the above rules, plus supplementary rules

that are equally important are prohibited from

changing furniture settings or in other words not

allowed to change/shift furniture, chairs cannot be

code of conducted, collection vandals and furniture

are not permitted and are not permitted dating/dating

in the library.

These rules of code of conduct have been

intended with a positive purpose but need

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improvement which is based more on the needs of

today's library users, where the style and behaviour

of users from various times also change. In the

current era of information technology and dominated

by digital natives with all its instant and easy

characteristics. Their learning and discussion

patterns are also developing, namely multitasking,

they can learn while doing other activities such as

discussions, playing gadgets, etc. According to

Connaway (2015) Infrastructure growth is not only

about volume growth in content, but the growth of

resources needed to meet service demands. Changes

in the information environment require libraries to

explore more about space and the concept of

collaborating, learning, teaching, playing, relaxing,

and researching. Moreover, the collection has been

directed to electronic or digital so that the room can

be maximized for the benefit of user activities.

Some rules that need to be revised because they

need to be adjusted based on the development of the

library that has been conceptualized as above,

namely that library users can be allowed to be able

to change the arrangement or arrangement of

furniture such as chairs, tables and blackboards. That

is because, the activities of today's users tend to be

multitasking, so the room can be changed as flexibly

as possible for them to be able to freely move and

learn. Such a room, conceptually referred to as

makerspace, where library space can be used for any

purposes ranging from learning, discussion, or even

as an entertainment and recreation space

accompanied by furniture arrangements that can be

changed according to user needs. If it is not possible

to apply to all spaces, then it can be applied to

certain rooms or specifically as makerspace spaces.

The second rule that is common in libraries is

about eating and drinking. The rules for eating and

drinking in the UiTM library are permitted as long

as the place has been determined such as a self-

service canteen on the second floor in the library, so

visitors are not allowed to bring food from outside

the library and bring it to a room that is forbidden to

eat and drink. Rules regarding eating and drinking if

specified are not permitted because indeed dirt or

used food and drink can stain books or pollute the

air and room temperature feared to affect the

humidity of the book or even tarnish the collection

directly. But on the other hand, many libraries,

especially in America and Europe, have applied the

rules and can eat and drink in any room. There are

also restrictions on certain rooms such as discussion

rooms, circulation but are not allowed in special

reference rooms and collections. Pros and cons mark

this rule, because some parties consider eating and

drinking can damage collections, while on the other

hand eating and drinking is an activity of visitor

freedom because of reading or learning requires.

Also based on the characteristics of multitasking

users, the rules of code of conduct that can be

changed to be adjusted are the rules of eating and

drinking. The patterns or learning styles of each

individual are different, especially with the current

multitasking characteristics, so it is natural that

eating and drinking can be allowed. At a minimum,

it can be applied to special spaces such as discussion

rooms and not just in the canteen. It is also possible

in all rooms to be permitted but with only drinks

without food. Even if it is possible for all rooms to

be allowed to eat and drink, with consequences if

there is damage to the collection, the user is obliged

to replace the fine at the collection price.

In addition to the rules of code of

conduct above which are pro-contra, there is one

more rule that can also be seen from the side of the

pros and cons of the rules of clothing for visitors to

the library. Generally, the prevailing code of conduct

is prohibited from wearing impolite clothes, if UiTM

is called unprofessional clothing. One of them is a

shirt/t-shirt, shorts/torn for men and shorts/short

skirts for women and sandals. The neatness of hair is

also regulated, where male students must be neat

even though they are long but still neat, especially if

tattooed is not allowed to enter as a visitor to the

library.

Dressing problems are generally adjusted to the

culture of the country, city or region and related

universities. The problem of the type of clothing that

is used must be according to the standards set must

have been designed by library policy makers such as

the head of the library and head of the service sector.

Types of clothing such as t-shirts, shorts, and

sandals if in Malay culture are indeed disrespectful

and are interpreted as individuals who do not respect

individuals and the place where they are located.

Therefore, in a Malay country or a predominantly

Muslim country like Malaysia and Indonesia, the

dress code is very much considered because it

involves culture and religion. So that it is

understandable if the rules do not allow the use of t-

shirts, short pants / skirts, and sandals. But the rules

of dress code are not valid if in Europe, America and

even Asia itself such as Singapore, Taiwan etc.

There is freedom of dress that people believe in

these countries because it is considered as freedom

of expression and the appointment of individual

identity.

Rules of code of conduct that are also prioritized

are about borrowing and returning collections. Users

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are prohibited from carrying out books without loan

procedures. The rules of lending rules are also strict,

if there is a loss of collections, there are

consequences of severe penalties, namely anti-book

plus RM 20.00 (20 Malaysian Ringgit) and late

penalties or paying book prices plus RM 20.00 (20

Malaysian Ringgit) and late penalties, with own

delay is worth RM 0.20 cents per day. If indeed

there are still fine debts during the lecture, then the

maximum payment is 2 weeks before students

graduate or graduation, otherwise the graduation

transcript will be arrested.

The rules of code of conduct were implemented

by the library based on the library not only a room,

but also facilities that support education. The

existence of an code of conduct code of conduct can

be used as a product of a library that aims to make

all existing activities run smoothly and in a

controlled manner ( in this case the user must obey

the rules of code of conduct in the library ). In other

words, the right to obtain library services for

visitors, is also accompanied by the necessity to

fulfil the obligation to comply with the rules and

regulations that have been implemented. The

obligation to obey the rules does not only function as

a means of optimizing services but also as the

responsibility of visitors in visiting can even

characterize the personality of each user as an

academic. Rules of code of conduct that have been

established by the UiTM Library are in line with

Owolabi, Idowu and Aliu (2015) that tighter

measures are imposed to impose sanctions or punish

every violator of library rules and regulations to

ensure compliance with regulations and regulations.

However, it should be noted that not all services can

be given strict rules of conduct. Like for example the

prohibition of eating and drinking, shifting furniture

can be given flexible rules to adjust the

characteristics of current library users which are

dominated by digital natives.

In addition to the enactment of rules and

regulations that are tightened specifically on certain

services such as circulation of loans and returns,

which function as repressive measures. Whereas

preventive action can be done through a user service

program when admitting new students. According to

Owolabi, Idowu and Aliu (2015) more usage service

programs must be made in the university library to

enable students to be fully aware of the rules and

regulations available so that they can always

comply. Library users must be educated further

through library orientation, and other means to

always comply with library rules and regulations to

ensure optimal and effective library use.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Rules of code of conduct are needed by libraries to

regulate the purpose of the library itself and users in

the use and service of the library. Rules can be made

by adjusting the services in the relevant library and

not behind the rules regarding user behaviour in the

library UiTM includes running it all , such as the

application of fines, provision of signage, and code

of conduct behaviour of users in the library. But

specifically, for user behaviour in the library, it can

be further developed by adjusting the needs and

characteristics of today's user behaviour, namely

digital natives that prioritize multitasking, flexibility,

and freedom. So that it is expected that the rules of

conduct at UiTM do not curb the behaviour of

today's users but still in accordance with culture and

code of conduct in Malaysia.

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