Early closing time irks library users

0

SIBU: Visitors are annoyed with Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) Library and Grand Heights Library staff for closing the libraries before the stipulated times.

They say that library staff are depriving them of sufficient time to carry out their revision.

“The staff concerned should show more professional attitudes in carrying out their duties instead of thinking about closing the library earlier than the stipulated time. This is very unprofessional,” one visitor to the Grand Heights Library lamented.

Both the Grand Heights Library and SMC Library are supposed to open from 2pm to 9pm on Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm on Saturdays as well as 9am to 3pm on Sundays.

A student who visited the Grand Heights Library recently claimed that the closing bell started ringing at 8.30pm and then the lights were switched off.

“I do not understand. It was only 8.30pm, yet the lights were switched off. The library is supposed to open up till 9pm.

“If it was a reminder to us to get ready our books and leave the centre before 9pm, that would be acceptable. But the lights being switched off at 8.30pm was simply unacceptable and very unfair on the part of the staff concerned.”

At the main SMC library, the same problem occurred with staff ringing the bell at 8.45pm and then turning the lights off.

When contacted, a spokesperson from the SMC library said that should not have been the case.

Those who come across such practices, she said, could lodge complaints so that investigations could be conducted.

“Normally, the staff will ring the bell at 8.45pm as a reminder to the students to get ready to leave the library. The allowance of 15 minutes will be given for the students to queue and exit the library.”

The spokesperson said the lights should only be switched off at 9pm.