Pustaka Negeri Sarawak

The tranquility of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak

The Sarawak State Library was established in 1999 with the passing of the Sarawak State Library Ordinance 1999 by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly. The official opening of the main campus in Kuching on 31 December 1999 was graced by The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud, the Chief Minister of Sarawak. Services for the public started on 2 January 2000.

Brief History

The story of Pustaka started in May 1993 when Dr. David Jones, the Library Building Consultant of the State Library of New South Wales visited Kuching and had few discussions with senior officers of the Sarawak Civil Service, including the State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Hamid Bugo. Following these J. discussions and earlier work by Stephen J. Parker entitled "Developing public library services in Sarawak", Dr. David Jones began to prepare a design brief. The first draft of the design brief was ready at the end of same year. The project was then called the State Library and Information Technology Centre. On 23th June 1994, the design brief which had gone various draft stage was presented to the State Cabinet and subsequently approved.

In July 1994, Dr. David Jones began preparing the terms of reference and selection criteria of the principal consultant and design team, which would be tasked with the detail design of Pustaka. After a series of site visits, presentations and assessments, Stephenson and Turner International was selected and appointed as the principal consultant in 1995. Following the this appointment, a team of local consultants was identified and appointed.

Members of the principal consultant and consultants were

Principal Consultant Stephenson and Turner International		Civil and Structural KTA (Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd.		Mechanical and Electrical Perunding Teknikal Sdn. Bhd.		Quantity Surveyor PUBM Quantity Surveyors Sdn. Bhd.
Don Bergomi Geoffrey Larkin Michael Darvey		Roland Ling John Lai Kamal Ian Fozdar		Dennis Chin Law Chun Ming		Hong Boon Kheng Colin Lau

Statutory Functions

The main functions of Pustaka as stipulated in the Sarawak State Library Ordinance, 1999 are to

The Glass Staircase of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak

• to provide, maintain and preserve library resources and act as a centre for the storage and dissemination or transmission of knowledge, information and data on the State;
• to be a centre for reference, education and information or dissemination of information relevant to the economic, historical, social, cultural, political and other background development and achievements of the State;
• to acquire, maintain and preserve library resources and public records, especially, but not limited to, those published in the State or of interest to the people of Sarawak, and any person with a legitimate interest in having access to such resources;
• to maintain and manage relevant databases on materials published within the State or pertaining to its history, progress, current development, and other information and data on the State, or which have been compiled, produced or kept by the Government or any governmental authority in Malaysia;
  
  

The red sandstone feature of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri

• to maintain and manage an efficient and effective information transmission and dissemination network, including the provision of electronic network system, and to establish an information technology system with linkages to other libraries or information resource centres, within Malaysia or abroad;
• to manage or administer the State Depository for the preservation of public records, and of materials, of whatever form, published in the State;
• to hold and participate in exhibition or display of its library resources and the information or data collected, maintained or held by the State Library;
• to hold seminars, courses and other similar events to promote the use of its library resources, or the information or data collected or maintained by the State Library or at its disposal;
• to promote or stimulate interest in reading, library works and to promote literary arts and the usage of modern technology in the transmission and dissemination of knowledge, information and data;
• to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and information, the appreciation of the arts, culture, traditions, history and achievements of the State and its people;
• to adopt and maintain an efficient and effective communication system for the transmission and distribution of knowledge, information or data, or materials kept, deposited in or maintained by the State Library;
• to provide such services and facilities as the State Library is able to provide to the public, and to any public library or resource centre, and to provide training for library personnel;
  
  
• to establish, manage and maintain public archives in the State;
• to promote efficient and effective records and archives management practices in the State;
• to establish, maintain and operate Record Centres;
• to provide training and guidance in the management of public records and public archives;
• to publish, sell or distribute publications concerning or relating to public archives, or concerning the activities of and facilities provided by the State Library;
• to promote public awareness activities on aspects pertaining to management of public records and public archives through exhibitions, audio-visual educational packages and other educational programmes.

Vision, Mission, Objective and Philosophy

Vision		To be the reservoir and fountain of information and knowledge to the State.
Mission		To provide access to information resources and to preserve Sarawak`s intellectual heritage for the people of Sarawak.
Objective		To promote acculturation of knowledge in the State.
Philosophy		A knowledge and information-based society needs a forum for intellectual exchange among its people, a centre of enlightenment where minds can meet and ideas interact, and access to information, knowledge, technologies and cultures available beyond the superficial boundaries imposed by geography.

Tag Line

a) Fountain and Reservoir of Knowledge - from 2000 to 2005
b) Pustaka, Your Knowledge Partner - from 2006 to 2016
c) Read. Innovate. Excel - from 2017 - now

Fast Facts

Headquarters		Miri		Sibu		SRR
a) Commenced service on 1st January 2000. b) Land size is 94 acres, including the lake. c) Floor area is 12,731 square meters. d) User seating capacity is 500. e) Number of staff is 130. f) Total collection is 90,000 copies. g) Average use is 200 users per hour.		a) Commenced service on 3rd October 2002. b) Land size is 1.5 acre. c) Floor area is 4,927 square meters. d) User seating capacity is 200. e) Number of staff is 40. f) Total collection is 25,000 copies. g) Average use is 200 users per hour.		a) Commenced service on 14th September 2020. b) Land size is 8.3 acres. c) Floor area is 8.5 square meters. d) User seating capacity is 300. e) Number of staff is 39. f) Total collection is 30,000 copies. g) Average use is 200 users per hour.

The Pioneers

Pioneer Board of Management		Pioneer Staff		Pioneer Volunteers
01) Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Hamid Bugo 02) Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman Deen 03) Datuk Shahar Banun (Deceased)		01) Rashidah Haji Bolhassan 02) Japri Bujang Masli 03) Wan Mazli Wan Razali 04) Dayangku Horiah Awang Gani 05) Nesly Rebid 06) Norlida Ismaily 07) Bronny Lawrence Nawe 08) Daut Bogol 09) Fatimah Yahya 10) Henry Leo Lee Kuang		01) Mohd. Nazari Razali 02) Norzihan Abdullah 03) Nurmahayu Idrus

Campuses

Pustaka Negeri Sarawak		Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri		Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Sibu		State Records Repository

Sectors and Regional Libraries

a) Library Services Sector
b) Depository Services Sector
c) Corporate Management Sector
d) Information and Communications Technology Sector
e) Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri
f) Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Sibu

Compliance and Management Practices

Pustaka complies to ISO 9001:2015. It has been certified to the International standard since 2007. It is also certified to the quality work environment requirements, called the 5S. The "Public Library Services: IFLA Guidelines for Development" was adopted and practiced since the first year Pustaka commissioned its services. This guidelines had been communicated to the other public library in the Sarawak. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health guidelines has also been adopted and complied with.

Achievements

In terms of financial regulations, Pustaka has been achieving clean audit report since the year 2002. Pustaka's website has been rated 5 Star by MDEC since 2017. The Balanced Scorecard has been practiced by Pustaka as one of the tools for performance measurement.

In 2018, Pustaka was First Runner Up of the State Secretary Trophy of the Sarawak Chief Minister Quality Award and in 2019, Pustaka won the Second Runner Up spot of the Federal Secretary Trophy of the Award.

Former Staff

Retired		Staff Who Left				Deceased
01) Paidi Amat Mokito, W44 02) Henry Leo Lee Kwang, S26 03) Nesly Rebid, S48 04) Daut Bogol, S26 05) Datu Dr. Rashidah Hj. Bolhassan, VU7 06) Arpah Adenan, VU7		01) Tuti Wirdanengsi Salam, S17 02) Mary Jacqueline Peter Doi, S17 03) Nurmahayu Idrus, N17 04) Khelmi Ellie, J17 05) Osman Samani, J17 06) Sabrina Bakar, N17 07) Grace Wilson Isaac, N17 08) Maslina Bidi, S17 09) Zainnul Asri Sobey, N27 10) Asri Ali, W17 11) Lediana Ashari, N17 12) Norlida Ismaily, S38 13) Yusuf Ali, S41 14) Victoria Jonathan Jok, N41 15) Reny Yusnita Bt Junaidi Sapawi, N17 16) Awangku Suhaimi Awangku Karim, J17 17) Daniel Uzier, J29 18) Kalthoum Adeni, S41 19) Noor Asfalela Nong Cik, N17 20) Nelly Yuslinda Kedip, N27 21) Sharifah Seria Wan Razali, S27 22) Nur Aznalia Azura Bt Azhar, N27 23) Chai Yeu Shaw, S19 24) Amalina Drahman, J29 25) Abdul Afiq Abdul Aziz, J29 26) Fatimah Yahya, S26 27) Melvin Medrick, S41 28) Wan Abdul Rahman, S41 29) Ilias Ibrahim, S17 30) Sandra Ngau, W27		31) Nancy William Ngadan, S17 32) Hayati Mahdini, S17 33) Jebree Julaihi, J17 34) Hadi Mohamad Sufri, S17 35) Andie Anyi, S41 36) Zulkarnian Abdul Halim, J17 37) Masita Masri, W17 38) Fariza Salleh, W17 39) Kimberley Stefanie, W17 40) Carolineson Nosin, S41 41) Sofina Tan Sofian Tan, N32 42) Elizabeth Anon, S17 43) Ismewatti Narawi, W22 44) Abang Muhamad Farhan, S17 45) Faizal Bin Mustapha, J17 46) Kuswandi Bin Kartawi, J17 47) Adelin Bt Mohammad Adenan, S22 48) Mohamad Nazrin B. Mohamad Junaidi, S19 49) Mohammad Idzhwan Bin Sarkawi, W19 50) Suhaimi Bin Bemban, KP11 51) Tan Al Affiq bin Tan Smilly, S19 52) Muhammad Ali bin Abdul Wahab, S38 53) Fatin Fahsha Binti Adenan, JA29 54) Siti Khatijah binti Yusuf,W19 55) Patrick Sidi, W29 56) Mohd Asraf Bin Abdul Wahab, N29 57) Carlos Jalil, S19		01) Abdul Aziz Kassim, S22 02) Amir Hamzah @ Amirewady Bin Ahmad, S29 03) Sarinah Bt Mohamad Kasim, S22

References

1. Jones, D. (1999). Fountain of Knowledge: the Story of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak. Kuching, Sarawak: Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.
2. Sarawak Government (1999). Sarawak State Library Ordinance ,1999. Retrieved from http://lawnet.sarawak.gov.my/lawnet_file/Ordinance/ORD_CAP.%2029%20watermark.pdf.