The Annual Conference of Malaysian Libraries, or Persidangan Tahunan Perpustakaan Malaysia (PTPM), is a yearly event organized by the Malaysian Librarians Association. This year, PTPM was held from August 6-8 at Albukhary International University, Kedah, Malaysia, with the theme “Future-Proofing Libraries: Innovative, Adapt, Excel.” The conference was divided into nine key topics, including innovative technology and digital transformation, user-centric services and personalized experience, intellectual property management in the digital age, cultural preservation and diversity, lifelong learning and continuing education, strategic leadership and change management, community and social spaces, collaborative and networked services, economic models and fund strategies, and data-driven decision making.
Students from the Master of Management and Library Information Program (MIP) at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM) participated in the conference. Fitri Susiani, a student from the MIP class of 2023, had her research accepted and presented at Session 2A: User-centric services and personalized experience on the second day (August 7) of the International PTPM 2024 Conference.
On this occasion, Fitri Susiani presented her paper titled “Library as a Forum to Disseminate Legislation in the IT Illiterate Society.” This paper discusses the dissemination of regulations, which is not yet reaching all layers of society due to factors such as limited socialization and a lack of internet access. Using Fiona Duggan and Linda Banwell’s (2004) Model of Effective Dissemination theory, Fitri Susiani proposed the creation of an information dissemination network for regulations through associations, libraries, and public spaces that are easily accessible to the general public.
Fitri Susiani’s research specifically targets decision-making information and integrated participation, aligning with Universitas Gadjah Mada’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16 on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. SDG 16 aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, ensure access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. “And on this occasion, I will announce that libraries can be a source of information on legislation that would be very beneficial to the people living in the country,” Fitri said at the end of her presentation.
Thus, the participation of MIP students from SPs UGM in the International PTPM Conference not only highlights academic achievement but also strengthens the university’s dedication to building global partnerships in education. Participation in this conference also provides new insights and experiences for MIP students on the international stage. It is hoped that this initiative will be continued by other MIP students.
Author: Inarotul Nur Halizah
Editor: Asti Rahmaningrum