Introduction

(a)   Missions and Features

The missions of Southern UC Library are to support the teaching and research needs of Southern UC members by providing various library materials that encompass books, periodicals, E-resources, audio-visual materials and Southern UC’s publications; and to provide teaching support to foster reading habits and research interests among Southern UC community. Besides the collections for teaching purposes, Southern UC Library houses one of the richest Chinese book collections in Malaysia, especially the publications of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the historical data of Singapore, Malaysia as well as Southeast Asia. 

(b)   Current status and services

After moving to the present location in 1996, Southern UC Library has continued to develop and now comprises the Main Library, Malaysia Chinese Literature Centre (MCLC), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Library, Shuxianglou Collection Room, and Gwee Yee Hean Collection Room (in preparation). The Library provides conducive reading environment, local and overseas periodicals, over 330,000 E- resources and books; and it is well-equipped with online library catalogue, subscribed and self-developed databases, etc. Shuxianglou Collection Room was established in 2005 after receiving a donation of around 110,000 volumes from Johor Bahru Thow Teck Club. The donation includes mainly books on the humanities published locally, in China or in Hong Kong during the 1970s to 1980s, and a precious collection of bound newspapers published in Malaysia and Singapore during the 1970s to 1980s. Gwee Yee Hean Collection Room has been in preparation since 2014. It houses approximately 40,000 volumes that cover abundant English and Chinese information on the humanities, in which the books on Southeast Asia education and traditional thread-bound books are the highlights.