The library of Xiamen University Malaysia is generously donated by Mr. Robert Kuok Hock Nien. Nobly declined to name the building after himself, Mr. Robert Kuok preferred to name it “People’s Great Hall(百姓大楼)”, in line with his wish that it becomes a hub of knowledge for everyone to learn and enjoy.
Located in the center of the main building block, facing the main gate of the university, People’s Great Hall is the most iconic landmark of the campus. It is nine stories high with a total floor area of 36,000 square meters. It can house more than 1 million books and journals and contain over 2,000 seats. Equipped with various advanced facilities, including book stacks, exhibition areas, innovation/creative space, information/learning space, seminar rooms, and lecture halls, this building is able to accommodate the needs of study and research while providing comprehensive services for knowledge exchange.
The building will serve as a public space for the community. According to German philosopher Jürgen Habermas, a public space is not only defined by its geographical characteristics, but also by whether it is a place of widespread participation, communication and interaction among people who enter the space, without distinction of race, belief, gender, profession or any other identities. Offering space for activities like learning, thinking, research, innovation and communication while enabling idea exchange among communities, People’s Great Hall is a typical example of public space.
“No University can be great unless it has a great library,” said Prof. James D. Hart, a famous American scholar. A university is a place for gathering and training talents and a space where people carry out life-long learning. Even those who are successful in business or in society may need to continue learning and upgrading their knowledge, in order to keep up with the rapid social and technological changes.
Provide a world-class education that nurtures the intellectual, moral, and personal growth of our students, and prepares them to be responsible, globally-minded citizens.
To become a dynamic and innovative center of knowledge that empowers and inspires learning, research, and community engagement.
Xiamen University Malaysia values excellence, integrity, diversity, innovation, a global mindset, community engagement, student-centeredness, and sustainability.
The library occupies six floors, from ground floor (marked as GF) to the sixth floor (marked as 6F). The fourth floor and fifth floor are designed for and designated as the university depositories, to hold and display traditional library collections. The lower floors (from 1F to 3F) are the main activity spaces designed for teachers and students. New resource services and public learning spaces will be based on electronic and digital resources, all of which need to be well combined with traditional resources, technology and space elements to meet the needs of library services in the new era.
