Airport KLIA launches new library that offers free e-books

30 April 2016

Traveling can now be a more enjoyable experience at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), especially if there’s a library for book lovers.

Travellers at the e-book kiosk at klia2.

Those who fly regularly will appreciate a new facility which grants passengers access to electronic books (e-books) at no cost.

This smart facility operates through the use of Bluetooth beacon signals which work on the principles of geo-fencing micro-location technology.

It communicates with passengers’ smartphone applications, allowing them to access a special virtual library of e-books.

These e-books can be downloaded for free at KLIA and subsequently kept in private devices including smartphones for two days.

Once the e-book has been downloaded, passengers are able to read the e-book even without Internet facilities, meaning they will be able to read it during a flight.

This facility, which has 40 e-book beacons strategically placed within KLIA Main Terminal and klia2, is the first of its kind in the world.

(From left) Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) Commercial Services manager Raslan Shahrin, e-Sentral chief executive officer Faiz Al-Shahab, Syed Munawar and MAHB senior manager Mohd Fauzi Ahmad at the e-book kiosk at klia2.

The airport is part of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), where new technology is actively pursued.

Hence, it is no surprise that as the operator of KLIA, Malaysia Airports has joined hands with e-Sentral and Perbadanan Kota Buku, to introduce this technology.

Currently, travellers in KLIA Main Terminal have more than 800 e-book titles from various genres in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese. Each person is able to borrow a maximum of two titles at any one time.

This inaugural e-book beacon infrastructure was first demonstrated in conjunction with World Book Day 2016 during an event in klia2.

“This Bluetooth beacon programming simplifies the whole process for e-book borrowing, which is an innovative idea that complements traditional books. With this pioneering facility, we hope KLIA can be a model to the rest of the world,” said Perbadanan Kota Buku chief executive officer Syed Munawar Syed Mustar.

Commenting on Malaysia Airports’ objective in this collaboration, its general manager Zainol Mohd Isa said: “Malaysia Airports places high priority on improving the total airport experience for our passengers.

“Therefore, we are always on the lookout to implement initiatives that will transform KLIA into an innovative digitised environment which will resonate well with our mission of creating joyful experiences.”

Since the start of this e-book facility, more than 10,000 passengers have used it at KLIA Main Terminal and klia2.

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