Introduction

The HKL Library was established in 1973 under the supervision of Hospital's Management Division. Initially, the Library was staffed only with a Library Assistant whilst its collection and services was made accessible primarily to the doctors at HKL. Gradually, in the 1980's, the Library and its services were upgraded. In the early 1990's, due to space constraints, the Library was shifted to the 4th Floor of the Department of Neurology.
Later in 1996, the HKL Library shifted to its current location which is on the 1st Floor of the HKL Main Block. The Library was later officially opened by the Honorable Dato' Ismail bin Mansor, the then former Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, on the 18th of March 1996.
Coupled with a larger floor space of 9,000 square feet (667.01 sq.meter) and a strategic location speciallly chosen by the Director of HKL, YBhg. Dato' Azizan Aiyob Ghazali, the HKL Library now provides a multitude of amenities and services to the entire HKL staff including customers and attachment/elective students outside HKL. A Library Committee was then appointed to provide advice on the development and implementation of policies, procedures and services.
Currently, the Library holds about 32,000 volumes of printed materials comprising largely of periodicals, books and journals. 12,500 volumes are medical books, 5,930 bound journals, 9,500 loose journals and 4,500 volumes of general periodicals. Currently, the HKL Library subscribes to OVID and Access Medicine online journals. The Library also has a small collection of audiovisual materials in CD-ROM, videotapes, slides, photographs and charts.
Now, the HKL Library is headed by a professional librarian, who manages the Library with the assistance of 7 staff. The HKL Library provides a quiet, pleasant and conducive environment for study. At full capacity, it can provide 100 seats at any given time. Membership is open to everyone (all levels of HKL staff) working for the Hospital and is bound by the library's rules and regulations. Interested parties may register with the library at its help desk.