A Very Warm Welcome to Rajender Singh

The library would like to give a very warm welcome to our latest member, Rajender Singh A/L Chanan Singh. He joined us as Library Assistant at Tan Sri Loy Hean Heong Library II, Subang Square on June 1st, 2009.

Prior to joining Taylor’s, Rajender was working in Unity College and Sunway University College. He also has experienced in customer service.

We hope Rajender will enjoy working with us and contribute to the growth of the library.

McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine and AccessPharmacy now Available as Trial Databases

McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine is an innovative online resource that provides students, residents, clinicians, researchers, and all health professionals with access to more than 50 medical titles from the best minds in medicine, updated content, thousands of images and illustrations, interactive self-assessment, case files, diagnostic tools, a comprehensive search platform, and the ability to download content to a mobile device.

Updated frequently and expanded continuously by world-renowned physicians, AccessMedicine provides fast, direct access to the information necessary for completing evaluations, diagnoses, and case management decisions, as well as for pursuing research, medical education, or self-assessment and board review.

McGraw-Hill's AccessPharmacy is an online curricular resource designed to meet the changing demands of pharmacy education. A flexible resource, AccessPharmacy allows students to select a core curriculum topic, browse by organ system, review textbooks, or search across leading pharmacy online references.

These two trial databases will be available until 17 July 2009. Your feedback on the databases is greatly appreciated. Please use the online surveys given as links in the trial databases page

To access McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine or McGraw-Hill's AccessPharmacy

1. Go to Taylor’s Libraries: http://library.taylors.edu.my/.
2. Go to Library Resources section and click on the "More" link.
3. Click on Trial Database link at the left hand side of the screen
4. Click on McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine or McGraw-Hill's AccessPharmacy

As I was Passing by Adibah Amin

As I was Passing I and II are books which I would recommend everyone to read. Put in an amusing anecdotes format, readers will be enthralled by the way the author, Adibah Amin has crafted her book with so much warmth, love and understanding. She used her family, friends and neighbors as subjects for her books to sum up the heart and soul of Malaysian lifestyle and idiosyncrasies. As I Was Passing I and II are compilations of Adibah’s column of the same name published in The New Straits Times in the 1970s and 1980s under her pen name, Sri Delima. Relevant today as it was then, Adibah prose and writings makes an interesting read. She analyzed the Malaysian culture with a humorous angle, always adding a light twist to her musings. The reader will thus realize that she is affectionately appreciative of the events and experiences that shape Malaysian life.

With such books, there is usually a moral behind the stories and here, we can find that characteristic. The reader may not quite realize it until they came to the end of the story. At this point, most will laugh heartily over it. She crafted the stories to encompass the emotions and beliefs of her subject never in a heavy-handed manner but always in a light touch, not to offend the reader.

We can look at ourselves and laugh at all of our Malaysia idiosyncrasies. In fact, laughter and at times, tears are never far away when I read the many stories presented in these books.

One of the stories that really touched me in this book is ‘Memories and songs in the night’ where she described the magic of Christmas and how Malaysians of all races celebrate this festival in their own way. She looked back at the memories of Christmas that she had when she was young, singing Christmas songs with an Eurasian family next door on Christmas night. This reminds me of how Malaysian of all races share the joy of any festival. Malaysia with it wide myriad of cultures brings us all together in peace and harmony.

Another story which reminds me of my dad and his loves for birds is ‘The day Pak Mat Merbuk met Ujang the Untameable’. My father used to tell me stories about his children days when he reared birds after trapping them. In this story, Pat Mat Merbuk, a person who trained birds, heard the sweet whistling of Ujang, a wild merbuk and caught him to be reared to become a champion singer. How he doted on the bird! He gave Ujang a special powder to make its singing more spectacular. He refused to sell the bird to anyone for any amount of money. However Pat Mat Merbuk started to realized that nothing could beat the singing of Ujang when he was free in the wilds. Finally, he set Ujang free. When asked what made him do what he did, Pat Mat Merbuk smiled and quoted this old pantun:

Indah bunga bakawali,
Diusik dipetik jangan;
Hati loba merangkuli,
Hati kasih melepaskan.

(Beautiful is the bakawali flower,
Do not touch, do not pluck;
The covetous heart clutches,
The loving heart lets go.)

Below are my favorites stories in the book:
Malaysian Time
Tourist Notions
Getting up for sahur
The mystery of Thaipusam
Dear Monster revisited
Memories and songs in the night
The day Pak Mat Merbuk met Ujang the Untameable
Marital fighting, Malaysian Style

This interesting and funny read is available at Tan Sri Loy Hean Heong Library, Main Campus. The call number is 959.5 ADI.

About the Author
Adibah Amin, born in 1936 is an academician, a linguist and a writer in both Bahasa Melayu and English. She also has acted in a few Malay films in the 80s. She has written three Malay novels, Bangsawan Tulen, Seroja Masih di Kolam and Tempat Jatuh Lagi Dikenang. Seroja Masih di Kolam was translated to Japanese in 1986 with the title Suroyja No Hana Wa Mada Ike Ni. She also has written nearly 200 radio dramas, numerous short stories and an English novel, The End of the Rainbow.

Reviewed by Librarian, Belinda Sta Maria, Tan Sri Loy Hean Heong Library, Main Campus.

Research Starters - Sociology now Available as an Online Database

Research Starters™ - Sociology provides students with a solid foundation for their research and assignments, as well as overview information on topics relevant to their studies. Comprehensive summaries of discipline-specific topics help students to grasp the broad outlines of a subject, realize its real world applications, critically engage it, and locate sources for advanced research. Articles average 3,000 words, providing concise yet more in-depth content than most textbook or encyclopedia entries. This online database is on trial until June 2010.

To access Research Starters - Sociology

• Go to Taylor’s Libraries: http://library.taylors.edu.my/.
• Go to Library Resources > Online Databases.
• Click on Research Starters - Sociology

'Chat with the Librarian' - New Reference Service

The latest feature in the Library Website is ‘Chat with the Librarian’. We are using Meebo, an instant messaging software. With Meebo, staff and students can interact at real time with a librarian. Get immediate answers to your questions, obtain clarifications and receive explanations on any matters related to the library.

‘Chat with the Librarian’ is available from Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. To access it, please go to the Library Website and select ‘Chat with the Librarian’ under Ask & Tell Us or just click at ‘Chat with the Librarian’ under Favorites.

The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma

The monk who sold his Ferrari is a tale which provides an approach to living a simple life with greater balance, strength, courage and abundance of joy. The fable format is a refreshing change from the tiresome listing of all the good things we could do for ourselves but do not. It makes the message being conveyed linger in our minds. This well crafted story by Robin S. Sharma is the tale of Julian Mantle, a lawyer brought face to face with a spiritual crisis after having a heart attack and collapses in the courtroom. Julian had worked day and night without caring about his mental and physical health. That helped him become a very rich and successful lawyer but took a toll on his health and mental state.

Julian had achieved everything most of us could ever want: professional success with a seven figure income, a grand mansion in a neighborhood inhabited by celebrities, a private jet, a summer home on a tropical island and his prized possession, a shiny red Ferrari parked in the center of his driveway.

Following his heart attack, he quit his law firm, sold all his property and embarks on a life-changing odyssey to India. During this journey he learns the value of time as the most important commodity and how to cherish relationships, develop joyful thoughts and live fully, one day at a time.

John, who is a friend as well as co-worker of Julian, narrates the story. Three years passed without any news from Julian. One day he paid a visit to John, who was now a cynical older lawyer. But Julian, in the past three years, had been miraculously transformed into a healthy man with physical vitality and spiritual strength.

Julian relates his experiences with Yogi Raman, the leader of the sages of Sivana and the person who taught Julian his secrets of a happy and fulfilling life. He narrates to John the fable that contained the seven virtues for a life abundant with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts. He tells John how to cultivate the mind and how to use setbacks for expanding knowledge of the self. He talks about setting and following our own purpose and teaches John the ancient art of self-leadership with techniques such as “do the things you fear” and “the 5 step method for attaining goals”. He describes techniques such as “the ancient rule of 20” and “the vow of silence”. He teaches how to focus on the priorities and thereby maintain a balance and simplify life. He gives examples that prove, will power is the essential virtue of a fully actualized life.

Julian teaches John the virtue of selflessness in serving others. He asks John to embrace the present and live in the present - “Now”, never to sacrifice happiness for achievements and to savor the journey of life and live each day as his last one. At the end he asks John to spread these secrets for the benefit of other people. For the reader who might be in the rat race for material success and money, this book might be food for thought.

The monk who sold his Ferrari is available at Taylor’s libraries. The call number is F SHA.

About the Author

Robin Sharma is one of the world’s leading experts on leadership and personal development. His books have been published in over 50 countries helping millions of people and organizations create extraordinary results. Robin is also a widely respected CEO advisor having worked with Fortune 500 CEOs and leaders all over the world on leadership, change management and high performance in business.

Robin is the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc. a global training firm with a simple mission: to help people Lead without Title. In a recent independent survey of the world’s top leadership gurus by leadershipgurus.net, Robin appeared in the top 10 with Tom Peters, Jack Welch and John Maxwell.

Reviewed by Komathi Somasundaram, Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas Library.

Book Review : The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

“For you a thousand times over!”

Those are the magic words that moved me to tears when reading The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini. Actually, The Kite Runner is the first English novel that I read, not taking into account the compulsory texts for English lessons during school days. I read most of this book while in the train, on my way to work and back. Reading The Kite Runner in that situation did not allow me to fully concentrate on it. Nevertheless, I feel like crying when I reached the last words of the novel, although I was fully aware that I was in a train packed with people. Those last words, repeated in the book at the right time, trigger the reader’s emotion.

Hassan first said those words to Amir when he helped Amir to run for his kite in a kite-fighting tournament in their hometown in Kabul. Hassan and Amir are the main characters in this novel and the story evolves around them. When Amir won the tournament, he was very proud to be able to prove to his Baba (father) that he is a capable person. That was the finest moment for Amir. He had won his Baba’s heart. He had melt down the ice barricade that separated him and his Baba for years since he was born. Ironically, that moment was also the worst moment of his relationship with Hassan, his servant, his long-life friend and his brother. Amir did not stand up and defend Hassan when he was sexually abuse by a bully who was also competing in the tournament. Later, Amir regretted himself and he carried the guilt to adulthood.

“There is a way to be good again”, the words of advice from Rahim Khan, a close friend of Amir’s Baba, brought Amir back to Afghanistan, to the fond memories of his Baba, Hassan, Ali and Rahim Khan. Amir was willing to leave his wife and a stable writing career in America for a while to go back to his home country. The words of Rahim Khan mould him to become the new Amir, leaving the old one who was always running from problems cowardly and let other people handle them. It was Hassan who had always done the problem-solving job for him. It was always Hassan, the boy whom Amir has betrayed, despite Hassan’s loyalty and love for him.

Amir’s departure from America back to Afghanistan created another drama in his life. He did it for the the sake of Hassan and redemption. When you pay for the price of redemption, the world will always give it back to you with a more worthy price. Amir finally received the price, when he could fly the kite again and win many people’s hearts. This time without betraying anyone.

The Kite Runner is available in Taylor's Libraries. The call number is F HOS.

About the Author
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1965. He earned his MD in 1993 from University of California. His debut novel, The Kite Runner, was published in 2003. It is an international bestseller, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. Khaled Hosseini is a Goodwill Envoy for the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Reviewed by Haizir Othman, Tan Sri Loy Hean Heong Library III,
Leisure Commerce Square.