NEWSPAPERS REMAIN RELEVANT DESPITE NEW MEDIA

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama) -- The phenomenon of seeking information using the new media has not affected the role of newspapers. Rather, it remains among the most popular medium for sharing information in libraries.

National Library director-general Raslin Abu Bakar said the situation clearly demonstrated that newspapers were still relevant and important in information searches.

"Based on our information, more people prefer to read printed newspapers although its online version exists. This is because online news does display all the news available.

"Newspapers are complete information material and that is why, it is the main source for reference in libraries," he said at a news conference on the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions International Newspaper Conference here Monday.

The three-day conference which begins Monday and involves local and foreign participants will discuss the best practices to protect and conserve newspapers using digital technology.

Raslin said, regardless of the new media, a collection of 547,803 newspapers comprising 94 titles in various languages, was kept as hard copies in the National Library and served as vital reference material for researchers and students in their search for information.