The Sultan Ismail Library (PSI) in Johor Baru has introduced a solar-powered bicycle, known as a book bike, aimed at facilitating book exchanges across the city. The initiative seeks to broaden access to reading materials and promote community engagement through a mobile platform.

Senior librarian Tengku Tarmizi Tengku Aziz explained that the book bike, equipped with a box fitted with solar panels, arrived at the library in early September. The solar panels power LED lights and provide a power socket, enabling the book box to operate efficiently during outreach activities. The bike has since been deployed at several events organized by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB).

The books available on the bike include donations from the public, and the library has established a one-for-one exchange system: visitors can take a book free of charge but are encouraged to donate another in return. This model is designed to sustain the book supply while removing barriers associated with traditional borrowing.

Tengku Tarmizi noted that the book bike is an extension of the library’s existing books-on-wheels initiative, which previously utilized larger vehicles to deliver mobile library services. Initially, a bus was used; however, it was replaced by a van in 2022 due to high maintenance costs. The mobile units typically attend MBJB events and functions organized by local councillors.

The introduction of the book bike allows the library to participate in smaller community gatherings that may not be suitable for larger vehicles. Looking ahead, PSI plans to collaborate with local schools to establish a fixed rotation schedule for the mobile library system. This approach aims to give students reliable opportunities to borrow and return books as the current lack of a fixed timetable has complicated returns for some users.

Akmal Azfar Abd Mutalib, a self-taught bicycle mechanic who built the book bike for PSI, said this is his second project of its kind. His first book bike was created for a public library in Selangor, where Tengku Tarmizi first encountered the concept and later commissioned a similar model for Johor Baru. Akmal expressed hope that the bike will enable the library to reach more people, particularly in locations that are otherwise difficult to access.

The solar-powered book bike represents an innovative effort by PSI to expand library services beyond its physical premises, promoting literacy and community participation through an environmentally friendly, mobile solution.