This paper elaborates on the current condition of the public library, focusing on the one in Alor Gajah. One of the main issues faced by the public library today is the lack of visitors. Scholars suggest that it is crucial to integrate the users' perspectives into the building design as the sense of attachment of the user to a place can greatly affect their attitude towards the spaces perceived. The study aims to investigate the new approaches in the design of a library, to upgrade it as a social interactive space, particularly in Alor Gajah, Melaka. IntroductionThe public library today is the least preferable place to go for leisure time. Most of the people recognize the library as a place for borrowing books only but not a community place for social activities. The orthodox mindset of the public contributes to the underutilization of the library. The scholars consider that the library is always set in a serious and restrained environment with total silence and the visitors will automatically behave silently when visiting the library. Apart from that, the poor library space planning leads to the creation of unfriendly and uninviting spaces. The public is not given clear and direct access to the important spaces, causing the public to have less interest in visiting the place again.The study seeks to understand the locals' perceptions and preference of place in Alor Gajah in order to formulate the relevant library design strategies. The suggested strategies are based on the investigation towards the public library of Alor Gajah. The role of the library needs to be redefined as social interactive space for the community and not merely as a study place. In additional of that, the proposed library design should be able to create a safe and accessible public sphere for the community at the same time inculcating the public values among the community. Scholars suggest that it is crucial to integrate the users' perspectives into the building design as the sense of attachment of the user to a place can greatly affect their attitude towards the spaces perceived. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the new approaches in the design of a library, to upgrade it as a social interactive space, particularly in Alor Gajah, Melaka. The first objective was to clarify the reasons why the public library in Alor Gajah not popular among the locals. Secondly, to investigate the kind of activities preferred by the locals in Alor Gajah. Thirdly, to investigate the new approaches to designing a public library that suits the locals in Alor Gajah.

This paper clarifies on the condition of the public libraries, focusing on the one in Alor Gajah town.  The objectives were to search the reasons for the lack of visitors to the library, the perspectives of the locals and library users, as well as the means to assimilate their viewpoints into a new approach in designing a library. The discussions in the findings include the preference of the locals, the location and the users of the public library. The strategies suggested comprise the role of the library to be redefined as a social interactive space for the community. Keywords: public library; social; Interactive space; community eISSN 2514-7528 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRAcE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) andcE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. https://doi.org/10.21834/jabs.v4i12.329