WU’s Free Public Access Provision to Libraries, Books, and Publications

14Oct 2025 by Kittipong Bunlear

sustainablility and stewardship

The Center for Library Resources and Educational Media, Walailak University, is responsible for providing free public access to library resources, which are books and publications both offline and online, and educational facilities such as computers and informatic systems regarding library resources. The center serves as a hub for lifelong learning for students, staff, and the general public to study and seek more knowledge by self-learning without any cost to access. One of the center’s primary missions is to develop and maintain a wide range of educational resources, produce teaching materials, and offer academic support to the surrounding community.

Accessing the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media

From January to March 2024, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media was located at its main building on campus. Since March 2024, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media has relocated to the Architecture and Design Building, as its main building has been undergoing renovation. Thus, to physically access the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media, the general public can visit the Architecture and Design Building to access the library resources. The general public can access the center without any complicated procedure. The center provides various types of books and journals, such as textbooks, thesis books, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, etc.

Figures : The Center for Library Resources and Educational Media at the Architecture and Design Building

In addition, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media is designed to be inclusive for all, especially for disabled people, by offering wheelchair ramps, Braille books, and other disabled facilities.

In 2024, the center recorded a total of 1,896,051 visits, comprising 506,199 to the libraries, 37,623 to WU-MOOC, and 1,352,229 to other lifelong learning programs at Walailak University.

WUMOOC: Accessible Learning and Free Educational Resources for All

Walailak University is developing online education programs designed to meet the needs of 21^st-century learners by providing flexible course options and fostering inclusive learning communities for students, professionals, and the general public. These initiatives aim to enhance learner-centered education and close existing learning gaps. The programs offer open access to educational materials, allowing learners to study anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace. Participants can conveniently connect with instructors or teaching assistants and enjoy the freedom to learn according to their personal schedules. Furthermore, technology is seamlessly integrated into both academic and everyday contexts.

The Library and Media Center has evolved into a Living and Digital Library, operating an automatic free-access system called “Senayan.” It focuses on five core areas: e-Resources, e-Services, e-Training, Digital Content, and Learning Space for public use. This transformation provides a wide range of information resources — including books, research papers, theses, e-books, and online databases — to support teaching, learning, and research. A Smart Classroom has also been established to enhance online teaching and active learning experiences. In addition, online courses and training programs have been expanded to accommodate various learning styles for students, faculty, and the wider community.

Walailak University’s MOOC (WUMOOC) is an online learning platform integrated with the Thai MOOC Learning Management System (LMS), designed to meet the rising demand for lifelong learning. This platform allows individuals to upskill and reskill conveniently, offering a user-friendly system accessible free of charge on multiple devices.

Thai MOOC — or Thailand Massive Open Online Course — is part of the Thailand Cyber University (TCU) initiative, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI). In collaboration with over 120 universities, educational institutions, and organizations across Thailand, this project aims to complement traditional teaching methods by enabling students to complete academic programs and earn degrees through online learning. The initiative also encourages institutions to share digital courseware, optimize resource use, and reduce costs, especially benefiting those with limited faculty in specific subject areas by offering standardized, high-quality online courses.

The usage statistics for WU MOOC show an average of 39,872 visits in 2024, a significant increase In 2024, Walailak University offered 24 courses as part of the Thai MOOC program. The courses include:to 2,260 visits in 2023.

Work Psychology in Public Health

Work Performance Enhancement with AI

Creative Thinking for Personal Development

Information Ethics for Digital Citizenship

Cooperative Education and Working Skill Development in 21st Century

Healthy Sleep for Healthy Life

Occupational Health and Safety

Online Tools for 21st Century Learning

Introduction to Public Health

Information Technology in Digital Era

Thai for Contemporary Communication

Information Services for Digital Organization

Metadata for Organizing Digital Information

Criminal Law and Civil and Commercial Law for Healthcare Workers

Searching information for Research Report

Knowledge Inquiry for Development the 21st Century Skills

Internet of Things: from idea to product

Online Tools for 21st Century Learning

Thai Food for Health and Anti–Aging

Pre Cooperative Education

Developmental Psychology in Adolescent

Developmental Psychology in Elderly

Creative Thinking and Innovations

IT for the Present and Beyond

In addition, alongside the 24 courses, WU provides an additional 48 training programs with free access to the general public. The courses are:

1. Turnitin Plagiarism Check for Instructors
2. Turnitin Plagiarism Check for Students
3. Basic EndNote 20 Usage
4. Advanced EndNote 20 for Research
5. Convenient Bibliography Management with Zotero
6. Online Resources + Basic EndNote
7. Using Electronic Databases in Science and Technology
8. Using Electronic Databases in Health Sciences
9. Using Electronic Databases in Social Sciences and Humanities
10. Easy–peasy Online Book Reading via the Library Website
11. Simple APA7 Style Citation and Bibliography Writing
12. Google Search Techniques: Making Life Easier by Finding What You Need!
13. How to Seek Information on the Library Website
14. Sourcing Thai Information for Academic Works
15. Using Technology for Teaching in the Smart Classroom (Lecture Building 6)
16. Using Group Presentation Technology (4 Screens) in the Intermediate Smart Classroom (Architecture Building)
17. Recording Teaching in Classroom with AverMedia and OBS Studio
18. Simple Self–recording with Swivl Robot
19. Script Writing Techniques for Creating Online Educational Media
20. Preparing to Develop Online Courses on the Thai MOOC System
21. Easily Creating Online Assessments with Socrative
22. Presentation & Animation Creation with PowerPoint
23. Using ClassPoint for Teaching, Presenting, and Creating Online Quizzes with PowerPoint
24. Infographic Creation with PowerPoint
25. Easy Video Editing on Mobile with the VLLO App and Uploading to YouTube
26. Basic Design and Infographic Creation with Canva
27. Simple Editing with KineMaster at Your Fingertips
28. Using Zoom for Teaching and Meetings
29. Using Microsoft Teams for Online Teaching and Meetings
30. Using Cisco Webex for Online Teaching
31. Learning Design Tools with Adobe Illustrator
32. Basic Graphic Design with Adobe Illustrator
33. Design and Create Cover Template by Yourself
34. Learning Design Tools with Freeware Photo Pea
35. Basic Graphic Design with Freeware Photo Pea
36. Understanding Adobe Photoshop for Custom Image Editing
37. Flawless Success with Flowcharts
38. Deep Dive into Data Analysis Skills with Excel
39. Presenting Complex Data Simply with Excel
40. Learning Basic Techniques for Formatting Operations Manuals with Microsoft Word
41. Creating Operations Manuals with Automatic Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
42. Using Electronic Book Databases
43. Image Retouch & Dicut Techniques
44. Citation and Bibliography Writing for Academic/Professional Work
45. Time–saving Ideas with Excel
46. Using Microsoft Word for Documents: Formatting and Layout Techniques
47. Creating Online Classrooms with Google Classroom
48. Smart Classroom for English

Promoting Lifelong Learning among the General Public with Free Access

The Center for Library Resources and Educational Media welcomed a group of 22 Grade 5 students from Phimmanee School for an educational visit to Walailak University’s library services. Mr. Suwat Koetmanee, Librarian of the Learning Promotion and Educational Services Division, led the tour and introduced the students to the center’s overall services, joined by Ms. Kittiporn Sriphet and Mr. Santat Sarak, librarians who provided guidance on online information retrieval, demonstrated the use of RFID technology for self-service book borrowing and returning at the Self-Check service point, and organized a Q&A activity after a movie screening in the Soundtrack system at the Mini Theater.

Observations indicated that the students showed great interest in expanding their knowledge and experiences related to library usage. They also learned about the differences between a school library and a university library. The students enjoyed the movie screening activity, practiced analytical thinking, drew lessons from the story, and eagerly participated in the Q&A session to win a total of 11 prizes. On behalf of the school, Ms. Angkorn Suankamrat, the supervising teacher, expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome. The visit successfully fulfilled the school’s objectives to enhance knowledge, gain experience, and promote learning, providing the students with direct experience from visiting the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media. It created a connection between classroom learning and real-life situations, enabling students to apply what they learned to daily life and inspiring them to continue seeking knowledge.

Other Lifelong Learning Resources

Walailak University provides access to a global, multidisciplinary database containing academic journals, magazines, publications, and videos across diverse fields of study. These resources are offered to the public free of charge and cover a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, astronomy, anthropology, biomedical sciences, health, law, mathematics, pharmacology, education, women’s studies, and animal sciences, with more than 5,000 titles available.

In addition, the E-Books Database offers a wide collection of Thai electronic books in convenient digital format. Readers can access and enjoy these books on various devices, including iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and more. Walailak University members may log in through the system to enjoy unlimited access anytime.

In 2024, the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media recorded a total of 1,318,718 learners to its educational resources. The total included 506,199 users access of library services, 39,872 enrollments in WU MOOC, and 772,647 interactions with lifelong learning media, underscoring the center’s vital role in fostering continuous learning opportunities.

Walailak University has conducted a diagnostic review of its library and online learning systems to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for all learners. Through continuous development of digital platforms such as WU MOOC and the Center for Library Resources and Educational Media, the university expands free access to books, publications, and lifelong learning resources. Active community engagement is fostered through school visits, training programs, and open online courses, encouraging self-directed learning. Regular measurement of user participation and satisfaction with overall rate of 88.8% ensures ongoing improvement in resource quality and learning outcomes.

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