Virtual Booth

Many students, readers, and professionals struggle to keep track of important information in books or documents. Conventional bookmarks are basic and fail to support active reading or quick referencing. They are often misplaced, lack smart functionality, and offer no interactivity or content-tracking features (Lucy's Note, 2013). This highlights the inefficiency and inconvenience of current bookmark solutions in promoting effective reading and information retention.

Based on observations conducted at the Labuan Matriculation College Library on January 23 and 24, 2025, we found that most readers easily lose track of the pages they left off. Additionally, during an observation at D'AMAN Cafe on January 30, between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., we noted that some people enjoy sharing their books with others. This often results in bookmarks being moved to different pages, making it time-consuming for the original reader to locate the last page they were on.

Meanwhile, we also conducted interviews via WhatsApp Messenger with four students aged between 18 and 20 years old. They shared that their main challenge is the difficulty in marking and remembering the last page they read. They also mentioned issues such as bookmarks being easily lost, falling out, or being moved when books are shared. Although individual reading habits and preferences for digital versus physical reading vary, the core limitation remains: current bookmark designs lack practicality and interactive features, ultimately reducing study efficiency and user engagement.

From a user perspective, the challenge lies in keeping track of notes, chapters, or important references without a smart system. This leads to wasted time and reduced productivity. Losing track of valuable content or struggling to recall key sections negatively impacts learning outcomes and reading flow (Eye Stationery, 2023). The root problem is the absence of a smart reminder or page-marking feature in traditional bookmark tools. Current solutions, such as paper or plastic bookmarks, are static—they do not support tracking, reminders, or integration with digital tools, highlighting a clear gap for innovation.

This opens up an opportunity to develop smart bookmarks equipped with digital tracking, notification features, and content-tagging systems. Such innovations could enhance learning, reading, and productivity. 

The success of this product will be measured by positive feedback, user satisfaction, functionality, and affordability. It must align with market needs—being convenient, engaging, and easy to integrate into daily reading or study habits. Innovation is essential to modernize traditional bookmarking methods. We hope this innovation will transform reading habits by combining reliability, precision, and modern technology. Collaboration and user feedback will be key to creating the ideal smart bookmark.