Library lagging behind<\/p>\n
From Media Indonesia<\/p>\n
I am commenting on the statement by Melling Simanjuntak,
\nDirector of Library of the United States Information Service
\n(Media Indonesia, July 27 1995). He said: \"So, if compared to
\nSingapore, our library is lagging far behind. However, compared
\nto Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, the situation is not
\nthat inferior.\"<\/p>\n
I think we are also unfortunately far behind Malaysia and
\nThailand. Prof. Andi Hakim Nasution once wrote, while he was
\nvisiting and staying at a Malaysian campus, that one night he
\nheard the foot-steps of a group of students returning from the
\nlibrary at about midnight. Has this kind of activity ever
\nhappened in an Indonesian university? Gajah Mada University
\nlibrary's reading room opens from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and reopens
\nfrom 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. While the lending section service lasts
\nfrom 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. But the afternoon service usually takes
\nplace during semester exams.<\/p>\n
We are still lagging behind Thailand as far as library service
\nis concerned. Many Indonesians are doing post graduate studies in
\nThailand's universities, like Asian Institute of Technology
\nMahidol, Chulalangkorn and Thammasat universities. But I don't
\nthink there are as many Thai students doing post graduate studies
\nin Indonesian universities.<\/p>\n
Gajah Mada University has two central libraries and 20 faculty
\nlibraries and a number of research libraries. All these libraries
\ncombined house about 380,000 volumes, most of which are old
\nbooks.<\/p>\n
It is unfortunate to note that this university seems to have
\nno sound judgment of the scale of priority. The newly built
\nauditorium cost about Rp 10 billion. Now they are building a
\nstadium, of which only heaven knows the cost. Meanwhile they try
\nto enlarge the library collection through begging from foreign
\nembassies, foundations and\/or foreign universities.<\/p>\n
I do not particularly believe that libraries are scarcely
\nutilized because of the low reading habit of the people, but
\nrather due to the unavailability of the titles needed for
\nparticular studies.<\/p>\n
ADE PRIYATNA<\/p>\n
Bekasi, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/library-lagging-behind-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }