Literacy group opens student donor program for public libraries<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A community organization that promotes reading among children,
\n1001buku, initiated on Saturday a program called \"1001buku Goes
\nto Schools\" in which schoolchildren are encouraged to donate
\nchildren's books to community libraries.<\/p>\n
As a pilot project, 1001buku is working together with state
\nhigh school SMU 6 in Bulungan, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We will include the book donating program in the annual
\nstudent orientation program,\" Titus Bagus, chairman of the SMU 6
\nstudent body, told the audience in the campaign on Saturday at
\nthe Jakarta Book Fair 2004 in the Bung Karno Sports Complex,
\nSenayan.<\/p>\n
Titus, 16, said first year students usually were asked to
\nbring food or balloons to the school by senior students during
\nthe student orientation program, held in the first week of school
\nin July.<\/p>\n
\"For this year's orientation program, the student body will
\nrequire each first year student to donate at least one children's
\nbook,\" he said. \"We do not require second or third year students
\nto donate, but we encourage them to do so.\"<\/p>\n
Titus said that the program was educational and was very
\nuseful as one donated book could be enjoyed by dozens or even
\nhundreds of children who did not have easy access to books.<\/p>\n
He said that so far the program had received a warm response
\nfrom fellow students at his school.<\/p>\n
\"Some of student body members will also help distribute the
\nbooks to community libraries around Jakarta,\" Titus added.<\/p>\n
1001buku campaign manager Dian Safitri said that there were
\nabout 50 community libraries that had joined 1001buku's network
\nin Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"In total, we have about 110 affiliated libraries in several
\ncities in Indonesia, including Yogyakarta, Bandung and Aceh.\"<\/p>\n
Dian added that 1001buku was contacting other schools, both
\njunior high and high schools, to join the program.<\/p>\n
\"But we haven't received any response from the schools. In
\nmost cases, we have to deal with a lot of red tape at the
\nschools. The headmasters usually require us to submit a
\nrecommendation letter from the Ministry of National Education,\"
\nshe explained.<\/p>\n
\"It's easier for us to approach the students, for example,
\nthrough the student bodies, and let the students do the talking
\nto the teachers and headmasters,\" she added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/literacy-group-opens-student-donor-program-for-public-libraries-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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