'British Library' struggles to lure members
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As technology advances, libraries are becoming much more than just conventional places to browse books.
Rather than reading, about a dozen people at the government- run Perpus Diknas library on Friday afternoon spent more time watching a cartoon movie.
Almost a year after its relocation, the ex-British Council library currently run by the Ministry of National Education is still struggling to reestablish itself.
"We hold movie screenings every two weeks on Friday," said the library's research and development officer, Chaidir Amir, adding that traditionally, people were more interested in audio-visual materials than books.
The large screen at the center of the library, two study areas and the compact bookstore cafe create a modern-looking, yet spacious ground floor facility at the Ministry of Education office in Sudirman, South Jakarta.
Previously, the British Council library, Perpus Diknas with some 16,000 books and 5,000 videos, cassette tapes, CDs and DVDs, now has only 3,000 members, down from 5,000 members before the relocation and ownership change. Librarian Asriansyah said around 10 to 20 people used the facility each day.
"The number of the collections, especially the books, is also decreasing. We initially had 18,000 books but some of them had to be removed because of their condition," she said.
Since moving from the S. Widjojo building in November 2004, the library has tried to change emphasis to become more of a learning facility.
"We have a complete collection of teaching English books as well as a very varied collection of books on literary and social sciences topics," Chaidir said.
"We host study club events every Saturday in the discussion rooms," he said.
"And we plan more book fairs next year."
The activities the library hosts range from book launches and discussions, independent film making seminars and an English conversation club to Japanese origami lessons.
Amir said the library's recent book fair of discounted English and Indonesian titles had a good response.
"This building is more open to the public compared to the tightly guarded S. Widjojo building."
British Council director Mike Hardy said the library relocated after the Australian Embassy bombing in Kuningan, South Jakarta, when it was decided facility needed a more secure location.
"After reviewing several options, we thought that the ministry's office would be perfect," Hardy said.
Although it has donated its entire collection to the ministry, the council, which had operated the library for more than 50 years, has not stopped providing for it.
"We receive yearly funding to add our collections," Amir said.
Employees were also developing an e-library and road shows to cities throughout the archipelago.