Foundation launches library on wheels
JAKARTA (JP): A community-based organization launched its first mobile library Saturday, targeting children and teenagers in Jakarta.
With a modest collection of 3,000 books, the Wandering Books Foundation began its services thanks to a van contributed by the association of Indonesians who studied in Germany.
About 50 university students have volunteered to take part in the project, foundation secretary E. Olvia Beauthauville- Reksodipoetro, told The Jakarta Post at the launching ceremony.
"We're very concerned about the reading habits of Indonesian children," said the French-born Olvia.
The foundation, chaired by Nasti M. Reksodiputro of the University of Indonesia, studied the feasibility of the project for one year before deciding to initiate it.
Although mostly run by volunteers, Olvia said the project will strive to provide a professional service.
Initially, with only one van, the mobile library will operate in Rawamangun district in East Jakarta on Monday and in Cilandak district in South Jakarta on Wednesday.
On both days, the library will be open for three hours.
The staff and volunteers will not only manage the library, but will also organize storytelling, games, contests and other activities designed to help children develop the love and habit of reading, Olvia said.
The foundation welcomes outside donations to help run the project.
The books in the library were donated by, among others, Gramedia, Balai Pustaka and the Jakarta British Council, she said.
Meanwhile, the Jakarta municipality welcomed the project as complementing its own mobile library services.
"We regard them (Wandering Books Foundation) as a partner," the head of Jakarta's General Library, Mansur Rajak, told the Post at the launching ceremony.
Mansur said the city now runs nine mobile libraries, but ideally, it needs at least 35 vans to cover the whole of Jakarta.
Each of the five mayoralties should have at least seven mobile libraries, he said, adding that the municipality is working to meet the target. (26)