Jakarta Library strengthens position as inclusive public space

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta Library continues to strengthen its position as an inclusive public space for residents, as reflected in the high public interest in the Night at the Library (NATL) event held to mark the fourth anniversary of Jakarta Library at the Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) Library in Central Jakarta on Friday evening.

“The literacy ecosystem in Jakarta continues to grow. Libraries are no longer merely places to read, but also spaces to gather, discuss, create, and build social networks,” said the Head of the Jakarta Provincial Library and Archives Service (Dispusip), Nasruddin Djoko Surjono.

He expressed hope that Jakarta Library can become a service innovation that positions the library as a ‘third place’ for the people of Jakarta.

He said the fourth anniversary of Jakarta Library, commemorated on 7 July 2026, coincided with the launch of Jakarta Library at the Martha Christina Tiahahu and Nyi Ageng Serang Literacy Parks, which were inaugurated by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung.

Nasruddin assessed that the presence of the new library has received an extraordinary response from the public. The Jakarta Library at Nyi Ageng Serang has even managed to attract around 1,000 visitors every day.

“This is a remarkable achievement and shows that the reading interest of Jakarta’s residents continues to rise,” he said.

He added that this was also evident in the organisation of Night at the Library. The entire quota of 800 participants was fully booked shortly after registration opened.

Data from Dispusip DKI Jakarta recorded that throughout the first semester of 2026, Jakarta Library received 320,352 visits, or an average of around 13,000 visitors each week. Meanwhile, since reopening and entering its fourth year, total visits have reached approximately 1.96 million people.

“These figures show that libraries are increasingly accepted as living public spaces where people learn, discuss, create, and build networks,” he said.

He added that strengthening the culture of literacy is an important part of preparing for the 500th anniversary of the City of Jakarta. According to him, urban development must focus not only on physical infrastructure but also on improving the quality of human resources through open and inclusive literacy spaces.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Jakarta Library Management Unit and the H.B. Jassin Literary Documentation Centre, Diki Lukman Hakim, said the transformation of library services aims to strengthen its role as a comfortable third place for the community.

“We hope this service transformation can consolidate the role of Jakarta Library as a third place for inclusive, comfortable, and living social interaction outside the home and the workplace,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Assistant for People’s Welfare at the Jakarta Regional Secretariat, Ali Maulana Hakim, appreciated the service innovations continuously carried out by DKI Jakarta’s Library and Archives Service.

According to him, libraries have now transformed into public spaces open to all levels of society for learning, discussion, and developing creativity.

He added that literacy is no longer understood merely as the ability to read and write, but also as the ability to comprehend information, develop skills, and build competitiveness.

“We hope programmes such as Night at the Library continue to be held so that Jakarta Library increasingly becomes a centre of literacy, creativity, and human resource development, as well as a space for collaboration that strengthens the social interaction of Jakarta’s residents,” he said.