Jakarta's public libraries being left on the selves
Jakarta's public libraries being left on the selves
Leony Aurora and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Central Jakarta Public Library on Jl. Tanah Abang I was very
quiet on Saturday. Just two girls were spotted -- in the
children's section on the first floor.
"The number of visitors is far less than ever before," said
the library's head of service and public information, Stanley,
who has worked in the library since 1978, nearly a year before it
was opened to the public.
The main reason behind the lack of use, he surmised, was the
change of land use in the area from housing complexes to office
buildings. "Before, we never had to do promotions to get people
to come and read," he said, referring the library's plan to hold
several contests this month on drawing, poetry reading,
storytelling and book comprehension, in which participants must a
make synopsis of two books they are required to read.
Each contest has several categories, mostly from elementary to
high school.
The Central Jakarta library offers a range of children's
books, from Enid Blyton to elementary and junior high school
level books and magazines. The air-conditioned building is
equipped with four tables and decorated with pictures of national
heroes and cartoon characters, such as Woody Woodpecker and
Bambi.
On the second floor, the adult's section has a good selection
of novels and science books.
"We plan to computerize the catalog in the future," said
Stanley, without giving a specific time frame.
A slightly different scene was found at the South Jakarta
Public Library on Jl. Gandaria Tengah, in which more than a dozen
elementary-aged school children were seen reading in the
children's section.
Most of them were students from nearby Kramat Pela state
elementary school, waiting for their parents to pick them up.
"I have worked and visited all of Jakarta's libraries," Edy
Wicaksono, a staff member at the library said. "This is the only
library which is open until 8 p.m."
He said from its vast collection, cook books, craft books and
pop psychology books were the favorites.
"But the library gets a big increase in the number of visitors
when university students are doing their theses," he said, adding
the an average of 200 visitors come to the library every day.
Lia, an Islamic State University student, who is working on
her undergraduate thesis, said she often visited the library
because it provided books that her university's library did not
have.
"On top of that, it's comfortable here. The library has a cozy
atmosphere," she said.
Jakarta has six public libraries: one in each of the five
municipalities and one provincial library, which is located at
the seventh and eighth floors of Nyi Ageng Serang building on Jl.
HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Most books in the Jakarta provincial public library (Perpumda)
are on scientific topics. "Our library is aimed at catering to
the needs of students," said the library's head of service Wardi
Susilo.
Miranti, 23, a student of Perjuangan 1945 University in
Menteng, Central Jakarta, visited the library to look for
material for a paper she has been working on.
"Sometimes I don't find the books I need," she said. "But the
collection here is larger than the library at my university."
Miranti usually takes notes or photocopies parts of the books,
but never borrows them. "I have a Surabaya ID card," she said.
Only people holding Jakarta identification cards can apply as
members and borrow books in these libraries free of charge.
Some 5,377 members have been registered at Perpumda since its
opening in 1996.
Another visitor, Mohammad Homsan Dahuri, said it was difficult
to find the books he needed. Perpumda has over 43,000 books, but
the two computers to search the catalog are broken.
"The librarians just told me to find them by myself on the
shelves," he groaned.
Perpumda also has a special section, called the Jakarta
special collection. The room has a veranda with two sets of round
tables and four chairs each and a traditional Betawi (native
Jakartan) lamp.
Books on the capital are displayed inside, along with a plasma
television to watch videos, from Jakarta history to local art.
Public Libraries:
Jakarta Provincial Public Library
Nyi Ageng Serang building 7th-8th Fl
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 22C Ph. (021) 5263241-3
Central Jakarta Public Library
Jl. Tanah Abang I, Ph. (021) 3849254
West Jakarta Public Library
Jl. Tanjung Duren Barat No. 36 Ph. (021) 5664662
North Jakarta Public Library
Jl. Gereja Tugu No. 21 Ph. (021) 4400686
South Jakarta Public Library
Jl. Gandaria Tengah V/3 Ph. (021) 720 1174
East Jakarta Public Library
Jl. Jatinegara Timur IV Ph. (021) 8198929