Libraries unattractive because of boring books

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Students are often scolded for not spending enough time at their school library, but do not blame them. It is the lack of new books and a comfortable room in which to read them that is the source of the problem.

"I never want to go to my school library unless my teacher makes me," said Maria, who is in her third year at a state high school in Tebet, South Jakarta.

Maria blamed the old dusty collection of books and the musty library room for discouraging her from going to the library.

Milka, another student at a state high school in Kayu Manis, East Jakarta, echoed Maria's complaint, saying that new books were a must to attract students who are avid readers.

"There are no new novels or books available (in the school library). That's why I don't feel like going there," she said.

Milka, who loves going to bookstores, said she preferred to buy novels with her allowance to satisfy her love for reading.

"I can't just read books in the bookstore as it is uncomfortable. I use my allowance to buy a new novel once a month, which is usually between Rp 40,000 (US$4.40) and Rp 50,000 each," Milka said.

Many students said new books that teenagers could relate to would be more appealing for students to read.

"I would visit the library regularly if they had teenage magazines," said Dewi, another student residing in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

Dewi said that she reads one magazine during the week.

Meanwhile, Rachmat Natadjumena, the chairman of the Reading Habit Movement (GPMB), a non-governmental organization, said only a few schools had good libraries.

"Most schools only have 'pseudo-libraries'," Rachmat said on the sidelines of a launch of a movement to foster better reading habits.

Rachmat said many so-called libraries only had textbooks in locked cupboards with the keys kept by the teachers.

Rachmat attributed the poor condition of most school libraries to the school management's lack of initiative and concern in developing reading facilities.

Rachmat said that only 20 percent of the elementary schools had a library.

That number is higher among junior high schools, with 59 percent having libraries, Rachmat said, while 64 percent of the high schools in the capital also have a library.

There are 3,179 elementary schools, 1,044 junior high schools, and 483 high schools in Jakarta.

A school librarian, Tyas, said poor school library facilities would discourage students from coming to take out books.

"The students' interest in reading books is, in fact, quite high. They often ask me to buy more books to add to the selection," Tyas said.

However, budget constraints have prevented us from bringing in more books, she said.

Her school, she said, had allocated less than Rp 1 million for the purchase of new books.

Rachmat said his organization would focus on empowering elementary school libraries, which had the worst shortage of books and also poor management.

"We will provide new books to add to their collection or train the librarians," Rachmat said, adding that his organization was also backed up by publishers, bookstores, social foundations and some governmental institutions.

Rachmat added that his organization would also aim at reviving village libraries as well as those located in mosques and churches to boost people's reading habits.

Also present at Friday's launch were Coordinating Minister for Peoples' Welfare Jusuf Kalla and the director general of nonformal education and the youth department of the Ministry of Education, Fasli Jalal.