Libraries widely misperceived in Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Libraries are still widely misperceived institutions in Indonesia, even among school teachers, a leading librarian said yesterday.

Many people think a library is a costly place, or they are simply ignorant about the facilities which are available, Soekarman Kartosedono, a chief librarian at the National Library, said.

To make matters worse, teachers in primary schools also misperceive the role of libraries in education, Soekarman said.

Teachers think libraries are mere collections of literature which have nothing to do with education, he said.

"Libraries should become integrated aspects of the educational system. Their presence in schools should support education," he said, adding that teachers could give writing assignments that require students to use library facilities.

He said teachers should motivate students to read a lot, and award extra marks for those who do.

The National Library quietly marked its 17th anniversary on Monday amidst growing concern in society about the poor reading habits of Indonesians, including school children.

With a total collection of around 1.2 million books and periodicals, the book-shaped library building on Jl. Salemba boasts an average 6,200 visitors a month.

The nondepartmental National Library was founded in 1980 as a result of a merger between the Library of the National Museum, the Library of Social and Political History, the Bureau of Bibliography and the Library of Jakarta Municipality.

Soekarman traced the source of Indonesians' poor reading habit to the primary education system, which he said was not conducive to encouraging students to become creative and to think independently.

Hernandono, head of the Association of Indonesian Librarians, noted with concern society's rapid adaptation of the audio-visual media, which has come at the expense of reading and writing.

Indonesian society has been deeply rooted in oral tradition but it is now making the leap to an audio-visual tradition, he said.

Indonesia must not bypass the reading and writing phase because this is crucial for the nation's future, Hernandono said.

"Reading and writing should be given priority (in education) because that is where critical and creative thinking is formed," he said. (11)