Literacy group opens student donor program for public libraries

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

A community organization that promotes reading among children, 1001buku, initiated on Saturday a program called "1001buku Goes to Schools" in which schoolchildren are encouraged to donate children's books to community libraries.

As a pilot project, 1001buku is working together with state high school SMU 6 in Bulungan, South Jakarta.

"We will include the book donating program in the annual student orientation program," Titus Bagus, chairman of the SMU 6 student body, told the audience in the campaign on Saturday at the Jakarta Book Fair 2004 in the Bung Karno Sports Complex, Senayan.

Titus, 16, said first year students usually were asked to bring food or balloons to the school by senior students during the student orientation program, held in the first week of school in July.

"For this year's orientation program, the student body will require each first year student to donate at least one children's book," he said. "We do not require second or third year students to donate, but we encourage them to do so."

Titus said that the program was educational and was very useful as one donated book could be enjoyed by dozens or even hundreds of children who did not have easy access to books.

He said that so far the program had received a warm response from fellow students at his school.

"Some of student body members will also help distribute the books to community libraries around Jakarta," Titus added.

1001buku campaign manager Dian Safitri said that there were about 50 community libraries that had joined 1001buku's network in Jakarta.

"In total, we have about 110 affiliated libraries in several cities in Indonesia, including Yogyakarta, Bandung and Aceh."

Dian added that 1001buku was contacting other schools, both junior high and high schools, to join the program.

"But we haven't received any response from the schools. In most cases, we have to deal with a lot of red tape at the schools. The headmasters usually require us to submit a recommendation letter from the Ministry of National Education," she explained.

"It's easier for us to approach the students, for example, through the student bodies, and let the students do the talking to the teachers and headmasters," she added.