National Library Rebrands Librarians as 'Lifelong Learners'
The National Library (Perpusnas) is using the momentum of Indonesian Librarian Day 2026 to introduce a new brand for librarians as lifelong learners. Through this step, Perpusnas affirms the role of librarians as drivers of literacy, guardians of knowledge, and agents of lifelong learning amidst developments in science, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Today’s librarians are no longer seen as keepers of bookshelves. They are connectors between society and knowledge, companions in lifelong learning, and drivers of a literacy culture. Therefore, Indonesian Librarian Day is a momentum to further strengthen the role of librarians as agents of change in Indonesia’s human resource development,” said Head of Perpusnas E. Aminudin Aziz in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
According to Aminudin, the transformation of the librarian profession must begin with a change in perspective towards the profession. The new brand of librarians as lifelong learners encourages human resources in this profession to become individuals who continuously learn, develop, and provide benefits to society.
“We want to build a new brand that librarians are lifelong learners who continuously learn, grow, and benefit society. This profession must be known not for guarding books, but for bringing knowledge to life,” he said.
As a manifestation of this transformation, Perpusnas is encouraging the strengthening of four main characteristics of librarians: always being at the forefront of acquiring new knowledge, being present to help the community, becoming heirs of civilisation, and being influencers who inspire a learning culture within society. These four characteristics reflect the transformation of the librarian’s role, which is no longer limited to collection management but has evolved into learning facilitators, guardians of the nation’s collective memory, and knowledge communicators capable of answering the challenges of the digital era.
“A nation that wants to advance needs librarians who are always learning. When librarians stop learning, libraries will lose their relevance. Conversely, when librarians continue to grow, libraries will always be homes of knowledge capable of meeting society’s needs,” said Aminudin.
Strengthening library human resources is an important foundation for the transformation of the librarian profession. Data from the Librarian Development Centre of Perpusnas as of July 2026 recorded 5,593 librarians throughout Indonesia, the majority of whom are librarians and library staff with a library science background (74.95 percent), with a composition of positions dominated by First Expert Librarians and Junior Expert Librarians.
Perpusnas also continues to strengthen the presence of librarians in the community through the Perpusnas Service Day Programme, which encourages librarians to provide assistance to school libraries, universities, public libraries, special libraries, village/sub-district libraries, and community reading gardens.
Aminudin invited all Indonesian librarians to make Indonesian Librarian Day a momentum to strengthen professionalism, expand collaboration, and continuously improve competence. “When librarians continuously increase their capacity and provide benefits to society, we are essentially building the foundation for a smarter, more cultured, and more competitive Indonesia. Because ultimately, libraries exist for the dignity of the nation,” concluded Aminudin.