Visitors Demand Mini Libraries in Jakarta Parks Be Opened and Maintained, Not Just for Show

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — The presence of mini libraries in several city parks in Jakarta is hoped to become an easily accessible literacy facility for the public. However, this hope has not yet been fully realised. Several visitors assess that this facility has not been managed optimally, so it has not truly been utilised. Based on Kompas.com observations on Thursday (23/4/2026), mini libraries in several parks such as Tebet Eco Park, Taman Suropati, and Taman Menteng still fail to attract visitors’ interest. She also highlighted the importance of routine checks on the condition of the books. “There should be routine checks, perhaps once a week or every two weeks, to ensure the books are still usable,” said Rianti when met by Kompas.com on a park bench. According to her, challenges in open spaces such as the risk of damage due to weather or loss of books should be addressed with a good management system. “If the management is serious, I think this facility can truly be beneficial, not just for show,” she said. A similar opinion was expressed by Rida (34), a visitor to Taman Menteng. She hopes that the mini libraries will be more focused on children by providing attractive and age-appropriate books. She also emphasised the importance of easy access so that children are interested in reading. “If it’s locked or hard to open, children certainly won’t want to try,” she said. Meanwhile, Isa (40), a visitor to Taman Suropati, believes there is a need for a more structured management system, including involving communities or volunteers.