Young people do their bit to help the community

As part of the World Literacy Day which falls on Wednesday, The Jakarta Post's Evi Mariani and Leony Aurora have been investigating library facilities in the city. Today, we take a look at two libraries run by volunteers.

What does a couple on Jl. Wijaya and the mosque youth group in Kebayoran Lama Ulama, both in South Jakarta, have in common? They both dedicate time and energy to promote reading habits in their neighborhoods by setting up their own libraries.

Syafe'i and Siti Sofiah, both 36, begun their patient and tenacious battle at a time when most urban children would rather spend their time with their console games.

The couple runs a small library in the humble living room of their home on Jl. Wijaya Timur VI.

"Our living room can accommodate up to 10 children. To attract them, I sometimes tell stories," Sofiah said.

She and Syafe'i have learned that they must have patience.

"Children are easily distracted. They read, but they don't always get the idea. Sometimes, we ask them to write a brief summary of what they had just read," Sofiah said.

"We are happy to observe their conversion. First, they only pick thin books with a lot of pictures. But slowly, they come to enjoy thicker books," Syafe'i added.

Sofiah said the idea of the library came about when she observed that many children in her neighborhood would play in the streets before they go to their afternoon classes at school. Some had become addicted to Play Station.

"I talked to my husband and we agreed to set up the library in cooperation with the South Jakarta Public Library," she said.

The library lent them 200 books, and promised to rotate the collection.

"Most books from the public library are old, with mostly text and few pictures," Syafe'i said. "They don't appeal to children although the content may be good."

The couple have also received about 100 new books with pictures donated by Mizan, a Bandung-based book publisher where Syafe'i works as a marketing officer.

The library in North Kebayoran Lama, occupying a multipurpose room of Madrasah Nurul Qaba on Jl. Penanggiran Timur III, faces a similar problem.

Most books on the shelves are of a scientific or Islamic nature. Two of them are titled Labor Law Symposium and Tagmemik Grammar Study.

"Who in this neighborhood will read such books?" asked Abdul Hadi, a resident there.

Gustain Syakie, an active member of the local mosque youth organization, said the books were loaned by the South Jakarta public library a few years back.

The book-exchange mechanism has not worked. "We have only changed the books once," said Syakie.

There are not many novels and comics in the library and the only children's books available are short stories about Muslim prophets donated by the Istiqlal Grand Mosque.

"We should have more children's books, as they are the ones who still hang around the neighborhood," said Abdul.

There is never a shortage of visitors. Residents, from age three years and up, go there every night to recite the Koran.

The library does not have any donor and gets its funding from leftover money from celebrations, such as Isra Mi'raj (ascension day of prophet Muhammad) or Independence Day.

"I hope that some people could donate used magazines or newspapers," he added. "Can you?"