The Formation of Community Association Based Public Community Libraries and Books Bank of Jogja: An Effort to Realize Yogyakarta Municipal as a City of Education for All (The Best Practices)

Abstract

Equitable access to education in Indonesia is still far from the expected, both in terms of geography, levels, and even on gender issues. The quality of education is also often attributed by the poor reading culture. Many efforts have been made, such as campaigning and motivate people to read. However, these efforts must be accompanied by get community closer with literature itself. Yogyakarta which is known as an Education City, currently, is working to be "A City of Education for All" in the spirit of lifelong learning. One of the efforts to gain is to get closer books, information and library materials to community. To that end, the public should be given access to the widest possible and as easy as possible to books. It is understood that the library is a public place to access information, books  and library materials. Bringing books to the public means also closer physically library in the community.Community association based public community library is an attempt to get closer of public access to books, both technically and philosophicaly. With this concept, as a logical consequence, the need for books and library materials is also get higher. Books Bank of Jogja can be a solution to explore the potential of the community to support the community public library in the case of books and library materials. Books Bank of Jogja is well worth potential to be developed and forwarded a mechanism for the distribution and circulation of books to optimize the usability of a book.

Keywords: books access, community association based, public community library, Books Bank, community supported

1. Introduction

Equitable access to education in Indonesia is still far from the expected, both in terms of geography, levels, and even on gender issues. Similarly, the quality, where the quality of education in international comparison, Indonesia still lags behind countries in the ASEAN region though. This problem would only can be solved by planned, systematic and intertwining synergy efforts of all components of the nation. 

The quality of education is also often attributed by the poor reading culture, in general, many people judge the lack interest in reading and literacy skills of Indonesian society. Many efforts have been made, such as campaigning and motivate people to read. However, these efforts must be accompanied by get community closer with literature itself. Yogyakarta which is known as an Education City, currently, is working to be "A City of Education for All" in the spirit of lifelong learning. In the level of formal education, this effort is being held by an education policy which is favor of the structurally weak community, such as the Assurance Education for underprivileged citizens, the quota for “Card towards Prosperity”  holders in any new schools admissions, and many others. However, these efforts have not been enough, since public access to information and library materials in the framework of lifelong learning is still very limited. And the most democratic means for lifelong learning is the library, in view of the library is a learning resource that most "accessible" and relatively inexpensive, so it can be used by all people.

2. The Formation of Community Association based Public Community Library

Library is an institution that can directly meet the needs of societis information. Libraries are not just for the fulfillment of library materials and information, but further develop society reading culture. With a good reading culture in society, it is expected that the community information literacy well too. Thus, the flow of information developed in the community can run smooth, can be understood as a result of development of information society as a whole. Similarly, it can avoid any misunderstandings or redundant access to public information. The process to achieve literate society of information should be carried out continuously as one embodiment of the concept of education for all.

In an effort to get communities closer to the public library, the priority is on the bottom society, which is structurally have the limitations of access to books. So the policy priorities for the community is how they can easily access the reading materials. The formation of Public community libraries or often called by Community Reading Place (Taman Bacaan Masyarakat/TBM) which based on Community Association  (Rukun Warga/RW) was one of Yogyakarta municipal government’s efforts to closer books and libraris to community. Since these public community library which spread across each community association among Yogyakarta is one of the way to get closer physically and ensure easy access by all strata of society to the bottom though. Later this public community library should be able to spearhead the service needs of information that is always evolving.

The establishment and launching of the community association based public community library was started in the 2007, with a public figures pioneering approach.  Public community libraries are well developed in Yogyakarta. Currently there are about 207 public community library or 33,66% of the total 615 community association or RW. These libraries were formed and held or managed by the community itself, government roles are more than motivated and assistance the community. 

Need to say that, not all these public community library well managed, human resources constraints and the lack of library materials was still an excellent reason. It demands attention and more intensive coaching from the government.To improve these public community library management and service in the community, Yogyakarta municipal government each year (since 2007) disbursed funds in a form of Social Grant to these libraries. The submission mechanism of the grant follows the format and conditions that have been prepared by the Yogyakarta City Library as the implementing agency.  Besides disbursed social grant for these libraries, Yogyakarta municipal government also supervised and technical guidance to the development of library personnel (or librarian). Supervised are be formed by a technical assistance of how to manage the library, training and visitation to the library and community.

As a consequence of the establishment of the community association based public community library, it takes compliance very large of library materials, while the government's ability to meet them is very limited. To overcame this problem, than the Books Bank of Jogja was established. Books Bank of Jogja is a program to collect used or new books or collection from the community and than be distributed for the community.

3. Books Bank of Jogja

Books Bank of Jogja is a program under the management of Yogyakarta City Library which provided for people to be able to donate books and other library materials, and then be distributed to be used extensively for the needy. Books Bank was started up on April 21, 2010. In the age of less than three years, it received a good reception from the public, as evidenced, many donations of books and many incoming requests from both public community libraries, schools and community agencies. No less than 15,000 copies of the book worth reading, both physically and content is collected and channeled in a year, this is equivalent to ten times of the procurement of books in a year which is financed by the Government. Books Bank of Jogja is well worth potential to be developed and forwarded as a mechanism for the distribution and circulation in the book to optimize the usability of a book.

Books Bank of Jogja has a slogan "Sharing books on one another, giving the benefit of all", thus, besides collected books from community and distributed them, Books Bank of Jogja also try to develop a level of social awareness to share information. So that, the society information literacy not just been developed by the government, but also supported and may be the responsibility of the society for all.

4. Closing

Basically, education for all paradigms is provided access of education for all people regardless of their social structure, economic and ages. Books are one of the means to meet the lifelong learning needs of the community. To that end, the public should be given access to the widest possible and as easy as possible to books. It is understood that the library is a public place to access information, books  and library materials. Bringing books to the public means also closer physically library in the community.

Community association based public community library is an attempt to get closer of public access to books, both technically and philosophicaly. With this concept, as a logical consequence, the need for books and library materials is also get higher. Books Bank of Jogja can be a solution to explore the potential of the community to support the community public library in the case of books and library materials. Books Bank of Jogja is well worth potential to be developed and forwarded a mechanism for the distribution and circulation of books to optimize the usability of a book. (Fie')