The rise and growth of NGOs-and-community- sponsored-libraries in Indonesia’s post President Soeharto period, an instant phenomena? L. Sulistyo-Basuki Universitas Indonesia

Background In 1998 President Soeharto step down after 32 years of strong, centralised,(almost) dictatorial power including in public librarianship Afterward, Indonesia witnessed the rise of community libraries in the sense of those libraries established, operated by non-government authorities

Type of community libraries 1. Operated by individual or family 2. Established by NGOs 3. Operated by semi-public funds, usually based on corporate social responsibility activities 4.By government agencies but outside the library authorities

REASONS TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY LIBRARY 1. Life styles 2. Unemployed [sic] 3. Idealism 4. Part of social corporate responsibility 5. Showing an attitude that they free from authority reign

Analysis 1. Tend not to use the term perpustakaan (library) but something else such taman pustaka (book garden), taman bacaan (reading garden), rumah baca reading house), perpustakaan dunia (world library) 2. Operates independently, no coordination with the others 3. Too depends on charities

Analysis Lack of trained manpower 5. Some are publicity known, e.g. those serving street children with other educational and social activities 6. Providing other activities usually not found in public libraries such as teaching the children to draw, writing for early age, story telling, visiting the zoo etc

Present conditions 1.The “death rate” is high 2. National Library of Indonesia has no data based on the available Basic Library Number. 2. Problem of sustainibility 3. Tend to utilization of corporate social responsibility, public donation, charities etc

Conclusions What happened in the last ten years is a sudden phenomena not found in pre-1998 Indonesia The phenomena of too depend on the ruling power, donator, charities is still going on and it is not a good sign for the community libraries The private sector should work closely with the authorities, disregarding different opinion, financial supports, denomination etc. The establishment and operation of public libraries still and will be the main responsibility of the government.

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