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Surabaya administration to build 1,000 kampung libraries
To meet the growing public appetite for information, the Surabaya municipal administration will develop 1,000 libraries in kampungs across the city, targeting to complete the project in 2010
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To meet the growing public appetite for information, the Surabaya municipal administration will develop 1,000 libraries in kampungs across the city, targeting to complete the project in 2010.
"We're prioritizing the project for rural kampungs with low- to middle-income residents," Surabaya City Development Planning Board (Bappeko) head Tri Risma Harini said recently.
"We want to accommodate their need for information, which is usually not met because they have to prioritize basic needs like food."
She added not all Surabaya residents had smooth access to information, financial restraints being the main hurdle. She pointed out low-income residents were mostly unable to afford books, while there was only one public library, in Rungkut district, in the city.
By developing libraries in kampungs across the city, the administration hopes all Surabaya residents will be able to access information faster and more affordably.
The libraries, Risma went on, would provide public knowledge books and also works of literature for students, effectively serving as a place to study.
The administration has this year allocated Rp 5 billion (US$476,000) from its regional budget (APBD) for the project.
"We will give each kampung Rp 5 million to buy books and other facilities, except the building. They can use community halls or meeting rooms in their kampungs," said Risma.
The city, Risma said, would also hire and train two people from each kampung to manage the library, and pay them a monthly salary.
She added the city had previously built reading spaces at three subsidized apartment blocks - at the Penjaringan Sari apartments in Rungkut, the Sumbo apartments in Simokerto, and the Urip Sumoharjo apartments in Tegalsari.
The administration allocated Rp 600 million to build the eight reading spaces, which were completed last year. People visiting the reading spaces can access information and borrow books for free. Children can also study at the spaces.
Separately, Ricky, from the Indonesian Library Development Foundation (YPPI), said the foundation had developed five mobile libraries - one in Surabaya, two in Bojonegoro, one in Pasuruan and one in Jambi.
