It is about more than simply borrowing books and journals, it is about creating a sophisticated, integrated and systemic library for all.
In an effort to upscale its ranking among the world's top universities, the University of Indonesia (UI) is building a new library, expected to be one of the best and biggest libraries in the world.
"The library has a pivotal role in a university. It is an effort to develop the university as it delivers its academic culture, a culture which can be seen from the quality of its research and its graduates," UI rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri said.
The 2008 Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings has put the University of Indonesia as the 287th best university in the world and 50th in Asia.
The upcoming library will be built eight-stories high on 2.5 hectares of land near to the campus' main lake with a total budget of Rp 100 billion (US$9.76 million).
Gumilar pointed out there were five points why the library would be among the world's best libraries.
First is the design of the library; it will be built as a green building, with some parts of the building using solar power, and be surrounded by lots of green areas.
Second, it is hoped the library will be able to generate active participation among university members in a bid to foster good academic practice.
"There will be rooms for students, professors, lecturers and guest lecturers to have seminars and discourses in order to share and exchange opinions, hoping to encourage debate and stimulate new ideas. These rooms will be located on the fifth to eight floors," Gumilar said.
Third, as it would have a caf*, a lounge and a business center on the first floor, the library was expected to be an integrated complex where students could comfortably study while having the facility to do other activities, and that some kind of student network and social life would evolve.
Moving up to the next floors, on the second to the fourth floor people will be able to drown themselves in a sea of three million books and journals, out of the total capacity of five million. Currently, the UI library has a total capacity of 1.5 million books.
"Gradually, we will increase our collection, thus, we are working closely with universities both here and abroad. This is the fourth thing that will mark us as an international-class library."
The last, and the most important thing, Gumilar said, through this library, the university was trying to create a smart education system focusing on the community.
"The library is not only for members of the university, but is also for other college students and the public."
For example, he said, when there were seminars or discussions held at the library, they would be open to the public.
"This is what we call the library of the 21st century. Not just because of the state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly design, but it will function as much more than just a conventional library, which will make it a world-class library," he said.
The construction of the library is expected to be complete by the end of the year. In addition, the university is renovating some of its other buildings so they will be more in line with the new, sophisticated library.
A student from the faculty of cultural science at the university, Paundra Jhalugilang, welcomed the construction of the new library as he had heard that it would have a lounge for students.
"It will definitely make us feel comfortable while we're studying," he said, adding, however, he would be a bit disappointed if the library in each faculty had to be moved to the new one.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|