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OMAH Library: Tangerang's comfy fountain of knowledge
Comfortably nestled within the Taman Villa Meruya housing complex just outside Jakarta, the library-slash-cafe is currently enjoying cult status as a serene haven for passionate architectophiles and urban bibliophiles.
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Intellectual paradise: The interior of OMAH Library is designed to provide a cozy space for intellectual conversations. To maintain orderliness, OMAH Library applies a reservation system for its patrons. (JP/Felix Martua)
R
ealrich Sjarief, the founder of Tangerang-based OMAH Library, acknowledged how, especially in these modern times, the concept of public libraries might be considered "nerdy" among young people and urbanites. The declining enthusiasm for reading, in general, may have aggravated the cliché, especially in an age when the public will be more inclined to seek enlightenment from, say, podcasts and digital content alike.
Nonetheless, OMAH Library (standing for On Meeting Architecture Hub) has stood proudly for almost eight years now and, impressively, gained a somewhat cult status among the so-called hip people who may have grown jaded by the overabundance of coffee shops in the city. Notwithstanding the changing times, the 41-year-old librarypreneur believes that, ultimately, there is something about a rich collection of books that an Instagrammable snack bar can never provide.
"For me, a book is a great thing, because almost all successful people love reading books," he quipped during a conversation with The Jakarta Post on Oct. 5.
A hub of intellectuals
