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Book sellers await bibliophiles at Blok M Square
Jakarta has its own book marketplaces, such as the one at Blok M Square, South Jakarta. The marketplace, known for its cheap books, hosts around 100 book kiosks that sell new and used books at relatively low prices, where buyers may also bargain to get a good price.
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ooks are keys that open many doors, the author James Rollins said. Along with many other wise words about books, the quote sums up the importance of reading to broaden our horizons.
For book lovers, hunting books gives a distinct satisfaction, especially when the hunt leads to finding the books they have wanted for some time.
Jakarta has its own book marketplaces, such as the one at Blok M Square, South Jakarta.
The marketplace, known for its cheap books, hosts around 100 book kiosks that sell new and used books at relatively low prices, where buyers may also bargain to get a good price.
Among the wide variety of books offered at the marketplace are school text books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, novels, magazines and many others. Some book sellers also offer rare books.
“[The books] Siti Nurbaya and Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijk (The Sinking of the Van Der Wijk) are rare books that many people look for,” a kiosk owner named Bur who has been selling books for 10 years, told The Jakarta Post.
“The books can fetch up to Rp 500,000 [US$35.37],” said Bur, a West Sumatran man whose kiosk sells books within the price range of Rp 10,000 to Rp 750,000.
Unfortunately, with digital transformation affecting all aspects of life, and even worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the kiosk’s turnover has drastically slumped.
“This is a difficult time. [The book kiosk’s] earnings can only cover rent,” said Bur, who pays Rp 1.8 million in rent each month for his 3 x 6 square-meter kiosk.
Bur, however, may put his hopes on those who still long to touch and smell the texture and scent of old papers.
