INDONESIAN PEOPLE READING HABIT IS VERY LOW :
HOW LIBRARIES CAN ENHANCE THE PEOPLE READING HABIT
B. Mustafa
[email protected]
Abstract:
Based on research reports conducted in several cities in some provinces since 1995, the
average reading habit of Indonesian people is still low. In fact, the research reports
conducted in the provinces of SULSEL (South Sulawesi), RIAU (Riau), KALSEL (South
Kalimantan), SULUT (North Sulawesi), SUMUT (North Sumatera), and KALTIM (East
Kalimantan) quantitatively stated that, if reading habit is quantitatively scored from the value
of 1, that is the lowest reading habit, to the value of 7, that is the highest reading habit, then
the study reported that the average reading habit score of respondents from the six provinces
is 3.2. That was a little bit low. A few factors suspected to influence these were: the low
availability of reading infrastructure, among these were books and other library materials that
people cannot access them easily and more often very expensive; the minimum support to
children to read books by parents and/or teachers; and the dominant of the oral culture in
communication activities among people of Indonesia.
Library is an institution that one of its function is to enhance and to improve the reading habit
of their clients. As a matter of fact, the development of reading culture is not the goal itself.
In fact it is only one of the processes and steps to achieve the main goal. What actually the
main goal is to make people of Indonesia fully informed in order to improve the welfare and
prosperity of the Indonesian people. This last goal is stated in the Indonesian Constitution,
the UNDANG-UNDANG DASAR of the Republic of Indonesia. Discussed in this paper is
how the library of all kinds, but especially the public and the school libraries, can enhance the
improvement of the reading habit of Indonesian people. In order to make well and fully
informed people, and this can at last improve the welfare and prosperity of Indonesian
people.
Keywords:
Reading habit, reading culture, library roles, library function, well informed people, people
welfare, people prosperity.
Introduction
Indonesia is moving towards establishing the learning society. Many policies, regulations,
standards, guidelines and programs concerning the establishing of the learning society have
been published and commenced in the last few years. Among them are policies, regulations,
standards, guidelines and programs pertinent to libraries and books. These all are to improve
the reading habit of Indonesian people and to reach the learning society, and in turn to make
people in this country become well-informed people and hopefully will create high standard
of welfare and prosperity of Indonesian people. This last goal is stated in the Indonesian
Constitution, the UNDANG-UNDANG DASAR of the Republic of Indonesia.
1 Why improving the reading habit of people becomes a big issue in this country? Because
most Indonesians are now still confined to the oral tradition. They do not have proper reading
habit. They only read if they have assignments to do from their schools or from their offices.
In their spare times, they prefer to watch television, play games and chat with friends, go
shopping in malls, or just have fun at some places. In addition, the education system
generally does not develop reading habit among the students. To make matter worse, the
family, especially in this case, the parents, mostly do not inculcate reading habit in their
children from the beginning years of their life. We are talking about all Indonesian people,
about more than 230.000 people living spread out in this big country, not only the people
living in big cities, but also about the people living in the remote places within the Nusantara.
Indonesia for many years in particular is facing the low rate of reading habit. According to
many a researches done in the last twenty years, it has been said that Indonesian people do
not like to read. A few factors suspected to influence these low reading habit are: the low
availability of reading infrastructure, among these were the high price books and other library
materials that people cannot access them easily; the minimum support and inculcate to
children to read books by parents and/or teachers; and the dominant of the oral culture in
communication activities among people of Indonesia.
Many studies in Indonesia lately even indicate the decline in the reading habits among the
young for various reasons. Television, video games and the internet, suspected, may have led
children away from reading printed books. But of course technology is not solely to blame
when children play online games instead of reading printed books. It is the role of the parents
and teachers to control the children daily activities.
In fact, the research reports conducted in provinces of South Sulawesi, Riau, South
Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, North Sumatera, and East Kalimantan, stated that, if reading
habit is quantitatively scored from the value of 1, that is the lowest reading habit to the value
of 7, that is the highest reading habit, then the reports stated that the average reading habit
score of Indonesian people from the six provinces is 3.2. That was a little bit low. Many
other studies also reported almost the same results.
When counting and scoring the respondents reading habit in their study of the Indonesian
people reading habit, the researchers used four parameters. The four parameters are: the
frequency of the respondents reading books or other library materials in a certain period of
time; the duration - the time spent by the respondents when reading books or other library
materials; spending – how much money the respondents spent to buy books and other library
materials in a certain period of time, and collection owned, how many books and other
library materials the respondents have in their private collection. The researchers believed
that these four parameters are among indicators of the reading habit of the people studied.
These four indicators are aggregated and scored within the value of 1 (the lowest score) to 7
(the highest score). The result of this quantitative approach showed that the reading habit of
the respondents in six provinces are very low (3.2).
On the other hand, Indonesia’s HDI value for 2011 is 0.617, positioning the country at 124
out of 187 countries and territories. Actually, between 1980 and 2011, Indonesia’s HDI value
2 increased from 0.423 to 0.617, an increase of 45.9 per cent or average annual increase of
about 1.2 percent. The rank of Indonesia’s HDI for 2010 based on data available in 2011 and
methods used in 2011 is 125 out of 187 countries. In the 2010 HDR, Indonesia was ranked
108 out of 169 countries. The low reading habit of Indonesian people is predicted
contributing to this low rank of Indonesia in HDI.
The 2009 HDI reports specially mention that reading habit of Indonesian people is at rank 96
among all countries in the world. Indonesian, according to the report, is in the same place
with Bahrain, Malta and Suriname. This figure will remain only a statistical data if no
continues significant policies and actions taking by the government and people of Indonesia
to combat this problem.
In fact, everyone can see that, not many Indonesian people wear glasses! Why? This is
another big and fundamental question to be answered! Someone said that, perhaps they
actually have better eyesight because they do not stare for long hours at a printed page from
the time they are still children. Maybe this is an area of deep investigation for the reason why
so many Indonesians don’t wear glasses! Is it because they do not read a lot? Or they just
cannot afford buying spectacles?
Factors Limiting Reading Habit in Indonesia
Several studies done by many researchers during the last few years showed that there are
commonly four major factors that present hinder the promotion of reading, salient among
them are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Indonesian people are actually not reading society. They are mostly oral society. Most
of them prefer to speak than to read and write.
The poor management. Belongs to this factor are: lack of qualified and competent
manpower in librarianship, lack of money to support the development of library of all
kinds (to make matter worse, corruption problems also exist in this area) and also lack
of good management in doing library operational.
The unaffordable expensive books and other library materials. Most Indonesian people
cannot afford to buy good reading materials.
The lure of electronic media and internet. TVs, internet and other multimedia have
potential effect on children’s reading performance. This has become an issue of
growing concern among education and often cited as a cause for the decline in people
reading habit. Children and even adults spent much amount of their time watching
entertaining television programs or just playing games.
Why Reading?
Reading is an important activity for people in a developing country such as Indonesia,
because people who have reading habit will enable their country to compete in the
globalization era. As such, reading habit should be continuously promoted in Indonesia.
Nowadays, on the other hand, libraries of all kinds, especially public libraries and school
libraries, have so far been conducting reading habit promotion in various ways, tools, media
and techniques. Those libraries have also established some policies and actions to support
3 reading habit in their communities. The policies and actions supporting reading habit
generally refer to provision of adequate and relevant book collection and library facilities,
and some others are implementation of libraries programs relating to reading promotion.
Mostly the vision of such libraries is to create well informed and smart society, while their
mission is generally to provide collection based on the information needs of their
communities, to provide services, to improve professionalism in order to develop the quality
and the intellectual life of human resources in Indonesia.
If Indonesian people to be part of knowledge society with life-long learning facilities, reading
is fundamental and children need family reading at formative age to stimulate reading
abilities. Family is the first school for every child.
Literacy development, this issue is very close related to reading habit, begins in the first days
of a child at home and this is a process to bring the child to reading. Parents are child’s first
and most influential teachers. At this early stage, pleasurable experiences with books and
stories shared, can build a strong foundation for reading, and a good life: intellectually,
socially and emotionally. Ensuring all children begin life with a strong foundation for literacy
and learning should be the aim of all the citizens of Indonesia.
It is said that reading is the gateway to the knowledge. It is a basic for all human beings to
read and communicate. But reading needs to be introduced, inculcated, nurtured and
developed at very young age for long time sustenance. Human behavior in a society has
direct relation to the reading and understanding, which is an art and needs to be continued
life-long. Reading habit formation from young age has bearing on the future abilities of
human beings and the human resource for nation building.
Reading is a process that will leads to learning. Learning has to be a lifelong effort in every
individual to be well informed and knowledgeable. Lifelong learning efforts of individual
citizens will make Indonesian become a learning and knowledge society.
Reading habits are essential foundation for any student to attain academic and research goals.
It is essential to focus on the importance of developing reading habits among the young
starting from home and school. Reading is actually not only a means for education and
knowledge, it can be a means for problems solving as well. Reading habits among the
Indonesian people have to be developed. Good and relevant books should be acquired more
in public and school libraries, as well as in any other kind of libraries. Reading activities
should be more encouraged as well.
Family reading serves as a mean to create a culture of literacy among members in the family
as well as in the society. It is known that literacy, that is the ability to read, write and
communicate clearly, will define a child's future success in school and in life. It is also
known that literacy development, the process that brings children to reading, begins in the
first years of life at home. Long before children enter school, early experiences with books
build a strong foundation for learning. So, in this case, family will take significant role to
perform this job.
4 Schools are places where parents actually send their children not only to learn but also to love
books. But most parents face difficulties nowadays to get their children to read, as kids now
are preferring television and Internet over printed books. This fact is inevitable with urban
families, as technology continues to advance in the digital era, replacing old-fashioned
printed books. But of course, this condition shouldn’t stop parents finding solutions,
including trying to share the problem with teachers. Nowadays schools in many cities have
gone all out trying to encourage students to enjoy reading.
What should be done by libraries?
The library is both a living organism and so that a responsive entity. With the relevant of
collections for their users, adequate infrastructure, supported by competent librarians, and
serve good services, it would definitely attract the users to come to library. In the mean time
there is much that the librarian can do to ensure that every book has its reader and every
reader her book. As said by old famous Indian librarian. Thanks to RANGANATHAN for
his postulate stated so many years ago. The first thing that the management and librarian must
do is to have open access, both in terms of keeping the library open during break times and
even a little after school and working hours. Children’s attention span is short and if there are
other activities that are available while the library remains closed, they will lose the habit of
coming to the library as one of their major options. So the library needs to match and excel
over other attractions to ensure use of the place. Secondly, there must be at least one weekly
library period for every class in schools. This is a time when the librarian can plan and
conduct activities and interactions with the students.
We need to dispel the myth that reading skills and literacy can only be achieved through
formal education in schools. In fact, there is still another side, that is the role of the libraries,
especially public libraries and school libraries. One of the core services of school libraries is
developing and sustaining in children the habit and enjoyment of reading and learning, and
the use of libraries throughout their lives. On the other hand, the public libraries’ mission is
generally supporting and participating in literacy activities and programs for all age groups.
The role of public and school libraries in promoting literacy and developing reading skills
amongst their users is in turn will improve their reading habit. In so doing, the libraries have
to provide adequate collections for readers. Evidence shows that properly funded and
sustained public and school libraries have the potential to play a pivotal role in improving
literacy and reading habits amongst children and young adults as well as adults. But more
emphasis should be made on resource provision than just on physical buildings.
Specific services and programs should be introduced in public and school libraries to help
children and adults with reading difficulties. School libraries and public libraries should play
an important role in the development of the so called “inclusive education”.
Opening hours of the public libraries and school libraries have to be increased and they need
to focus more on the needs of the users by providing exactly what and when they need the
reading materials or information.
Public libraries have supported literacy and reader development for centuries. So much so
that they were called ‘the Universities of the social class’. Public libraries should support
literacy activities and programs for all age groups, and initiate such activities if necessary.
5 Public libraries should be in a position to understand and support the community’s literacy
needs. This will enable them to provide literacy and outreach services. To achieve their
potential, public libraries need to redefine themselves and move away from the traditional
emphasis just on book circulation and story-telling, commonly done by public and school
libraries.
Public libraries have the potential to play an active and central role in promoting reading and
combating illiteracy amongst their local communities. But in so doing, more emphasis on
qualified and trained staff is needed for the delivery of professional services.
Library Methods and Programs for Promoting Reading Habit
Many methods, programs, tools, and media have been chosen and done by many libraries to
promote reading habit, in Indonesia and in the world. One can easily browse thousands of
such various ways over the internet.
Some examples of effective methods and successful programs for reading habit promotion to
improve reading habit of the communities are as follows:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
The library should make books available and easy to be accessed by their communities
Trying to bring books to the public instead of hoping them regularly come to the library
Publish various library promotion media (brochures, booklets, posters, multimedia, etc)
Make various and interesting reading programs:
a)
Organized reading camp
b)
Perform reading contest
c)
Invite authors in book talk
d)
Read aloud to children
e)
Collect creative poetry
f)
Display books with lots of pictures, not much text
g)
Story telling
h)
Books for babies
Performance
a)
Perform dramatic activities
b)
Organized puppet shows
Make craft activities and promotion
Organized bazaar
Invite other organizations to perform their own programs in the library territory
Make activities for individual
Embracing ICT (use e-mails, websites, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter) to
promote reading habit
Invite socialites to come to the library and ask them to influence people to come to the
library
Care about the physical environment of the library (comfortable chairs, cushions, soft
lighting, fresh air, etc)
And many other creative local methods, programs, tools, and media of your choices for
promoting reading habit.
6 Roles of local institutions or organizations in helping libraries conducting reading
promotion
The libraries themselves cannot improve the reading habit of Indonesian people without the
help of other institutions and organizations. Following are some institutions that can play
role, hand in hand with libraries, to improve the reading habit.
1.
Role of family. Parents are definitely and clearly very important first factor for
socialising and promoting reading habit amongst their children. Parents who spend time
reading to their children giving them the best possible start on the road to literacy and
reading activities. Many research studies have pointed out that the children who do best
in literacy skills at school are those who come from homes where there are books, where
their parents spend time reading to their children, and where children see their parents
and older siblings engage in reading activities. Some creative suggestions for parents to
forter reading habit to children are: read story books aloud, create a learning environment
by setting up a mini reading corner at home, and flood with reading materials, visit the
library, book shops, or book-prize as gift.
2.
Roles of mass media. Radio, TV, newspapers and magazines can help advertise reading
projects, village libraries, seminars, trainings, workshops, interviews of reading
authorities/writers/teachers and organizations involved in the reading activities to
promote reading, hence the help of these media personnel will be sought.
3.
Roles of private and government sectors in helping libraries conducting reading society.
The professional sectors or agencies will play a great deal to elevate the standard of
library and services through activities which aim to develop or encourage activities of
reading and writing, those are: the National Library of Indonesia, Indonesian Pulishers
Association (IKAPI), Indonesian Library Association (IPI) and other Indonesian libraryrelated professional organizations (ATPUSI, ISIPII, APISI etc), as well as other
professional organizations (IDI, IKADIN, etc), and other private organizations such as
SIKIB (wifes of the Cabinets of Indonesia Bersatu).
4.
Role of teachers. No need to explain more about the role of the teachers to improve
reading habit of their students. It is their main job to educate the students, this is of
course to teach them not only how to read but also to love readings and books.
Conclusion
As Indonesia is moving towards establishing the learning society, on the contrary, it is still
facing many obstacles, concerning the low of reading habit. Many factors caused this low reading
habit have been indicated through many researches in this fields. In order to overcome these
7 problems and to improve the reading habit of Indonesian people and to reach the learning
society, still many things have to done. The important among them are continuously creating
policies, regulations, standards, guidelines and programs concerning libraries, books, and how
to improve reading habit of the people, especially in improvement of service quality of school
libraries and public libraries. Libraries should be supported by strong policies and regulations.
Various creative projects have been commenced by many libraries. This in turn will make people in
this country become well-informed people and hopefully will create high standard of welfare
and prosperity of Indonesian people.
Reading List:
Baderi, A. 2005. Meningkatkan Minat Baca Masyarakat Melalui Suatu Kelembagaan
Nasional: Wacana ke Arah Pembentukan Sebuah Lembaga Nasional Pembudayaan
Masyarakat Membaca. Pidato Pengukuhan Pustakawan Utama. Jakarta: Perpustakaan
Nsional RI.
Bunanta, M. 2006. Anak Membaca Sejak Dini, Orang Dewasa Membaca Lebih Dini Lagi.
In: Prosiding International Seminar On Developing Reading Interest, Reading For All,
Jakarta, 3-5 Agustus.
Hodgson, K. 2006. The Role of the Professional Librarian in Supporting Reading Interest. In:
Prosiding International Seminar On Developing Reading Interest, Reading For All,
Jakarta, 3-5 Agustus.
Howard, DE. 2006. The Power of Reading: reading and inspiration. World & I, April 2006
v.21(4).
Human Development Report 2011. Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All.
Explanatory note on 2011 HDR composite indices. Indonesia. HDI values and rank
changes in the 2011 Human Development Report.
Indratno, A. dan Ferry, T. 2005. Budaya Lisan Kedua. Mata Baca, Vol.3 No.12, Agustus.
Ismail, T. 2005. Tragedi Nol Buku Tragedi Kita Bersama. Makalah Rapat Kerja Nasional
Ikatan Pustakawan Indonesia, Hotel Mutiara Merdeka, Pekanbaru, tanggal 31 Mei.
Laksmi, 2007. Tinjauan Kultural Terhadap Kepustakawanan: inspirasi dari karya Umberto
Eco. Jakarta: Sagung Seto.
Leonhardt, M. 2001. 99 Cara Menjadikan Anak Anda “Keranjingan” Membaca. Bandung,
Kaifa.
Mustafa, B. dkk. 2007. Pemetaan Minat Baca Masyarakat di Tiga Provinsi: Sulut, Sumut dan
Kaltim. Perpustakaan Nasional.
Natadjumena, R. 2006. Library for All: the development of reading ability for children in
Indonesian perspectives. In: Prosiding International Seminar On Developing Reading
Interest, Reading For All, Jakarta, 3-5 Agustus.
8 Rahman, S. dkk. 2006. Pemetaan Minat Baca Masyarakat di Tiga Provinsi: Sulsel, Riau dan
Kalsel. Perpustakaan Nasional.
Rachmananta, DP. 2006. Minat Baca: Strategi Pengembangan dalam Perspektif Nasional. In:
Prosiding International Seminar On Developing Reading Interest, Reading For All,
Jakarta, 3-5 Agustus.
Razak, A. 2004. Formula 247 Plus: Metode Mendidik Anak Menjadi Pembaca yang Sukses.
Jakarta: Elek Media Komputindo.
Sangkaeo, S. 1999. Reading Habit Promotion in ASEAN Libraries. In: IFLA Council and
General Conference. Conference Programme and Procedings (65th, Bangkok, Thailand,
August).
Sugiharto, S. 2011. Reading Habit A Challenge for ASEAN.
Reading, Bangkok.
Thailand Conference on
Yahya, T. 2006. Creating Future Readers: Mission Possible. In: Proceedings of International
Seminar On Developing Reading Interest, Reading For All, Jakarta, 3-5 Agustus.
9 CURRICULUM VITAE (April, 2012)
Name
Affiliation
: Mustafa, B
: Main Library of Bogor Agricultural University,
Dramaga Campus Bogor, Indonesia, 16001
Mobile: 08161821657
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Qualification : Drs. (Dept. of Library, University of Indonesia),
M.Lib. (Dept. of Library and Information Studies,
University College of Wales, Aberystwyth)
Professional activities related to the title of the paper presented in this 15th Consal:
No.
Research Activities
Institution
Status
1.
Research for Empowering the National
Library
of Consultant
City Public Library in 4 Indonesia (NLI), Jakarta
Provinces, 8 cities, 2011
2.
Research for City Public NLI
Consultant
Library in 10 Provinces, 2010
(Team Leader)
3.
Research for Public Library in NLI
Team Leader
24 Provinces, 2009
4.
Research for Public Library in NLI
Team Leader
12 Provinces, 2008
5.
Research for Reading Habit
NLI
Researcher
Mapping in three provinces
(Team Leader)
(North Sulawesi, East
Kalimantan, and North
Sumatera), 2008
6.
Research for Reading Habit Sinergys Program
Researcher
Mapping in three provinces between Department of
(South Sulawesi, Riau and Education and NLI,
South Kalimantan), 2007
Jakarta
Bogor, April 2012
B. Mustafa
1