VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Press conference ahead of the 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries which was held in Jakarta, on Wednesday (8/5/2024) ; (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) will hold a Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) in the Library Sector in 2024.

National Library Main Secretary Joko Santoso said that the National Coordination Meeting would discuss three major programs which will be the main focus of National Library in 2024.

These programs are strengthening reading and literacy culture, mainstreaming Indonesian manuscripts as well as standardization and training of library staff aimed at mapping libraries according to national library standards ( SNPs).

"This is our effort to continue to accelerate various activities related to the latest program changes in the era of disruption of demographic change," he said in a press conference ahead of the 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries which was held in Jakarta, on Wednesday (8/5/2024).

He said the millennial generation and generation Z were the focus of National Library, especially in strengthening reading culture.

Many things have been done, he continued, one of which is accelerating the use of devices for the digital library platform, namely iPusnas.

"Now there are millions of digital books that can be accessed, one of which is iPusnas. "iPusnas has also been replicated in 256 digital libraries in the regions," he said.

Apart from that, efforts are being made to place digital reading corners in public areas, not in libraries. National Library also provides assistance with mobile library cars (MPK) which serve remote areas of Indonesia, especially villages that have access far from the library.

“Mobile libraries stop at certain points, such as schools and busy centers. "This is our effort to strengthen literacy culture," he continued.

The 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries carries the theme "Rearranging Concepts and Practices of Literacy Development".

The 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries will be held in a hybrid manner on 14-15 May 2024. Plt. The Director of the National Library is scheduled to officially open the National Library and explain the policy direction of the National Library.

"This year's National Coordination Meeting is different from previous years, this year it will emphasize user experience, where regional speakers will share good practices in increasing literacy in society," he explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Human Development, Society and Culture, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Amich Alhumami, explained that literacy was placed as one of the priority programs because it is an indicator of the quality of Indonesian people.

"Literacy skills are considered important in increasing access to knowledge and community productivity," he explained.

Through the National Coordination Meeting, he explained, National Library and regional libraries will be strengthened. He added, literacy is the scope of the 2020-2024 RPJMN. In the future, literacy will be continued in the 2025-2029 RPJMN.

"Literacy remains an important part of development to support human development and cultural development," he said.

The National Coordination Meeting was filled with policy sessions featuring resource persons from the Ministry of Villages PDTT and the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas.

Meanwhile, the panel session will be filled with resource persons from regional governments who implement good practices in developing the three main National Library programs, namely the Regent of Berau, the Regent of Kendal, and the Head of the East Java Province Library and Archives Service.

Apart from that, there will be parallel sessions featuring resource persons who are actively involved and can share good practices that can be imitated by local governments, institutions, organizations, literacy activists and the general public.

The offline National Coordination Meeting will be held at the Grand Mercure Hotel Jakarta Kemayoran and will be attended by 1,000 participants.

Offline participants consist of regional heads, heads of provincial and district/city library services, heads of library forums/publishers/recording entrepreneurs and parties who have collaborated with the National Library.

The public can take part in a series of activities online via the Zoom application with a capacity of 10,000 or via live streaming on the National Library's YouTube channel.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday (08/05/24), the 2024 National Library Coordination Meeting is close to the National Library's 44th anniversary.

The National Library's anniversary is celebrated every May 17, which is also celebrated as National Book Day.

This year, the National Library carries the anniversary theme, namely "44 Years of Cultivating the Hope of Serving the Country to Make the Nation Smarter".

Head of the Human Resources (HR) and General Affairs Bureau, Janti Suksmarini, said that during May a series of events were held to support the sharpening of National Library's main issue programs for 2024.

"A total of 27 series of activities will be held from May 7-31," he said.

At the peak of the event, he continued, on May 17 2024, the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia will launch the "Village Literacy Movement".

In this activity, 10 million quality reading materials will be launched to village libraries and 21 million books will be launched to schools.

On 13 May-22 May 2024, a number of interesting activities will be held including thematic exhibition of the National Library Anniversary from Time to Time, thematic exhibition of Bung Karno, thematic exhibition of Bung Hatta, Historical Literacy Week, Archipelago Literacy (Culture) Festival, Indonesian Education History Exhibition , book launch and book review, as well as workshops//VOI