Students reading at Perpustakaan Jalanan, Jatinangor. (Warta Kema/Fotografi Warta Kema)

Warta Kema—On a busy afternoon in Jatinangor, the streets not only hum with the roar of motorbikes and the chatter of students rushing between classes, but also with the rustle of book pages. Jatinangor is well-known for its educational environment, but literacy is not confined to lecture halls alone—it thrives openly on the streets, where books intersect with everyday life. 

Reading culture in Jatinangor extends beyond academic walls. Literacy also finds new life in digital platforms, where readers have a personalized library and in communities such as book clubs.

Keisha Loka Aditama, a college student who primarily used digital platforms to fulfill her literacy needs, shared that her needs could be met through the usual platform she used, including Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Medium. She also explained that both of the platforms are accessible and easy to use. 

Although she prefers digital platforms, Keisha shared that she often visits the library to read books, even if she feels there are certain differences in reading in an academic setting and on digital platforms. She experiences pressure to catch up with the reading materials in an educational setting or at the campus library. In contrast, digital platforms offer a more refreshing and enjoyable way to read.

“To be honest, I feel a little more tense. In the sense that I feel pressure to keep up with my reading. Especially since I go to the campus library. So, usually my reading is related to my studies in certain courses. I feel a little pressure, a little stressed, but it’s a good kind of pressure,” added Keisha.

In addition to reading on digital platforms, she is also drawn to the rise of silent reading communities online. As she explained, “Book clubs can help us not only read, but also review our reading properly and effectively. Moreover, if we join a community, we obviously need to be able to explain the stuff we read verbally to our friends in a friendly manner and fluently. I think that’s really interesting and (the number of book clubs) should be increased.”

The spirit of collective reading also lives in Jatinangor itself. Komunitas Semua Baca, a literacy community in Jatinangor, was founded by Belen Amanda Sitanggang. Belen herself initially participated in silent reading activities, and then she also attended a webinar organized by Duta Baca Jakarta 2023 on how to start your first book club. Finally, she was increasingly motivated to establish a reading club in Jatinangor. In addition, concerns about the lack of motivation when reading alone encouraged Belen to build a community.

“Concern is more likely driven by the fact that, first of all, as an Indonesian Studies student, I feel that I don’t read enough. It’s not because there’s no community or no access, because there are many libraries on campus. It’s just that there seems to be no motivation, like maybe they feel that being alone (reading alone) isn’t very motivating,” said Belen.

As someone who initiated the establishment of the Komunitas Semua Baca, she believes literacy communities are crucial for continued growth. She stated that if there are more communities engaged in literacy, there will be more choices of communities for students or the public to join.

She also added that as college students, providing a platform or access to various public needs, especially literacy needs, is one of their moral responsibilities. She stated that college students have privileges that help them make an impact on society.

“So it seems like it would be great if young people could experiment through communities and clubs, especially, for example, in the field of literacy, so that all segments of society can have their needs met or addressed,” she added.

Other than the book club, Perpustakaan Jalanan (Perpusjal) or street library has grown into a living example of where books and people intersect without the boundaries of formal institutions. As stated by Jevera Ariodillah, one of the initiators of Perpusjal, many people are enthusiastic about Perpusjal’s presence, and the number of visitors is expected to increase every week, especially when the freshmen enroll. Perpusjal usually lays out its books on Tuesday and Thursday. Through Perpusjal, people from various backgrounds can read books freely.

“The great thing about Perpustakaan Jalanan is that there are many people from various backgrounds. Usually, there are also many ordinary citizens and high school students going to Perpusjal,” added him.  

He also mentioned the perks of reading at Perpusjal. Different from the campus library where students can hardly make any noise, Perpusjal offers a place to discuss what they are reading or even encourages for certain open forum discussions. 

Amidst the growth of Perpusjal, Jevera hopes that there will be more street libraries in Jatinangor, whether in each faculty on a campus or in each sub-district. He also added that everyone should have the right to equal access to reading.

“Regardless of their background, it’s not just students who can access the library at Unpad or have money to buy books. Everyone should have the same right to read books,” he stated.

Author: Syafina Ristia Putri

Editor: Ammara Azwadiena Alfiantie

Photographer: Razan Jayaputra Partadinata