Mobile Library Attracts Readers in North Jakarta
Reported by Anita Karyati | Translated by
The Mobile Library Service (Pusling) in North Jakarta remains highly popular, including at SDN Ancol 01, Jalan Parang Tritis, Ancol Urban Village, Pademangan Sub-district.
"Hopefully, this effort can increase reading interest from an early age,"
Pusling is a door-to-door service designed to facilitate and foster public interest in reading, enriching literacy and knowledge.
Expanding Library Access, Reading Spots in Jakarta IncreasesOne of the students at SDN Ancol 01 Pagi, Arga Saputra (12), expressed happiness about the presence of Pusling Vehicle (Moka) at his school.
"Pusling is very useful. I like reading storybooks that are very inspiring," he said on Thursday (8/28).
Other student, Achmad Cahyadi (9) shared that he has loved reading since childhood. That's why he eagerly awaits Pusling's visits, as it gives him the chance to explore books on science, history, technology, fiction, and more.
"I'm very happy to read books with my school friends. If I haven't finished reading, I like to borrow them and return them later when Pusling comes back,” he said.
Meanwhile, Head of Library Section at the North Jakarta Library and Archives Sub-agency, Fajar Andi Nugroho, mentioned that Pusling in North Jakarta operates with 10 vehicles and 6 motorcycles.
According to him, these vehicles have been modified according to needs and are called Mobil Pustaka motorcycles.
"This Pusling service operates every working day, visiting scheduled locations such as private and public schools, parks, community halls, public housing, and other public areas," he explained.
He noted that Pusling's operating hours are divided into two sessions, at 9:00 - 11:30 AM and at 12:00 - 2:30 PM. Each vehicle holds 350 books, while each motorcycle carries 150 books.
"The variety of books carried is diverse, ranging from religion, language, arts, non-fiction, social sciences, history, fiction, and others. Pusling is commonly used by both children and adults,” he added.
Fajar detailed that in 2024, 111,248 people used the Moka service at 935 schools and public spaces. Meanwhile, this year Moka has served 90,000 people. Through Moka, it is hoped that people can access reading materials without having to visit a library.
"Hopefully, this effort can increase reading interest from an early age and encourage awareness of the importance of education and literacy among the community," he said.
