Wukirsari Village Library: How a Village Library Works for Surroundings

Abstract

Wukirsari Village Library is one of the most popular village libraries in Indonesia. This observation aims to present the details on the library operations including the challenges faced. It was a community-based research studies employing semi-structured interview to collect the data. It reveals the activities conducted by the library were considered various including routine-visits-program in cooperation with nearby kindergartens and schools. The challenges faced were number fluctuations, limited information dissemination about the library's existence, and competition with gadget usage among children. It also struggles with the fundings from the government since the priority shifts to poverty. The positive impact of Wukirsari Village Library development includes increased children's reading interest in the village, creation of social interaction spaces amid challenging geographical conditions, and creativity development through various workshops. Wukirsari Village Library demonstrates that the success of a community initiative lies not only in the ease of having ideas or realizing them, but in consistency and sincerity in maintaining them.