The Importance of Library in Faculty of Cultural Studies

In this modern era, the existence of library still has a significant role for students whether at schools or universities. The function of library takes a big position as an important facilitator for students to support their studies, researches, getting further information, and also a good place to visit for refreshing and increasing their mind by adding knowledge with reading books. Library is known as public facilities which provide some information from reliable sources. Either schools or all universities in Indonesia have provided library for the students in order to support their studies. Commonly, every library has different facilities and quality, so this thing will be affected to the visitors. A good library will have a complete serial of books, latest and informative encyclopedias, and various reference books that can support student activities. Library facilities, atmosphere, and comfortable place will also attract students come to library.

A library Faculty of Cultural Studies, Jenderal Soedirman University has a sufficient library to support the student activities. It has contributed a significant impact for students. This library has varieties of books which are related with students’ necessities. There are approximately of 6000 copies books which consist with the different title and source, such as English-Indonesian dictionaries, Indonesia- English dictionaries, Indonesian dictionaries, poem anthologies, some English grammar books, literary books, varied of materials for the thesis, English encyclopedias, English or Indonesian magazines, newspapers, and many more. This library opens at 07:30 AM until 04:00 PM from Monday to Friday. Students can borrow the book only a week, if they forget return it, they will get charge Rp.300,00 per day. There are only 3 employees who manage all kinds of library affairs. They are the head of library, one librarian, and another serves library services.

The existence of the library must also be balanced with reading awareness at campus, especially for the students. It can create and strengthen the effectiveness and optimization of the learning process through the implementation of various service functions, such as counseling services, consulting, and learning. Library gives an important role for creating reading as habit for students. Library is called as a bridge which has an important contribution for opening wide access of information, as well as providing accurate data for the process of making reference sources for thesis, assignment, research, and others. Those can only get by reading. Therefore, in this modern the habitual reading should be enhanced among of students.

The Effectiveness of Library Function in Faculty of Cultural Studies

As a reliable facilitator which delivers trusted news and information, there are many things that people can evaluate the function of library at campus. It can be seen from how big the interest of students reading at the library, facilities and services are available in the library, the atmosphere of library, the collection of books in the library, and the hospitality of librarian. Today, the interest of reading at campus quite reduces. It can be seen from the quite atmosphere in the library every day. There are not many students in the library in their spare time.

Tuesday on 21^st April 2015, Mr. Ariyanto as a librarian said, “Generally, students who come to library tend to borrow books for the task, look for sources for thesis, studying, playing laptop, and reading books. There are at least 100 students who visit the library every day. However, it is not included with students who do not note their presence in the attendance book, so the librarian cannot accurately record all the visitors.”

Here is the data of visitors in Library Faculty of Cultural Studies from 2012 to 2014 which base on the library record.

Thus, the increasing effectiveness of library must be controlled with several things that can build student interest in reading. First, adding the library facilities, such as internet network or wifi, larger room, additional chairs, and computers. Second, the number of employees in library Faculty of Cultural Studies should be increased because three employees are not enough to manage the campus library affiars. Third, the adequate book collection is also the most important component for the library. Library should provide kinds of newest book collection to attract students. Forth, library must create a comfortable and quiet atmosphere, you know that library tends to have a quiet atmosphere and as a good place for reading. In addition, Mr. Ariyanto said that the library in this faculty should have system of computerization which makes students have a special identity card for entering the library. So, they should not write their presences on the attendance book. If these things can be actualized, of course it can increase the student interest in reading books at library.