Indonesia is currently facing a serious challenge where the rapid growth in the number of libraries each year is not matched by an increase in librarians. Data from the National Library of Indonesia (2020–2024) show that while the number of libraries grew by 11.2 percent, the growth in librarians was only 10.7 percent. This shortage of librarians across many regions has become a pressing issue requiring urgent solutions.
Arif Surachman, Head of Universitas Gadjah Mada Library and Archives (UGM Library and Archives), stated that librarians play a strategic role in fostering literacy and developing human resources. According to him, librarians are not merely collection managers but also information agents with direct access to knowledge before it reaches the public.
“Librarians stand side by side with information. They hold the resources and therefore play a vital role in delivering knowledge to society and communities,” Surachman explained on Thursday (Sep. 18).
Surachman noted that one of the recurring problems faced by nearly all types of libraries is the insufficient number of librarians, particularly those with the right competencies.
He gave the example of the UGM Library, where around 68 librarians currently serve some 67,000 users, consisting of students, lecturers, and staff. This figure is not ideal compared with the national standard for university libraries, which stipulates one librarian for every 750 users.
“Ideally, we would need around 90 librarians to meet the needs of our entire academic community. However, other factors also come into play, such as financial capacity and institutional priorities,” he said.
He added that this shortage is not unique to UGM but is also experienced by many libraries across Indonesia. The same situation is often found in schools, where libraries are managed by teachers doubling as librarians or administrative staff without sufficient background in library science.
Yet, the availability of library science graduates in Indonesia is relatively high. Still, when compared to overall demand, the number of graduates is insufficient to meet market needs.
“Limited institutional absorption and budget allocation priorities mean that many library science graduates are not optimally recruited as librarians,” Surachman pointed out.
Nonetheless, technological advancements and the digitalization of information offer partial solutions to bridge this shortage. UGM has developed online platforms to support library services.
However, Surachman reminded that digitalization cannot fully replace the role of librarians, especially in specialized services requiring direct assistance to users.
Surachman also stressed the importance of policies that better support literacy. He suggested that systems should encourage students to visit libraries more actively, for instance, through certified literacy training programs that could provide students with greater opportunities to participate in research.
Some university libraries in Indonesia have even developed “library clinics” as service innovations, engaging librarians directly in teaching and research activities by joining classes on research methodology and similar subjects.
In closing, Surachman encouraged librarians to continue improving their competencies to meet the demands of the times. For policymakers, he emphasized the need to understand on-the-ground conditions and recognize the literacy needs of society.
He concluded with a simple message: make the library a home, and librarians a friend.
“Librarians may not always have the answers immediately, but they have networks that can provide the information library visitors need,” he said.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi