"The number includes all types of libraries in Indonesia, be they public, special, (at) public and private schools, and university libraries," he said in a statement received here on Wednesday.
The need for librarians must be met to optimize the function of libraries in improving the community's literacy, Bando added.
According to him, Perpusnas issued a recommendation regarding the need for or the formation of functional librarian positions in 2022 to 31 agencies, pegging the total need for functional librarians at 4,344.
"The Inpassing (Library Management Technical Training) implementation in the 2017–2021 period boosted the number of functional librarians in Indonesia," he informed.
Out of a total of 13,983 assessed libraries, the number of libraries accredited with A, B, and C predicates has reached 9,363, the Perpusnas head noted.
"If libraries are accredited and librarians are certified, the public's trust will increase because the libraries will meet the National Library Standards and the librarians will be competent and professional," he said.
Taking note of the shortage of librarians, deputy head of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) Agustina Wilujeng said that Perpusnas needs to optimize strategic steps, for example, by issuing a regulation that makes the recruitment of librarians for functional positions convenient.
Meanwhile, a member of Commission X of the DPR Vanda Sarundajang noted that on average, librarians are currently aged over 50, thus, many of them will enter retirement soon.
"Thus, the competency of librarians needs to be improved through technical guidance and training so that the management of libraries can improve," she said.
Regarding the technical management of libraries, she called for an allocation to be readied so that technical staff at libraries can receive a more decent income.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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