Mentawai, November 26, 2024 – A team of lecturers and librarians from the Faculty of Adab and Humanities (FAH) UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta has successfully held a community service program that is full of benefits in the Mentawai Islands. This program not only touches on aspects of school library management, but also builds a foundation for digital literacy that is relevant to the needs of the current digital era.

This program is chaired by Lili Sudria Wenny, M.Hum, together with a team consisting of experienced lecturers and librarians, the aim is to highlight the importance of transforming libraries as modern learning centers. Collaboration with librarians from UIN Imam Bonjol Padang strengthens the impact of this activity to unite various expertise and produce applicable and sustainable solutions in the field of Library Science.

The community service activity began with remarks from the Dean of the Faculty of Adab and Humanities UIN Jakarta, Dr. Ade Abdul Hak, S.Ag., SS, M.Hum., CIQnR, who emphasized the importance of synergy between higher education institutions and local communities. A warm welcome was also conveyed by Zulfikar, S.PI, M.Sc., Head of the Archives and Library Service of the Mentawai Islands, "I am very grateful to the FAH UIN Jakarta Team who have chosen the Mentawai Islands as a place for community service, where currently the IPM (Community Development Index) in Mentawai is very low in West Sumatra." he said.

Mentawai, which has been known for its natural beauty, now also deserves to ignite the fire of enthusiasm to move forward in the field of education. This program is expected to be able to build a foundation for sustainable library management in schools in Tuapejat Regency, Mentawai Islands.

The reason is, so far libraries have often been considered "quiet, scary, boring, and marginalized by technology" places. Therefore, this program wants to prove that libraries can be centers of innovation. One of the main focuses of this program is cataloging; an important process in organizing library collections to make them more accessible.

In addition, the FAH UIN Jakarta team also introduced SLiMS (Senayan Library Management System), an open source library management software that can be utilized by school libraries. Through this training, participants are taught how to use SLiMS, starting from inputting book data to managing collections digitally. As a result, participants have the ability to optimize the management of their school libraries so that they are more modern and integrated.

This program also places digital literacy as a top priority. In line with the increasingly massive development of technology, of course teachers and students need to understand how to access, evaluate, and utilize digital information effectively. Digital literacy is not only important for education, but also an essential life skill in the future.

Not only theory, this program also emphasizes a practical approach. A total of 40 participants participated in this activity enthusiastically, showing a high enthusiasm for learning. Participants consisting of librarians and teachers from various schools in Mentawai received direct training on how to use SLiMS, from inputting book data to managing digital collections.

This program would not have succeeded without strong collaboration. In addition to lecturers and librarians from UIN Jakarta, support from UIN Imam Bonjol Padang through the participation of Nasrul Makdis, S.IP, MA, provided significant added value.

This community service program in Mentawai shows that big changes can start from small steps. By developing school libraries and improving digital literacy, the team of lecturers and librarians from UIN Jakarta has paved the way for Mentawai students to enter the digital world with confidence. The spirit of collaboration and dedication shown by all parties involved is proof that education is the key to building a better future. The Mentawai Islands are now not only a surfer's paradise, but also a pioneer in literacy innovation in Indonesia.

Author: Hilya Maylaffayza/ Dr. Lolytasari, M. Hum