PERAN PERPUSTAKAAN NASIONAL DALAM PRESERVASI DAN DISEMINASI NASKAH
The Role of National Library in Preserving and
Disseminating
Manuscripts
Abstract : Indonesian writing tradition has been known as a result of
the influence of India coming to the country in the first century. The
tradition brought about manuscripts, which spread through almost all Indonesian
areas in various topics, languages and scripts. Library has responsibility to
preserve and disseminate manuscripts as source of information. There will be
many benefits that can be taken from these efforts including keeping long usage
of the material, and increasing access to those who are interested in studying
the manuscripts. Many preserving efforts have been made by Indonesian National
library to collect and digitize manuscripts in some areas of Indonesia, such as
manuscripts Keraton (Palace) Yogyakarta, East Sumatera, Cirebon, Pulau
Penyengat, etc. However, there will be a lot of works should be done compared
with the number of manuscripts in Indonesia. Several non government
organizations in collaborating with the British Library, Leipzig University,
Tokyo university of Foreign Studies have digitized manuscripts which owned by
personal or institutions. This leads to the increase of digitized manuscripts
collection in those universities. Ironically, it does not happen the same thing
with national library. Disseminating is even worse. The library has provided
online catalog for the manuscripts. However, the entry of online catalog is
lesser than the printed ones, and the electronic file is always not there. To
fulfill its preservation and dissemination tasks, National Library can
collaborate with those NGOs, museums and archival centers. It would be very
useful to approach community in order to leverage or allow the manuscripts to
be kept or digitized for long usage purpose. The purpose of this paper is
fourfold. Firstly, it expands upon the discussion of manuscripts in Indonesia.
Secondly, it reflects on the intended role of the national library in
preserving and disseminating the manuscripts. Thirdly, this article considers
problematic aspect of the collection itself, the state of the manuscripts and above
all, the unfulfilled manuscripts offers for researching purpose. Fourthly, it
considers possibility to collaborate to have a portal or virtual manuscripts on
Southeast Asia in regional setting.
Keywords : Manuscript, Preservation, Dissemination, Writing
tradition, online catalog
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