Reinforcement of Reading habit through TBM as an Efffort of Improving Information Literacy

PERPUSINFO: Reinforcement of Reading habit through TBM as an Efffort of Improving Information Literacy By Sri Ati Suwanto and Tri Hardiningtyas Abstract. The article summarized the study entitled Reinforcement of Reading habit through TBM as an efffort of improving Information Literacy which was conducted in Semarang municipal city, in 2012. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not reading habit could improve information literacy through the effort of TBM (colportage). The data were collected through literature study and analyzed using descriptive qualitative method. The results showed that according to the data from Indonesian Statistic Board, the number of illiterate people slightly decreased. It was shown by the number an increase in the number of the people who read newspapers above 50 %, magazine 29.22%, fiction 16.72%, school books 44.28% and knowledge books 21.07%. This implies that TBMs are able to improve information literacy by many activities to attract people to read, such as computer training, English speaking training, sewing, embroidering, cooking, and training in using Applied Technology (Tehnologi Tepat Guna). By conducting such activities, the reading habit of people surrounding TBM are increase. This can be seen from the lists of TBM’s visitors. When the users of TBM are literate, the flooded information will be a good reinforcement. By positive reinforcement of TBM, reading habit will improve. To increase reading habit, people, especially in North coastal area of Java, need efforts from governments, educators, managers of colportage, reading communities, libraries, and people who pay special attention to the development of reading habit. It is suggested that there should good cooperation among TBMs, library, the governments in order to create reading habit. By such cooperation, the National Movement of the Accelleration of the Illeteracy Eradication (Gerakan Nasional Penuntasan Buta huruf ) and 9-year Compulsory Education will surely be successful. Keywords : Taman Baca Masyarakat (TBM); Colportage; Information Literacy