A Study on the Transformative Public Library Usage of the Second Semester Students of STKIP Muhammadiyah Enrekang

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which second-semester students of the Primary School Teacher Education Department at STKIP Muhammadiyah Enrekang used the transformative public library of Enrekang. The study was motivated by the changing role of the public library from a conventional reading space into a community-based information and engagement center supported by internet access, social programs, and advocacy initiatives. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed. The participants were 18 students selected randomly from Class A, consisting of 5 male and 13 female students. Data were collected through interviews comprising 18 questions designed to explore students’ experiences and perceptions regarding the use of the transformative library. The findings revealed that 7 of the 18 students had never visited the public library, while 11 students had visited it only rarely. Among those who used the library, the dominant purpose was to complete academic assignments, mainly by using internet facilities rather than printed collections. Only two students visited the library on their own initiative for reading purposes, and only one student had participated in a library social-engagement program, namely a literacy fair. These findings indicate that the transformative public library was still underutilized by the students. Limited awareness of the library’s expanded functions, low reading interest, time constraints, and restricted internet access duration were the main factors affecting its use.