Prof. Yako Kozano from Aichi Prefectural University, Japan, together with several students from the Land of the Rising Sun, visited Lawang Sajarah at the UGM Library and Archives on Thursday (18/9/2025). Prof. Yako, who has recently been collaborating with UGM and is highly proficient in Indonesian, introduced elements of Indonesian culture to his students through the rare collections at Lawang Sajarah. There, they learned firsthand about the management, organization, and development plans of rare and historical collections that form an important part of UGM’s institutional memory.
They were warmly welcomed by Maryono, S.I.P., a UGM librarian stationed at Lawang Sajarah. In his explanation, Maryono described the conservation process, organization, and development strategies for the collections that preserve the history of scholarship and the university’s legacy.
“Every collection in Lawang Sajarah holds priceless historical value. Our duty is not only to store them but also to ensure that these documents are preserved so they remain alive as learning resources and sources of inspiration,” he said.
The rare collections at Lawang Sajarah include books authored by Bung Hatta, literature on art and culture, works about temples and other historical relics, as well as various manuscripts that are more than 50 years old, some even dating back hundreds of years. All these collections bear witness to the history of scholarship and serve as cultural heritage carefully protected for posterity.
In addition to learning about collection management, the students were invited to view the storage rooms, digitized rare collections, and supporting facilities used to safeguard these materials. They also discussed how innovation and technology can aid conservation and broaden public access to historical resources.
The preservation efforts at Lawang Sajarah are in line with UGM’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, which highlights the importance of providing inclusive and sustainable learning resources, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which encompasses the protection of cultural and historical heritage.
This visit is expected to enhance students’ understanding of the importance of managing historical collections while fostering awareness of the need to protect institutional memory. Lawang Sajarah reaffirms its role as a gateway to knowledge that connects the past, present, and future.
Contributor: Wasilatul Baroroh