Building Character Through Books: Book Donation and Literacy Reflection at SMP Muhammadiyah Kretek, Bantul
News Thursday, 24 July 2025
Amidst the growing concern over the character crisis among today’s youth, the Library and Archives of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a literacy outreach program titled "Sharing Knowledge, Spreading Goodness: Book Donation and Literacy for the Nation" on Wednesday (July 23) at SMP Muhammadiyah Kretek, Bantul, Yogyakarta. The activity targeted junior high school students as part of an effort to instill moral, social, and spiritual values through books and reflective dialogue.
Carrying the theme "Reading to Become a Better Human Being," the event opened with a symbolic handover of donated books by Yulistiarini Kumaraningrum, S.P., M.M., Head of the Data and Information Systems Division of the UGM Library and Archives, to the Principal of SMP Muhammadiyah Kretek, Tri Inayah, S.Pd. This donation reflects UGM Library and Archives’ commitment to strengthening literacy and serving the community through civic engagement.

The event continued with a discussion and reflection session led by Sarwono, S.IP., M.A., a senior librarian at UGM. In his presentation, Sarwono emphasized that literacy is not merely about reading text, but about absorbing deeper meaning. "Literacy is the process of absorbing meaning through reading, analyzing, and understanding. It is from here that we learn to shape character—through questions, reflection, and curiosity," he explained.


The discussion session was engaging and interactive, inviting students to explore the meaning of literacy through reflection and a fun quiz. Students actively participated in dialogues around literacy, creating a spirited and warm atmosphere that transformed the classroom into a lively space for value-based learning.
One of the participants, Firli, a 7th-grade student, shared her heartfelt impression after taking part in the event. She expressed her gratitude to the organizing
team. "Thank you for coming to our school and organizing such a fun activity. I now better understand what literacy means, and I enjoyed the quiz and discussions with my friends," she said enthusiastically.
This initiative is part of the UGM Library and Archives’ contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, through promoting literacy and sustainable character education; SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, by instilling values of peace and responsibility from an early age; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through strategic collaboration between higher education institutions and schools in building an inclusive and transformative learning ecosystem.
By embracing a character-based literacy approach, this program affirms that a library is not merely a place for storing books, it is a living space for cultivating values, nurturing critical thinking, and expanding the human horizon. A small movement that brings light amidst the challenges of the times.
Contributor: Wasilatul Baroroh
