The National Library of Australia’s Jakarta Office is in the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, The Office's manager is responsible for the Library’s Indonesian Acquisitions Program as well as undertaking a variety of liaison and representational activities in Indonesia.

Indonesian Collection

Through our office in Jakarta we have created a world class research collection on contemporary Indonesia.

We have been collecting material on Indonesia since the middle of the 1950s. Since the office was established in 1971 over 200,000 monographs, 250 newspaper titles, 5,000 serial titles, several thousand reels of microfilm and sheets of microfiche as well as maps and films have been acquired for the Library from Jakarta and all the provinces of Indonesia. The main subject strengths are in the social sciences and humanities, current Indonesian politics and government, development studies, economic policy, and law. Statistical data has been collected at the national, provincial and sub-provincial levels.

Indonesian Acquisitions Program

Indonesia has historic, cultural, economic and political links with Australia which make the National Library’s in-country representation important. The manager engages with a network of local suppliers who visit government departments, publishers, non-government organisations and other sources of potentially collectable material. A senior officer based in Jakarta is in the best position to extend and strengthen the network of suppliers, and liaise with publishers and institutions. Trends in Indonesia’s publishing industry can also be monitored.

It is important to have an officer based in Jakarta because it is difficult to obtain Indonesian books, serials and other publications in any other way. With the exception of the major commercial publishers, the book trade is not yet fully equipped to cater for overseas customers. Although commercial publishing has advanced a great deal in the past decade, government policy statements and publications on statistics, Five Year Plans, demography, agriculture, future economic development and Presidential reports are still difficult to acquire.

We also maintain a topical Indonesian Websites page which has links to more than 250 select webpages on Indonesia.

Regional Activities

In addition to acquisitions activities, the manager undertakes a significant representational role for the National Library of Australia in Indonesia. In particular, the manager liaises between the National Library and Indonesia's major library and research institutions. Library links have been built up over the years through a series of cooperative activities under the Library's Regional Cooperation Program, involving, amongst others, the National Library of Indonesia.

A close working relationship exists between the Regional Office and its American and Dutch counterparts in Indonesia - the Library of Congress and the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV).

Contact

Enquiries about the activities of the Jakarta Office and the Indonesian Acquisitions Program can be directed to:

Collect & Acquire

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Parkes ACT 2600



Email: select@nla.gov.au

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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