National Library of the Republic of Indonesia — Attraction in Jakarta

I'm totally in love with everything in this place. My first impression when I went here was actually quite scared about how big this place is and I found this place quite confusing at first, but once you are used to it and explore almost everything you'll eventually felt like this place is nicer and safer than your own home. If you went here for the first time and books are your soulmate I would definitely recommends to sign up for a member first so it'll gave you more access here. Me myself have been hooking up with the borrowing system here, it's addictive and really easy. Just today, I got to try the self-borrowing machine, call me tacky, but that machine still amaze me hours after I got home.

The facilities is one of my favorite, felt like I'm being pampered here. Aside from the self-borrowing machine they also have a machine where you could easily trace the book you've been looking for. Some machine might have a long queue of people, so I'm very much prefered to search it up online through the OPAC from their website rather than queue-ing. The free wifi is definitely the fastest I tried so far in Indonesia, so it helps alot when I have some online assignment. Most floor have a really nice ambience to enjoy reading a book. Might also get some beautiful view on the balcony.

But my ultra-favorite part of this place are the staff hospitality, they are a five star!! They willing to explain everything in details and nice way. I can't find a word for every worker but I could assure you that they are extremely nice. Also just today, I actually forgot to take my key locker with me and left it on the locker (this is something I'm actually embarassed to write HAHAHAHAHA) but they secure all of our stuff, so it's all safe and we didn't lose a single thing. Actually, this place is something I dare compare with Japan. The kinda place that could give you the feeling like you are in a foreign country except everyone here are Indonesian.

Although having all that nice stuff one problems that often re-occured are the elevator. Whether there's a pandemic or not, the elevator often full. If you went by yourself, you won't having a problem to squeeze yourself in. Problem arise, if you went with family and/or friend and doesn't want to get seperated, it's going to take a while, if you're lucky, you might get an empty elevator. But, if you went on a crowd day at a crowd time, prepare yourself for 15-30 minute wait for the elevator to be able squeeze you and your friends in.

Also sadly, they only lent you a bag that allowed to bring upstair if you bring a laptop. But, worry not, if you're asking them nicely sometimes they also gave you(?) In my dictionary, I called that luck and...

I asked the security about the service time, he said until February they probably only open from 8 A.M - 4 P.M (weekdays).

If you're planning to go here by public transportation, the first building you see (the small one), it is full of exhibition about history of books or papers. And the exhibition room or i should call it building is interesting and cozy. You could actually take photos, chitchatting, and there is an 'Ontel' bike (they write it as 'Sepeda Pusaka') that you could ride it (not basically riding the bicycle, but you could at least feel the bicycle).

👉If you want to go to the main building of National Library, and visit specific floor (the actual library), you SHOULD BRING your ID Card (KTP/Student Card, is accepted), but if you're a member I suggest you to always bring your member card. && If you are not a member, you could make your own member card at 2nd floor, just bring your ID card & this is limited for minimum highschool student.

👉There is a canteen in 4th floor, but it kind of expensive for me as a college student...... I recommend you to bring your own foods & drinks (but you're not allowed to bring it to the library, you should put it in the locker room at 2nd floor). There is plenty of electric socket here (the same with the 2nd floor)

👉National Library somehow really touched my soul, especially at 24th floor, OMG! The view + furniture, the ambience, space quality.. it is really a place for inspiration & reading😍😍😍 +++ you could see Monas from up there & it makes you feel like you're the supervisor of Jakarta😅 (Please keep going this way, at least for period of time) BUT it is still lack of exhibition things, 24th floor is actually about Ethnic in Indonesia (if im not mistaken)

👉If you're interested in International things, they got all books related to all countries in the world at 23rd floor, but they are still moving so... not so many of them.

👉You could watch movie in DVD (they provide the DVDs & even the DVD player!!!!) at the 8th floor, but I have not figured it out what kind of movie they have.

Those are my experience and the floor I've visited &&& I WILL DEFINITELY VISIT NATIONAL LIBRARY AGAIN 😭😭😭😭 The securities are so nice, informative & friendly! (I hope it keeps going this way) National Library also have Wi-Fi, the securities & staffs know the password, just ask them kwwkwkwk

But you should be patient with the vertical transportation a.k.a lift because it is 24 floor building and it was taking so long when we're...

It's located in the heart of Jakarta which can be accessed through TJ. I personally recommend to visit the place other than Sunday to avoid crowds.

Once you get there, you need to put your bag in a locker. The room layout is weird, since they put locker room on the front and back side. They should've put the room on the right and left side to reduce the crowd on 1 side.

You need to take the elevators to go to all levels, but their elevator management is bad. They should've separated the elevator by low, mid and high corridor (like in office buildings). Also, they need to add more elevators or at least stairs option. People are tired of waiting, so many people go through emergency stairs.

It has 24 levels, but only some levels (I think around 3 levels) have book collections. Other levels are for co-working space, reading spaces and digital stuffs. Reading area in those 3 levels is limited. I think they should separate between fiction and non-fiction level. Since on 21th level, some people read novel while the other are working on school project/work. This makes reading levels that has many desks are almost unused (like on 16th).

The prayer room is clean, but I wish there's more coverage for woman's wudhu area. Since, many women are wearing hijab.

The ACs in all levels are cold enough for reading, I like it.

I think they should've increased the quota for member registration. It's weird for a national library to have registration daily quota, since random stores (like: pharmacy, minimarket, saloon, etc.) have no quota limit. I understand they have limited blank card member, but I think it's weird.

To borrow the book, you need to have Jakarta ID. If you don't have Jakarta ID, then you need to prepare domicile letter, or student letter or certificate of employment. I think it's inconvenient, since when we already a member, we put our address. Furthermore, now the ID doesn't have expiration date and it's digitaly recorded. It's also integrated with NPWP which record our current work place. I understand that they want to prevent people from stealing the book, but I just think it's weird. However, you can read there even without membership.

I think people in Jakarta has high reading interest. This can be seen by the crowd in the library. This building has high potential to accomodate people's reading interest. It would be great if they can improve the service to support this interest. By doing this, maybe more people will have...