THE ROLE OF CAMPUS BOOK FAIR IN THE READING COMMUNITY IN CASE OF INCREASING OF BOOK PRICE

Novi Prastiti, Stu. Number: 120610216

Japanese Department (Japanese letters)

Faculty of Humanities

Airlangga University

Indonesia

Recently, mass media and electronic media proclaim incentive program of the government’s program on the cheaper books. The program will be realized based on the Ministry of National Education (MONE) and be greeted by both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The President said that education should be based on the three aspects affordable, quality, and accessible, and the president believes that the availability of cheap books, reading culture in the community can be developed.

 

The way to realized cheap book program by the government is purchasing the copy right by of the publisher. The government’s efforts is to eliminate monopoly of publishing the book that was one of the factor triggered the high price of books. When the monopoly was lost, then the price of the book will fallen sharply from normal price. So, that it can increase the purchasing power of the book community.

 

Unfortunately, the government’s program of providing affordable books for the community is limited to books for school only. The price of the books to the public such as general books and popular books reaches hundreds of thousands of rupiah. That for some people still think the price is far above normal price. This is certainly a dilemma for the community in the midst of difficult economic conditions. On the one hand, people want to get a wide range of knowledge, but on the other hand, price books are very expensive. In the end, this dilemma culminate in a question, How to delete stupidity in our country while the price of the book is not restrained?

Another problem that the government will be faced in this program is productivity textbook publishers can be stoped because the book business became less profitable. In addition, the high price of non-book learning is complained by the community.

Here is the role of book fair. Book fair usually provide a variety of books including books in common with a range of discount rates from twenty up to seventy percent of the normal price. This, indirectly also increase the purchasing power of the book community. If people increased purchasing power the program to minimize stupidity will be come true.

In addition, the role of the public enthusiasm of  the book fair will also provide a very large effect. Some evidents from the number of visitors on each book fair was held and the comment containing the enthusiasm the community on a number of blogs on the internet about the book fair.

 

 At most events book fair, including the book fair on campus, also held other events such as seminars, talkshows, which indirectly also get people to read. Because the interests of the Indonesian people on reading a book still less. Lack of awareness of the community to also affect the low quality of human resources.

 

There is not the one of the government attention as the book fair to increasing of  community’s interest to read through the procurement of cheaper books, which only considers textbooks alone, but not with the general books. We realize it or not, book fair also having concept "Reading Habits" in the community that also indirectly improve the quality of human resources.