Informatics Lecturer from ELECTICS ITS Guides Students in Thematic Literacy KKN in Mabung Village

Image: Dr. Sarwosri and Students during the Departure of First Batch KKN Participants.

Surabaya, ELECTICS ITS – In an effort to support the improvement of literacy in rural communities, Dr. Sarwosri, S.Kom., M.T., a lecturer from the Department of Informatics Engineering at ELECTICS ITS, took part as a Field Supervisor (DPL) in the Thematic Literacy Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata or KKN). This program is an initiative of the National Library of Indonesia (Perpusnas) in collaboration with several public universities, including Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS).

Unlike the typical community service schemes usually carried out at ITS, this Thematic Literacy KKN specifically focuses on developing literacy in villages that already have village libraries. ITS was assigned to two districts in East Java, namely Nganjuk and Gresik. One of the designated locations is Mabung Village, Baron Subdistrict, Nganjuk Regency.

As part of this program, Perpusnas provided a donation of one thousand books to each village library, with most of the content aimed at early childhood readers. KKN students were then responsible for labeling the books, entering data into the library’s physical record book, and digitizing the collection through the INLISlite application, a national library management system.

Image: Togetherness of KKN Students and Villagers during Religious Gathering and Posyandu Activities.

“The students were not only focused on library work. They also actively participated in local community activities such as posyandu, religious gatherings, and various other village events,” explained Dr. Sarwosri.

The program was carried out in two cohorts. The first cohort, which began in early July, was led by Aldiansyah Nugraha Putra (Physics 2023) as the team leader, with Nada Reza (Physics 2023) as the secretary. They implemented a variety of programs such as read-aloud sessions, storytelling, and literacy competitions including a picture story contest for kindergarten students and a storytelling contest for elementary school students.

“The children were very enthusiastic. If we were late to the library, they would come looking for us and scold us,” said Aldiansyah.

During the activities, the students faced their own challenges, especially when engaging with young children who were highly active and easily distracted. However, the response from the local community and village officials was overwhelmingly positive. Support ranging from accommodation to transportation was provided smoothly.

Nada added that their presence helped shift children’s attention from gadgets to books. “We’re proud to contribute by helping divert their attention from screens to reading,” she said.

Image: Literacy Activities with Children at the Village Library.

The second cohort, which began on July 20, continued the unfinished tasks and further expanded the literacy programs to schools, while also holding craft training sessions for local women. Farah, a student from the second cohort, mentioned that her group focused more on school visits and community-based literacy activities.

For Dr. Sarwosri, mentoring a literacy-themed KKN was a different and meaningful experience. “In more than two decades of serving as a lecturer, this is the first time I’ve been involved in a community service program centered on literacy. Usually, in Informatics, we conduct software training or application development. This one is truly different and memorable,” she said.

Although none of the students were from the Informatics Department, Dr. Sarwosri appreciated the students’ teamwork and independence. She hopes that the program will have a lasting impact, especially in increasing reading interest and library visits following the addition of a thousand new books.