Literacy Amidst Ignorance: Anton Solihin and Batu Api Library

Anton Solihin is an interesting person. As the owner and caretaker of Batu Api library, a small library in Jatinangor, West Java, Indonesia, he is known for his unique taste and character. Batu Api, established on April 1, 1999, has been a haven for university students studying in Jatinangor—an educational area with four universities and a combined student population of no less than 10,000—to find and check out books. In a country that ranks lowest in literacy statistics, owning and operating a private library in Indonesia can be considered a determined and tenacious act, if not a bit crazy.