Bandung, 2025 – Dr. Saleha Rodiah, lecturer at the Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, leads a Community Service Program (PKM) in Sukanagalih Village, Pacet District, Cianjur Regency. The program focuses on strengthening the role of community libraries managed by the Women Headed Household Association (PEKKA) as centers of literacy, women’s empowerment, and bibliotherapy.
Sukanagalih Village faces serious challenges, including low literacy levels, gender inequality, and limited access for women heads of households to information and empowerment opportunities. Data shows persistently high rates of early marriage, domestic violence, and divorce, which negatively impact women’s self-confidence and limit their participation in social and economic spheres.
Through this program, Dr. Saleha Rodiah and her team introduce solutions such as awareness campaigns, library management training, development of technology-based educational materials, bibliotherapy practices, and participatory evaluation. Innovations include the use of digital platforms for literacy content distribution and the implementation of technology-based library management systems.
The program aims to increase access to reliable information, expand library collections and services, enhance librarians’ skills, and encourage the use of bibliotherapy to strengthen women’s self-capacity. In this way, community libraries can function more effectively as literacy centers and inclusive empowerment spaces.
This initiative is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) through literacy and skill development, and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by strengthening women’s access to information, social empowerment, and mental well-being.
Dr. Saleha Rodiah’s contribution highlights the Department of Library and Information Science at Universitas Padjadjaran’s commitment to integrating academic expertise with real community needs, reinforcing the role of libraries as key drivers of community empowerment in Indonesia.
Writers: Evi Nursanti Rukmana, Febriyanti Bifakhlina, Shelpi Nur Awaliyah
