Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection at USU Library Inaugurated
Published At
02 October 2020
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MEDAN – The University of Sumatra Utara now has an additional new service facility in the Library Building, namely the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection, or Pojok Buku Dr. Sjahrir. The inauguration was carried out by the Chancellor of the University of North Sumatra, Prof. Dr. Runtung Sitepu, SH, M Hum, representing the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia, General TNI (HOR) (Ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, M.P.A, at the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection, Monday (7/9/2020).
The Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection contains 1,999 titles and 2,038 copies of books from the personal collection of the late economist and politician Dr. Sjahrir. These books can be accessed using a search through the USU Library’s Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) system and visitors can find the books they are looking for more quickly and easily.
The opening and inauguration ceremonies were held in person (offline) and online. Also attending online was the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia, General TNI (HOR) (Ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, M.P.A, who is the brother-in-law of the late Dr. Sjahrir, Patron of the Dr. Sjahrir Foundation Dr. Kartini Panjaitan Sjahrir who is also the wife of the late Dr. Sjahrir, and her children Pandu Patria Sjahrir, MBA (Commissioner of the Indonesia Stock Exchange) and Gita Rusminda Sjahrir (Founder of R Fitness), Chairman of the USU Board of Trustees Drs. Panusunan Pasaribu, MM along with several university, faculty, and institutional leaders and work units at USU. Present offline accompanying the USU Chancellor, Secretary of the University of North Sumatra Prof. Dr. dr. Farhat, M Ked (ORL-HNS), Sp. THT-KL (K), Head of the USU Library Dr. Jonner Hasugian, M. Si, and Director of the USU Postgraduate School Prof. Dr. Robert Sibarani, MS. The inauguration of the book corner was also attended online by thousands of male and female students at USU.
In his remarks when opening and inaugurating the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection, General TNI (HOR) (Ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that the late Dr. Sjahrir was not only known to him as one of the leading economic and political figures in this country, but he also personally considered Dr. Sjahrir to be a figure whose thinking leaps far ahead and beyond the times.
“I have known the late Dr. Sjahrir very closely and almost without limits for many years, not only in the context of family ties but also as a friend. Of course, the existence of the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection at USU arouses emotion and pride for me. Considering that later there will be many people from various social and educational backgrounds who will read, study, and use Dr. Sjahrir’s collection of books as a reference or for comparative study needs for their respective interests. Both from academics and students to the general public. Thus, the thoughts believed in and born by Dr. Sjahrir in his academic and career journey will be widely known by a wider and more diverse audience. In addition, the younger audience will not lose track in recognizing and understanding the history and career and life journey of one of the best economists in this country,” he said.
According to Luhut, Indonesia has many smart and reliable figures in various fields. However, their existence is often only recognized through mass media coverage which sometimes tends to be influenced by the news flow desired by each media owner. “It is very rare that a complete profile and the insightful and useful thoughts of these figures are raised. Therefore, the establishment of Dr. Sjahrir Corner is one of the efforts that functions for this purpose, namely to introduce Dr. Sjahrir more closely to young intellectuals and the wider community,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Dr. Sjahrir Foundation, Dr. Kartini Panjaitan Sjahrir expressed her gratitude and joy for the opening and inauguration of the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection, where her husband’s collection of books are stored and will be accessible to the entire USU academic community and the general public.
“With the inauguration of the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection, I also hope that the entire academic community of the University of North Sumatra can utilize the information contained in these books properly and correctly, and maximize its use for the advancement of the nation and state. Hopefully, the entire collection of these books will also receive adequate care and maintenance so that they can last a long time and be used by generations for decades to come. The digitization of information is indeed something that cannot be stopped anymore. However, the existence of conventional books with physical objects that can be held directly will still have a special place in the hearts of explorers of knowledge,” said Dr. Kartini.
On that occasion, the two sons and daughters of the late Dr. Sjahrir also expressed various memories and testimonies related to their father during his life. Also, the hopes are entrusted through the existence of the Dr. Sjahrir Corner Collection.
At the end before the ribbon cutting, USU Chancellor Prof. Dr. Runtung Sitepu, SH, M Hum, also expressed his gratitude to the Patron of the Dr. Sjahrir Foundation, Dr. Kartini Panjaitan Sjahrir and family, for the grant of the late Dr. Sjahrir’s books, both books he wrote himself and books he had read throughout his life. In addition, the Chancellor also delivered a profile presentation of the University of North Sumatra along with the achievements and performance achievements that have been obtained so far.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the USU MWA Drs Panusunan Pasaribu, MM, in addition to congratulating USU on the opening of the Dr Sjahrir Corner Collection, also congratulated Dr Kartini Panjaitan Sjahrir on the election of one of the 10 Candidate Members of the USU MWA Community Representatives who were elected on the same morning. (Public Relations/RJ)
