Toni is the Library Director of the Prothumia Library at Sekolah Tinggi Teologia SAAT (Southeast Asia Bible Seminary) in Malang, East Java, Indonesia (300 FTE). He has been a member of ACL for 5 years.
Librarian Career
My professional career began…after working for some years in Jakarta, I felt that God’s calling to study theology couldn’t be held anymore. So I studied theology at a newly founded seminary (named Institut Reformed) in Jakarta. They didn’t have a librarian yet, and had some (good) books. In the middle of my studies, I had financial problems, so they offered for me to manage the library. This is the point when I started my (un-)professional career. One main factor why I took that position was driven by my love for books. After graduating and working for some years in this seminary, I moved to another seminary (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Amanat Agung) also in Jakarta. While working here, I had the opportunity to continue my studies in the field of information technology for libraries. Currently I work in Southeast Asia Bible Seminary, Malang, East Java.
Between the Pages: Getting to Know Our Member of the Month
Describe yourself using a book title: Lover of books, students, and God
What’s the best thing about being a librarian? Gemini wrote that being a librarian is often described as being the architect of discovery. And I agree with it. We build systems to make it easier for patrons to find resources for their problem-solving activity.
What are you currently reading? Gestures of Grace: Essays in Honour of Robert Sweetman edited by Joshua Lee Harris and Héctor A. Acero Ferrer.
How do you as a librarian contribute to your campus or community? When I started working in my current library, the library used an intranet system, so our OPAC can’t be accessed outside campus. And then came Covid-19. This situation forced us to use an online system. We started using KOHA to make it online. It was a breakthrough in our library. Our big project in our library is that we are currently updating our library metadata, aligning it with MARC standards. Currently, I am in my second term as the president of Forum of Indonesia Theological Librarian and Library (ForPPTI, in Indonesian). I translated class 200 from Dewey Decimal Classification into Indonesian to be used by our forum members. I am also a speaker at several library forum events, and most recently provided training on the KOHA Library Management System at a UNESCO project at the CHEGA National Center for Conflict Reconciliation and Peacebuilding, Dili, Timor-Leste. Besides ForPPTI, I’m involved in the Communication Forum of the Indonesian Christian Higher Education Library.
Do you have any specific interests in the library world? I like the use of technology in the library, due to my educational background at the university.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work? Sports at the gym, listening to music.
ACL Involvement
How were you introduced to ACL? By searching the internet about Christian librarians.
Describe ACL in three words: Christ, Connection, Empowering
What do you value about ACL? It is a community that is bound by God’s redemptive work to redeem library activities for the glory of God.
How are you or have you been involved in ACL? Mostly, I have been involved in ACL Interest Groups.