Literacy Support through Community Reading Centers in Kotabumi Urban Village, Cilegon City

Abstract

The Thematic Literacy Student Community Service (KKM) program by Group 45 from Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University was conducted in Kotabumi Urban Village, Purwakarta District, Cilegon City, as an effort to enhance community access to and participation in literacy activities. The initiative aimed to optimize the use of the Kotabumi Urban Village Library’s collection by bringing reading materials closer to the community and providing interactive literacy support. The implementation employed a descriptive approach involving observation, mentoring, administrative record-keeping, documentation, and activity evaluation. The program ran from July 8 to July 30, 2026, primarily targeting children aged 0–16 while also involving parents and the wider community. Interventions included organizing the collection by age group, launching new community reading services, read-aloud sessions, "Read Me a Book" activities, book discussions and reviews, storytelling, and creative writing (short stories and poetry). Results showed a total of 363 visits during the service period, with an average of 25–35 participants per day peaking at around 40 participants on certain occasions thereby exceeding the service target of 15 participants per day.