It might appear that Indonesians love watching soap operas more than reading books, but the snowballing movement of community libraries proves otherwise, as children and adults alike eagerly await a new book on their laps.

On one afternoon, about five kids, still in their uniforms, flocked to a small gazebo holding dozens of books and magazines.

"Awh, I've already read all of them," fourth-grader Billy moaned to the community library keeper. "How come there are no new ones? I'm bored with these."

Ali, the keeper and initiator of the Cilebut Children community library, has little to offer in way of reply.

"Although we live only an hour away from Jakarta, it is still difficult to find a new supply of children's reading materials," Ali said, adding that the two-year-old center had actually succeeded in nurturing reading habits in the community.

World Bank data show that Indonesian students rank the lowest in reading habits among their peers in Southeast Asia, with a score of only 51.7, lagging behind Thailand and the Philippines.

But, as the disappointment in Billy's face shows, it is not a problem of lack of interest - it is getting the books into their hands that remains the challenge.

Currently, the Cilebut community library depends on supplies from the local district office and an occasional contribution from Komunitas 1001Buku, Ali said. So do 126 community libraries around Greater Jakarta and 196 others throughout the archipelago.

Komunitas 1001Buku, which currently has 300 volunteers in Jakarta, distributes books to up to 30 selected community libraries nationwide every three months.

Every library gets a package of at least 150 children's books, magazines and comics, all of which are requested items.

Most of the books come from donations collected in Greater Jakarta and getting them to the community libraries is not as simple as it might seem.

"It seems that the donated books are all pooled in Jakarta. It is difficult to gather such resources in other cities, even ones like Yogyakarta," said Gunawan Julianto, manager of Rumah Pelangi, a community library in Muntilan, Central Java.

Gunawan's library also depends on book donations from the Yogyakarta branch of Komunitas 1001Buku and other similar groups under the Indonesian Reading Forum network.

"Our work is based on volunteers and we do not have the funding sources to accommodate all the requests from community libraries nationwide," said Dessy Sekar Astina from the Indonesian Reading Forum.