Challenges of Islamic resources digitalisation in Indonesian Libraries and Universities
Introduction
Following the public access to the internet in the last 30 years, universities in the western world and Arab world began providing digital copies of Islamic books, journals, articles for their staffs and students. Although the usage of the physical sources is still preferable due to their unique experience for the readers, the digital version has assisted academia in tracking particular section in resources, which, if compared to the classic method, digital tracking takes a significantly short time. Hence, this feature contributes to the western and middle east scholars to increase the number of scholarly works in Islamic studies, also popularising those works quicker and more effective.[1]
Switching the view to Indonesia, digital copies of Islamic books and access to journal database are barely found in Indonesian universities, unless at the top-rated educational institution.[2]
Moreover, some university libraries, which supposedly provide users with the digital version of its collection, are still struggling to enrich physical collections instead of approaching digitalisation of its collection.[3] This problematic situation prevents scholars from producing works in Islamic studies, especially contemporary issues, since they need easy access to references. The universities failed in this regard, unable to financially support those scholars and students to access those resources. The only possibility is breaking the copyright rules by compiling illegal digital copies from the internet since independently buying could not be possible due to financial issues.
The increase of scholarly work in Islamic studies indicates Islamic education quality, despite only touching the cognitive aspect of Islamic education. There is no denying that Islamic education aims beyond cognitive intelligence since it also concerns human’s ethical and spiritual side.[4] However, as Al-Farabi stated in tahsil as-sa’adah, virtues are unreachable before the human intellect gain adequate knowledge. A man cannot conduct ethically if he lacks good-evil understanding, valuing actions and phenomena, or knowing the limit of humanity.[5] Cognitive intelligence then is an essential aspect before approaching ethical and spiritual intelligence. Hence, as a method to upgrade the cognateness of human in Islamic education concern, digitalisation resources is as crucial as digitalising the delivering method and assessment.
Returning to the digitalisation problem in Indonesia, this paper will discuss further the challenge in material digitalisation which is an essential aspect in contemporary Islamic education at the higher education level.
Three fundamental concerns are discussed: the root of the problem, what makes source digitalisation difficult in Indonesia; How source digitalisation can be accomplished in Indonesia; and the side effect of source digitalisation.
The root of the problem; major barriers in digitalising Islamic scholarly works
In order to locate the difficulties of sources digitalisation, understanding aspects that make it a success can reveal the obstacles. Two primary factors make literary digitalisation meets its accomplishment: funding, human interest and capability. The first factor must be marked as the most significant factor before another one.
Looking to the western and Arab world educational institution, they have a thing in common regarding the digitalisation project: significant and adequate funding. Many universities in the United States completed their digitalisation of historical manuscripts, books, and their publishing product through an allocated fund from the universities’ endowment, such as Harvard law school in their digitalisation of holocaust documents and the University of Maryland’s digital copies of children books.[6] Similarly, Qatar National Library scanned and converted a thousand books for electronic database, giving its user access to the book in the absence of physical book due to circulation.[7] Again, Qatar National Library is fully funded by the government for this project, and Qatari Universities benefit from this project. This project did not solely aim to scan the books or manuscript but providing users of libraries (usually the registered researchers) subscription to journal database such as Elsevier, JSTOR, Proquest, etc.
This funding is allocated for some essential requirement before and during the digitalisation process. The literary works subjected to this project are collected legally through purchasing and clearance from the author or publisher. Even those institutions hired researchers to study manuscripts and old copies of books to be electronically readable for library users. Afterwards, a high-tech device will scan and convert collected works to digital copies and finally store them in the library database or deliver them to professors for teaching and research use.
Looking back to Indonesia, which can be considered a developing country, some people may argue that funding is the weakest point, especially for a private institution. However, the example suggests that private institution is a role model in source digitalisation project. Hence, the funding problem is not located in the availability, the allocation of funding instead. Prioritising might influence allocation issue; as mentioned, most universities struggle to provide a physical version of knowledge resources hence prioritising it rather than digitalisation. This condition is caused by the second factor of the digitalisation success, namely human interest and capability.
Assuming that most teaching and research staff in Indonesia are likely to use physical resources, digitalisation seems unnecessary due to the interest. Nevertheless, considering the current situation (pandemic of COVID-19) and the efficiency of digital materials for teaching and research, the conclusion on digitalisation is otherwise. This project is undoubtedly crucial if an education institution desire to upgrade their qualities. The problem does not end here; the ability to utilise those digital resources is another issue. Eventually, it can be concluded that the root of the problem in terms of source digitalisation is in the funding and human factors.
A possible approach to digitalise sources for Islamic studies in Indonesia
Given that Indonesia is a developing country, hence uncertainty of funding and human factors issue slows down the digitalisation process, a question engenders: How does digitalisation succeed in Indonesia? To answer this question, propounding a similar case may lead to the solving. Thus Turkey is a relevant comparison to Indonesia. The similarity between the two is that most universities are state-funded and can be considered developing countries in terms of education.
The digitalisation of books in Turkey began after the transformation of newspaper and media to the internet.[8] It changes people habit from reading on paper to reading on the screen. Following this shift, publishers began releasing portable document versions of books but maintaining the book’s selling status. Universities then acquire those digital books directly from the publishers in bulk, thus reducing the price.[9] The approach maintains the legality of the books and slightly solve the funding issue.
This example offers a possible method for a digitalisation project in Indonesia. In Turkey’s case, the project occurs due to the public demand, initiating the publisher to produce an electronic version of their products. The most critical aspect here is employing the publishers to digitalise their product; hence universities can get those sources legally. Therefore, the government or universities must create an electronic reading trend in society; hence publishers move their printing policy to electronic printing. Meanwhile, at the grass-root level, teaching staff can trigger the electronic reading trend among students by providing study materials in electronic version; hence students are not required to purchase books unless they are primary sources. It could enrich students’ insight with various knowledge since they are specific and accessible on their devices.
However, the above-explained solving method cannot be applied in journal database issue since the technical detail is different from than digitalisation of the book. Perhaps the only approach for this issue is by providing sufficient funds for the subscription, whether from public funding or private funding.
The Side Effect of Source Digitalization
At this part, the discussion does not concern the physical and psychological side effects of source digitalisation. Instead, the concern is the educational effect due to digitalisation. Embracing the usage of digital source can be tricky since it can harm some aspects of education. This side effect cannot be avoided, but limiting the consequence is possible. Firstly, the harming of academic integrity. Honesty in citing view, presenting opinions, and plagiarism potential, are amongst the usage of digital copies of sources consequences.
Some recent cases in Germany, where several politicians’ doctorate degrees are revoked due to their plagiarism and improper citation.[10] Those politicians used digital copies and cite the book improperly, then pass a plagiarism check. They were completing their theses easier because the digital books are copiable. Back in the days when seeking data must go through pages and fewer indexing tools give aid, a similar case would not likely occur. This side effect can be limited its potentiality by restricting the digital resources usage policy, such as double citation from the digital copy and the physical one.
Another side effect in the digitalisation endeavour is the absence of extensive reading during the research process. The scholars who have no indexing tools unless comprehensively reading will gain more information during their reading. Despite the information having no significance in his project, it enriches his understanding and insight; historically, some Muslim scholars were not the only expert in one field — for instance, Ibn Rushd Al-Qurtubi, a jurist and a philosopher. Extensive reading loses its existence if source digitalisation succeeds since those sources will be covered easily by indexing tools like google. Even some researcher may miss necessary paragraphs during their reading because those paragraphs do not have the keyword.
Conclusion
The entry of the internet into the education system and the current situation, in which people are prevented to attend class physically, indicate that digitalisation is at the urgency level. Indonesian education institutions must follow the step of other developed countries in digitalisation project for education; the crucial aspect to reform is sources and materials such as books, journals, manuscripts, or articles. These sources are not only necessary in the teaching process but helped the development of research. Both constitute the quality of higher education in Indonesia to compete at the international level. However, the current circumstances show that the digitalisation process goes slowly due to several factors.
It seems that the root of the digitalisation problem is funding and human factors. Unlike institutions in the western and Arab world, some of Indonesia’s universities prioritise allocation of education funding for physical materials. This problem is also supported by the human capability and interest in the digital type of books, journals, or manuscripts. Again, some digital sources providers set a higher price for the subscription, which prevent the researchers or teachers from progressing their independent effort in case of lacking of institutional support.
Nevertheless, following Turkey’s method in dealing with source digitalisation, this problem can be solved, i.e., creating the electronic reading trend then triggers the publishers to the digitalisation. However, this approach does not apply to the journal database subscription issue since the obvious way to solve it is by purchasing a license. Furthermore, source digitalisation has two significant side effects, although reducing the consequences is reasonable. Digitalising could harm academic integrity and remove the extensive reading activity in the research and studying process. However, these side effects do not disregard the necessity of source digitalisation, especially at the higher education level.
Citation
[1] Joseph E.B Lumbard, ed., Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition: Essays by Western Muslim Scholars (Indiana: World Wisdom, 2009). pp. 40–45
[2] Tri Santoso, Siswandari Siswandari, and Hery Sawiji, ‘The Effectiveness of EBook versus Printed Books in the Rural Schools in Indonesia at the Modern Learning Era’, International Journal of Educational Research Review 3 (2018): 77–84, https://doi.org/10.24331/ijere.453512.
[3] Hartono Hartono, ‘Strategi Pengembangan Perpustakaan Digital Dalam Membangun Aksesibilitas Informasi: Sebuah Kajian Teoritis Pada Perpustakaan Perguruan Tinggi Islam Di Indonesia’, UNILIB : Jurnal Perpustakaan 8, no. 1 (24 October 2018): 77–91, https://doi.org/10.20885/unilib.vol8.iss1.art7.
[4] Srecko Joksimovic et al., ‘Editorial: Beyond Cognitive Ability’, Journal of Learning Analytics 7, no. 1 (April 2020): 1–4, https://doi.org/10.18608/jla.2020.71.1.
[5] أبو نصر الفارابي، تحصيل السعادة (بيروت: دار ومكتبة الهلال، ١٩٩٥). ص. ٤٥-٥٠
[6] Yan Quan Liu, ‘Best Practices, Standards and Techniques for Digitizing Library Materials: A Snapshot of Library Digitization Practices in the USA’, Online Information Review 28, no. 5 (1 January 2004): 338–45, https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520410564262.
[7] Author experience and observation as a member of Qatar National Library
[8] Şafak Erkayhan and Yunus Bora Ülke, ‘Digitalization of the Book Publishing Industry. A Study on the E-Book Publishing in Turkey’, Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies 7, no. 4 (October 2017): 61–78.
[9] Stated by Assoc. Prof. Burhan Köroğlu, a professor in Department of Philosophy at Ibn Haldun University Turkey, recorded by the author directly
[10] Philip Oltermann, ‘German Politicians Suffer Higher Degree of Embarrassment from Plagiarism than from Sex Scandals’, The Observer — the Guardian, 22 May 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/22/german-politicians-suffer-higher-degree-of-embarrassment-from-plagiarism-than-from-sex-scandals.
