The reading interest of Indonesians is relatively low. This is evident from the results of the Reading Interest Level (TKM) study released by the National Library (Perpusnas).
TKM is one of the indicators to measure the public's interest in reading. Perpusnas compiles TKM based on a survey of a sample of the public at the district/city level, with three main assessment dimensions, namely:
- Pre-Reading Phase: Reading motivation, availability of reading materials, frequency and duration of reading, and the influence of social environment in reading.
- Reading Phase: Focus of attention, comprehension strategies, interaction with the text, discussion, and collaboration in reading.
- Post-Reading Phase: The impact of reading on cognitive, social, emotional development, and expectations after reading.
The results of this survey are then processed into a score on a scale of 0-100 points, with the following classifications:
- Score above 90: Very High
- Score 80-90: High
- Score 65-79: Moderate
- Score 50-64: Low
- Score less than 50: Very Low
As a result, East Nusa Tenggara Province ranks at the top, with an average TKM score of 62.05 points in 2025. However, this score falls into the "low reading interest" category.
Among the 33 provinces surveyed, almost all have TKM scores in the "low" category, except for West Sulawesi, whose score falls into the "very low" category.
Here are the details of the TKM scores per province in 2025, based on a study by Perpusnas:
- Nusa Tenggara Timur: 62.05 (Low)
- Nusa Tenggara Barat: 61.19 (Low)
- Sumatera Selatan: 60.86 (Low)
- Maluku Utara: 60.66 (Low)
- Kalimantan Barat: 59.85 (Low)
- Sulawesi Selatan: 59.84 (Low)
- Sulawesi Tengah: 59.51 (Low)
- Sumatera Barat: 59.42 (Low)
- Sumatera Utara: 59.36 (Low)
- Kepulauan Riau: 59.33 (Low)
- Aceh: 59.23 (Low)
- Gorontalo: 59.2 (Low)
- Jawa Barat: 59.19 (Low)
- Kalimantan Utara: 58.89 (Low)
- Jawa Timur: 58.86 (Low)
- Lampung: 58.79 (Low)
- Sulawesi Utara: 58.75 (Low)
- Sulawesi Tenggara: 58.64 (Low)
- Riau: 58.59 (Low)
- Kepulauan Bangka Belitung: 58 (Low)
- Kalimantan Timur: 57.86 (Low)
- Jambi: 57.77 (Low)
- Bengkulu: 57.74 (Low)
- Maluku: 57.38 (Low)
- DKI Jakarta: 57.23 (Low)
- Jawa Tengah: 57.11 (Low)
- Kalimantan Selatan: 57.1 (Low)
- Banten: 56.53 (Low)
- Kalimantan Tengah: 56.24 (Low)
- DI Yogyakarta: 55.44 (Low)
- Papua: 51.12 (Low)
- West Papua: 50.77 (Low)
- West Sulawesi: 48.63 (Very Low)