Recently, the issue of restricting access to Wikipedia has been widely discussed again in Indonesia. For some, this may seem like a mere technical issue, simply a website that can’t be opened and can be replaced with other sources. However, for students, university students, and the book lover community, this situation is far more serious because it concerns access to knowledge itself. Wikipedia has long been one of the easiest ways to quickly and freely understand various topics. When access is disrupted or restricted, not only convenience but also learning opportunities are affected. This raises the realization that reading alone is not enough, especially when access to knowledge is not always reliable.
Amidst this situation, the book lover community is starting to take a different stance. They no longer want to be readers dependent on access, but also want to contribute to keeping knowledge alive. WikiLiteratur 2026 exists as a space for that. This collaborative program between KlubWiki Universitas Brawijaya, Readingalam, and Malang Great People introduced Wikipedia not just as a place to find information, but as an open space for sharing. For many participants, this was a new experience that changed their perspective on reading. The two-day event, held from April 10 to 11, 2026, demonstrated how this process works. The first day featured a Wikilatih session introducing the basics of Wikipedia editing, followed by a session reading a non-fiction book brought by each participant. Reading in this context was no longer limited to personal understanding but rather directed towards material to be shared. The second day continued with a discussion session, where participants presented their reading and provided feedback, before finally moving on to editing Wikipedia articles.
However, in practice, participants also immediately faced various challenges. Many newly created accounts experienced editing restrictions, while the available time was insufficient to complete the entire process optimally. Furthermore, access constraints forced some participants to use VPNs to continue accessing and editing Wikipedia. On the other hand, account and activity restrictions also forced the committee to find alternative solutions, such as allowing participants to upload using friends’ accounts. One participant even ended up uploading their contribution together with another participant’s account. Some participants also chose to continue editing after the event concluded due to time and access limitations during the event. This situation demonstrates that even in an open space like Wikipedia, there are still limitations to overcome, both technical and access-related. However, this experience fostered the realization that knowledge is not always easily accessible and, therefore, cannot be simply relied upon as readily available. It needs to be preserved, cultivated, and shared.
WikiLiteratur 2026 ultimately demonstrated that literacy does not stop at reading. In conditions where access to knowledge can be limited, the ability to process and share information becomes increasingly important. The book-loving community holds great potential in this regard, and through programs like WikiLiteratur, this potential is beginning to be channeled into tangible contributions. From reading, then writing, then sharing, book lovers began to take part in the liberation of knowledge, ensuring that knowledge is not only owned by a few people, but remains alive and accessible to everyone.
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