Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) continues to strengthen its commitment to fostering a culture of literacy through various community engagement programs. Most recently, the UMPWR Library collaborated with the Purworejo Regency Library and Archives Office to organize a Short Story Writing Workshop for students of SMP Negeri 5 Purworejo on Monday (July 20, 2026). The program marks the beginning of a broader literacy collaboration that will extend to SMP Negeri 1 through SMP Negeri 6 Purworejo.
Held at Graha Wiratama Hall of SMP Negeri 5 Purworejo, the workshop featured Dr. Umi Faizah, M.Pd., a lecturer from UMPWR's Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program (PBSI), as the keynote speaker. The event was attended by 25 students, along with school library managers from SMP Negeri 1 to SMP Negeri 6 Purworejo.
More than simply teaching students how to write short stories, the workshop was designed to strengthen the School Literacy Movement while enhancing the role of school libraries as creative, inspiring, and productive learning spaces. Through this activity, students were encouraged to express their ideas confidently, develop their imagination, and sharpen their critical thinking skills through literary writing.
The workshop is a follow-up initiative to the collaboration between the UMPWR Library and the Purworejo Regency Library and Archives Office in developing school library services. This partnership is expected to introduce a series of literacy programs that not only promote reading habits but also inspire students to produce creative literary works.
During the session, Dr. Umi Faizah guided participants through the creative process of writing short stories, from generating ideas and developing characters and plotlines to crafting engaging and well-structured narratives. She also motivated students to participate confidently in writing competitions, including the Purworejo Regency Short Story Competition organized by the Library and Archives Office as well as the National Student Arts and Literature Festival (FLS3N) for junior high school students. The workshop concluded with an interactive ice-breaking session that kept participants enthusiastic and actively engaged until the end of the program.
Representing the Purworejo Regency Library and Archives Office, Dwi Puji Astuti, A.Md., emphasized the strategic role of school libraries in nurturing students' character and creativity.
"A school library is not merely a place to store books; it is a vibrant space where creativity, critical thinking, and new ideas can flourish among students," she said.
Meanwhile, Nurmansyah Alami, M.T., Head of the UMPWR Library, highlighted that university libraries also have a responsibility to promote literacy within the wider community through meaningful and impactful programs.
"A library is more than just a place to read books. We want it to become an inspiring space where creativity and literacy thrive through various activities, including this short story writing workshop. We hope collaborations like this will continue and encourage more young writers to emerge from Purworejo," he remarked.
On the same occasion, Nurmansyah also congratulated the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program (PBSI) on achieving Excellent Accreditation. According to him, this accomplishment reflects the high quality of UMPWR's academic resources while further strengthening the University's contribution to advancing educational quality and promoting literacy development in Purworejo Regency.
Contributor: UMPWR Library
Editor: UMPWR Public Relations (Akb/KP)
