Author: LEKKERKERKER, T.J. (INTRODUCTION, DIRECTOR VOLKSLECTUUR),
Title: Bureau voor Volkslectuur.:Le Bureau pour la Littérature Populaire Ce qu'il est et ce qu'il fait. [Eerste druk; Edition originale;First edition].
Description: S.I. [Weltevreden], Volkslectuur, [circa], Large 4°. Original limp untrimmed wrappers. Original cord through spine. Front cover title in bold black type, with a multiple orange coloured decorative vertical line-border alongside front hinge. 31pp. of french and dutch text printed in double collumns. Monochrome frontispiece (portrait of the late Queen Wilhelmina of the netherlands)6 captioned full-page plates of which 1 coloured, a.o. featuring a group of Bedaja-dancers, 1 plate illustrating the printing department of Volkslectuur, many captioned monochrome illustrations in text featuring specimen of book-illustrations, 2 full-page diagrams, 1 illustrating increase of local newspaper consumption by Indsonesian subscribers, 1 diagram illustrating expansion of [indonesian] subscribers to a Volkslectuur journal, appendices listing specimen of foreign and dutch literary works, including popular literature, novels, childrens and youth literature publications translated and published in indonesian-malay, from france and europe, the americas, hindu sources, including topical subjects as agriculture, industry, hygiene, economics, administration, journals and some more exceptional works. Dutch french language volume about history, work, objectives, principles and progress ofVolkslectuur alias Balai Pustaka/Poestaka: On 14 September 1908 a commission, with as Presiden Dr. G.A.J. Hazeu, initiated, by command of dutch colonial administration, was formed in order to compile a feasebility study on the foundation of a government publishing house, as the need was felt to advance the literary education of the indonesian population, by means of indonesian language novels. The outcome of this study resulted in the foundation of the Kantoor voor de Volkslectuur alias Balai Pustaka/Poestaka (Office of popular literature) that published, excluding reprints, almanacks and serials, some 2000 titles, both in malay and dutch, up till 1942. Good to very good copy in original untrimmed publ. wrappers.

Keywords: history publishing popular volkslectuur balaipustaka organization progress illiteracy analbetism literacy translations benefit population education advancement progress reading objectives colonialism