THE Iloilo City Government, through the Iloilo City Public Library (ICPL), plans to put up district libraries in seven districts.

“This is City Government’s way of bringing educational services to the constituents and at the same time encourage everyone to read in order to increase our knowledge and be updated of what is happening in our society,” Mayor Jose Espinosa III said.

The concept followed after the establishment of public library at Balay Dalayunan: Home for the Boys in August last year.

“No less than National Library of the Philippines (NLP) Director Cesar Gilbert Adriano discussed the matter during his recent visit here. This idea is part of ICPL’s roadmap because we really want to stress the importance of reading and how libraries can help us,” City Librarian Marion Aguirre said.

“In the advent of technology, traditional way of reading should still remain,” she stressed.

Aguirre said the district libraries will be a studio-type that will offer the same services as ICPL.

ICPL is open during weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm. Services offered are online public access catalog; electronic resources and internet such as electronic books, techno aklatan, free Wi-Fi; and borrowing of books.

There are also Filipiniana books, general references books, government publication, donated books, and fiction books.

“The National Library also promised to us that they will donate reading materials, including materials for persons with disabilities (PWDs) once we put up these district libraries,” Aguirre said.

NLP turned over to ICPL learning materials for children including threading shapes, color table, pink tower, construction box, and spindle box. (PR)