THE Davao City Library eyes to have more mobile libraries by the end of the year, an official said.
Davao City Librarian Pedrita Badar, during the I-Speak media forum held on Thursday, said they proposed a P6 million worth of mobile library to expand the coverage of the project to more than 25 barangays.
She said the purchase of the current functional mobile library was pegged at P4.5 million, five years ago, but they have now increased the budget to P6 million.
"We will be purchasing another mobile library by the end of this year. There is a plan to procure two mobile libraries to serve 182 barangays because Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio wants more mobile libraries," she said.
Badar said the only mobile library in the city is making rounds in 25 barangays here. It stays for 14 days in a barangay before it goes to another barangay.
"The farthest [that the mobile library reached] is Datu Salumay in Marahan, and we also go to Paquibato district only during Christmas season," she said.
She added that one mobile library is available for their use.
"The other bus we have has a mechanical defect so we temporarily placed it in Calinan," Badar said.
Elmer Amarillo, in-charge for mobile library, said the mobile library prioritizes far-flung areas in Districts 2 and 3.
"We visit according to the schedules we have set," he said.
He said among the services they give through the mobile library is the storytelling where they utilize the use of screen pictures to catch the short attention span of the children.
They also offer computer literacy and give children tutorial on how to manipulate electronic gadgets and they also have film showing.
"Para ma motivate sila ug mawala ang fear of technology (This is to motivate them and to reduce their fear of technology)," he said.
Amarillo said they intend to expand their coverage.
He also said last 2016, they noted a three percent increase on the number of clients served.
"We recorded 42,792 clients served in 2015, and we also recorded 58,236 clients served in the year 2016," he said.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the e-library modernization in the city library is also being drafted.
She added that with the modernization, the public will have access to e-books, e-magazines, and e-journals. "The MOA is almost done, and it may be passed two months from now in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council)."
Badar said that they seek to build a three-storey building for the e-library. The building was earlier planned to be built near the Central 911 building but there is still no identified location. She also said that they get annual allocation of books from the National library and they also receive book donations.
She said that on April 24, a Chinese corner in the city library will be established.