ILOILO – Of this province’s 42 municipalities and one component city, 30 have no public libraries.
Provincial Library and Archives’ officer-in-charge Sharon Madrones-Gigante said only 13 local government units (LGUs) maintain public libraries. These were Alimodian, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Cabatuan, Calinog, Concepcion, Dingle, Leganes, Leon, Miag-ao, Oton, Pototan, and San Joaquin.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Demy Sonza of the 2nd District previously observed, “Wala kadtoan ang mga estudyante kon mag-research, especially on local history.”
According to Gigante, the public libraries in the 13 LGUs were located in municipal halls and have librarians or officers-in-charge.
Sonza said he planned to introduce a resolution encouraging local governments to open libraries and calling on the provincial government to provide them with technical and financial assistance.
Sonza is the chairperson of the Provincial Board’s committee on culture, arts, history, and tourism.
According to Gigante, the National Library could supply with reading materials the public libraries affiliated with it.
There could be municipalities with public libraries, said Sonza, but these may likely have a dearth of reading materials.
A public municipal library must be, first and foremost, a repository of information about the locality, its history, local heroes or homegrown distinguished people, said Sonza, a respected local historian and writer.
A local government need not erect a separate building for a public library, added Sonza. A room at the municipal hall may already do, he stressed./PN
