Bring Libraries Back to Communities

Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books. They are cultural hubs, repositories of knowledge, and catalysts for community learning.

The Iloilo Children’s Book Fair, held recently, highlighted this vision by celebrating Region VI’s literary heritage and championing a reading culture. This year’s fair launched “Curated Insights,” a lecture series featuring 21 notable authors and scholars from the region.

The talks aimed to inspire high school students to hone their creative writing skills while connecting with literary legends such as Stevan Javellana, Ramon Muzones, and Magdalena Jalandoni.

Events like these, coupled with programs like the National Library of the Philippines’ (NLP) storytelling sessions and the Let’s Read initiative, underscore the pressing need to revive libraries in communities.

Libraries are essential to building literate and empowered communities. They serve as cultural sanctuaries, learning hubs, and spaces for personal growth.

However, the Philippines has seen a troubling decline in public libraries. Since 2014, nearly 350 libraries have closed, leaving only 3% of local government units with functioning libraries.

This crisis underscores the need for a renewed focus on libraries, as evidenced by recent initiatives from the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), Project PEARLS, and Let’s Read.

Programs like the storytelling sessions highlight libraries’ transformative potential. These events foster curiosity, encourage literacy, and strengthen community bonds.

Libraries are not just about books but about creating a community of readers. Research backs the importance of reading and access to libraries. A 2019 Journal of Educational Psychology study showed that children with access to books and reading spaces perform better academically and socially.

Adults benefit, too.

According to the Pew Research Center, regular readers exhibit enhanced critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and stress management.

The benefits are clear: public libraries are vital to lifelong learning.

The NLP’s initiatives bridge traditional and digital literacy and ensured access for diverse audiences.

For example, Let’s Read Asia offers a digital library with thousands of culturally resonant books in local languages. Its offline accessibility makes it a crucial resource for underserved communities.

The “Cool Iskool” Mobile Library in Bataan takes this further.

With tablets and computers, it delivers books to remote areas, engaging students and families in meaningful learning experiences.

To make libraries thrive again, communities need hybrid spaces. An ideal public library today combines physical books, digital tools, and interactive programs.

Storytelling sessions, mobile libraries, and partnerships with organizations like Let’s Read ensure inclusivity and innovation.

Local governments, schools, and private entities must work together to fund and sustain libraries.

These spaces should also reflect local culture, offering books and programs in native languages, as demonstrated by the M’ranaw translations. Even the simplest library is a cost-effective investment with exponential returns. A revival of libraries means a revival of dreams, learning, and progress.

By reigniting a love for reading, we secure not just individual growth but the development of entire communities. Supporting libraries is not merely a cultural endeavor—it is an investment in our collective future.

Let’s bring libraries back to our communities and reignite the joy of reading for every child and learner in the region.