The Pride of Pasig: The Pasig City Library & Discovery Centrum

I finally had the chance of visiting the Pasig City Library and Discovery Centrum. In previous posts, I have written about the Pasig City's library and its evolution. Click the highlighted words for the photo essay. The link about the city library winning the Most Outstanding City Library of 2008 is likewise highlighted for your reading pleasure.

To share with you the discoveries I made during my visit yesterday, February 9, 2009, scroll down and begin the short tour with me.

At the entrance, I immediately saw a spacious and well lighted reading area. To my left was the multi-media room where a TV is put up for viewing purposes. The multi-media room's seating arrangement was designed like a mini-auditorium. According to the librarian-in-charge, Mrs. Delia Barreno, viewings of films, movies and the like take place on scheduled visits.

I brought my daughter, Zoe, with me that day when I visited the new city library. Taught in school how to behave in the library, she was quiet but very attentive.

Here she stands behind the mock kitchen. There is a play room, a make-believe area for younger children who prefer exploring and manipulating toys and the simulated world of grown ups. Apart from a kitchen, a garage is available for those who would like to tinker with cars and automobiles. At the center of the play area, a circular table with building blocks is open for children's use.

Indeed, the Pasig City Library has come a along way since the time of Madame Pilar Perez. It is very different from the library I used to visit as a grade school student of Pateros Catholic School. That was back in the 80's when silence and soft movements were the observed decorum in libraries. Today, as in most modern libraries, functional noise and interactivity are the accepted trends and norms.

So I was not surprised to see a group of students from the nearby Pasig City Elementary School reading aloud to younger kids. There were two of them holding a big book - Si Kas ang Barumbadong Bus, by Rene Villanueva. I could not help myself but volunteer to tell stories this coming summer.

Ms. Delia was delighted. She told me that the students who volunteered to tell stories were her regular patrons. She had actually set up tasks for them to do. True enough, they kept books in place and arranged the small chairs and tables after the storytelling session. They even helped the library staff in shelving the books used by the younger children.

Quite noticeable were the Pinocchio dolls on the shelves. These reading Pinocchio dolls were donated by the city mayor, Bobby Eusebio and his wife, both architects by profession who had their hands on the plan and the design of the new city library.

Ms. Delia shared with me so many stories of how "their" library grew; her day to day adventures as children's librarian; and the activities they do for the children. But that would be for the next posts. I will reserve the best stories for last, of course.

On our way out, Ms. Delia escorted us to where Zoe left her bag. A pigeon hole for bags of students and children is set outside.

Here you see my daughter, Zoe getting her bag at the end of our visit to the Pasig City Library and Discovery Centrum. She met new friends, Ms. Delia was one of them and a girl named Mailin who is in 5th grade. A library is growing in Pasig City and along with it is the possibility to hope that Pasig City's youth can develop a love for books and reading.