Promotion of book reading has become one of the programs that the City Library personnel here continue to advocate, especially at this age of modern technology when electronic gadgets take most of the time of people, including children.

“Marami tayong matututunan sa pagbabasa ng libro, marami ring stories na pwede tayong may matutunan (We learn a lot by reading a book. There are also many stories that we can learn from),” said a teacher who read a story about protecting animals to small children during one of the book reading sessions in the children’s playground.

“Alagaan natin ang mga hayop, huwag natin silang sinisipa at binabato, dapat din pinapakain natin sila kasi kaibigan natin sila (Let us protect the animals by feeding them, not kicking them or throwing stones at them because they can be our friends),” the teacher told the children, most of whom are toddlers, who were given candies that they could eat while listening.

The City Library resumed the storytelling sessions for children that were started before the pandemic.

City librarian Easter Pablo said the regular storytelling at the park, which is one of the extension activities of the library, aims to arouse interest in reading among young children.

She said the youth’s interest in reading printed books continues to wane.

Pablo said the library is encouraging schools to embrace the school-based reading sessions among interested students to be able to promote reading habits.

“The emergence of the social media significantly impacted on the reading habits of people, that is why it is disappointing to learn that the Filipino students have the least reading comprehension in the Asia-Pacific region,” she said.

She noted that the City Library has extended its official operating days until Saturday to cater to the needs of the readers. (PNA)