Readers Today are Leaders Tomorrow

library hub1The drive towards a functionally literate society is an ongoing national effort.  Hence, Dep-ED being the educational arm of the government took the challenge.   In 2003, the Department of Education (DepED), through the office of the Undersecretary for Finance and Administration, launched the Library Hub Project as one of its innovative initiatives. This project aims to develop the love for and habit of reading among public school pupils and students through building a warehouse of supplementary reading materials called the Library Hub.

The Hub is anchored on the principle that every child can develop desirable reading habits and skills through greater access to reading materials. Ultimately, it will create pervasive reading culture and environment in public schools.

A functional Library Hub is a “reservoir of reading materials”.  Its objectives are to provide greater access to reading materials to all public school pupils and students, provide quality and appropriate books to public schools nationwide, develop the love for books and habit of reading, make every Filipino child a book lover and lastly to support the development of reading and comprehension skills of public school pupils and students (Library Hub Handbook, 2008).

In line with these, the Central Office through the Malaybalay City Division in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) established a Library Hub to serve as a “wholesale” library exclusively servicing elementary and secondary schools within a division and to provide access to thousands of supplementary reading books.

The Malaybalay City Division Library Hub is now fully functional since January 2012.  It is located at Linabo Central School, Linabo, Malaybalay City.  It has 15, 390 books and recently received 1, 625 big books. Varieties of stories are waiting to be read.  It can now provide adequate and varied numbers of books to spur a reading habit of pupils and students including teachers and Dep-Ed employees. It is organized by grade level and arranged alphabetically for easy access.

Our Division Superintendent seeks to improve the quality of education in our division by urging administrators and teachers to make use of the supplementary reading books in the Library Hub and also encouraging them to read at least two (2) of these books a year.

I’m convinced that reading improves the academic performance of school children that may eventually lead them to success in life.  As quoted by Dr. Luistro, “Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader”.  Let us then make our children readers for them to be leaders of tomorrow.

By: Emelyn D. Razo
      Librarian