Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña (third from left) leads the ribbon cutting ceremony of Anita’s Garden, a project of the Cebu City Public Library and part of activities of the celebration of the library’s 100th year anniversary on April 8, 2019. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Public Library (CCPL) kicked off its weeklong celebration for its centennial anniversary on Monday, April 8, with a ceremonial planting of the “seed” of Anita’s Garden led by Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña.
According to chief librarian, Rosario Chua, Anita’s Garden is a concept of a more open space library that provides an area for the new generation to grow through reading and learning.
“We will create a new landscape sa library that will fit the need of the youth. The youth wants a library that they can move in freely, a living breathing library with all the plants. It is a park, it is a garden library,” said Chua.
Chua said that they launched this project in time for the library’s 100th year to show how the library would continue to evolve for the younger generation.
“Anita” represents the new generation of users, which are nurturing individuals unified through words attaining a sustainable and safe society.
Read more: 24/7 Cebu City Public Library: The First Year
From its establishment on April 13, 1919 when it was located on the second floor of an old convent in the Parian District, the library continued to provide space and resources for students in the city.
It was in 1938 when the three-storey building was launched to the public as the Rizal Memorial Library and Museum, which houses the CCPL to this day.
Read more: 24/7 Cebu City Public Library: The First Year – Change for the better
On March 2018, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña opened the library for 24 hours daily in response to a student’s request for a 24/7 library.
Chua said, the mayor’s move was the saving grace of the library.
“We really thought we were going to eventually close down because it was getting harder for us to draw people into the library,” said Chua.
Read more: 24/7 Cebu City Public Library: The First Year – Moving forward
A year after the library became a 24/7 space, it has served over 160,000 people and even started activities within the CCPL such as the free Japanese language lessons.
Read more: Cebu City public library offers free Japanese language classes
Chua said that in the next 100 years, the CCPL would work to turn the library into a learning hub and a space for the public to expand their knowledge in various means whether in traditional format or digital format.
For the weeklong centennial celebration, the library will be hosting a free reading activity for 100 kids on April 9 and a family literacy program on April 10.
Non-government organization, Basadours, will be conducting a 24-hour activity on April 11 while on April 12, a series of workshops will be held in the library ending with a stargazing activity at night.
Read more: #LOOKUP stargazing event at Cebu City Public Library on April 12
The Anniversary Night will be celebrated on April 13 which will also mark the end of the centennial anniversary of the CCPL.
According to Osmeña, the CCPL was granted P91 million budget for the celebration of the centennial anniversary./dbs