As schools remain close due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Davao City government’s “Share a Book” program has targeted to reach quarantine and monitoring facilities for reading activities of the people undergoing the 14-day quarantine.
On Wednesday, the Davao City’s Library and Information Center (DCLIC) delivered books and reading materials to the University of the Philippines Faculty and Staff House (UP-FSH), one of the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMF) for Covid-19 in the city.
Salome Enoc, the head of DCLIC, said that the activity would provide activities to people undergoing monitoring or 14-day quarantine.
“Since we are in the process of moving out from our old office, we found materials – donated materials by Dabawenyos and some companies that we can share with the facilities so that we can help provide them activities during their stay. Also, to help with their mental health,” Enoc said.
She added that the office plans to provide to other quarantine facilities, especially the facilities where people will be staying longer.
Besides the Share a Book program, the DCLIC also recently resumed its Book Lending Program for Dabawenyo children as a support to the local government’s literacy program which gives meaningful activities to children while the city is under quarantine.
“Karong panahon sa pandemic, temporarily closed pa ang atong library, sa among gihimo na house-to-house ang delivery of books. So, ginaadtuan nato ang mga bata para mapa-borrow sila sa mga libro (This time of the pandemic, our city library is temporarily closed, that’s why we opted to deliver the books house-to-house. So, we reach out to the children to lend them books),” she said.
The books are delivered to the barangays through the city’s Mobile Library. DCLIC staff also conduct a house-to-house visit to let children choose books they want to read.
Normally, the Mobile Library offers story-telling sessions, film viewing, reading sessions, and computer literacy programs. “However, due to Covid-19 the Mobile Library couldn’t provide these since mass gathering is prohibited,” Enoc said.
She added that the books will be retrieved after a week and “confined or quarantined” for 72 hours before these are circulated again.
Since August 25, the mobile library has already visited Purok Abayun, Calinan; Purok Sampaguita, Baguio; and Purok 2, Wangan.
Enoc said that the DCLIC will also resume soon the Disaster Education Mobile Library which gives orientation on the basic disaster preparedness to barangays. CIO
