The Davao City Library and Information Center (DCLIC) recorded an increase in the number of library users in 2025, driven mainly by the growing number of clients visiting district and barangay reading centers outside the city center.
DCLIC head Salome Enoc said in an interview with Madayaw Dabaw on Tuesday that the library served 440,924 clients in 2025, higher than the 436,403 clients recorded in 2024. The figure includes users of the main reading center and mobile libraries.
Enoc said reading centers in districts and barangays greatly contributed to the increase, with 65,445 clients recorded in 2025, up from 48,565 clients in 2024.
She said the rise in users is the result of the library’s long-standing effort to promote reading centers outside the main library.
“Gi-promote nato sa social media nga nay reading centers kung asa sila pwede muadto nga dili na sila muadto sa main (We promoted on social media the reading centers that people can visit instead of going to the main library.),” Enoc said.
The DCLIC maintains and monitors reading centers in Buda, Marahan, Daliao, and Baguio, as well as district reading centers in Toril, Tugbok, Mintal, and Calinan.
Aside from maintaining these centers, the DCLIC also ensures that donated books are distributed to barangay reading centers managed by barangays.
For 2025, a total of 7,826 donated books were distributed to barangay reading centers.
“Daghan ang donation, so gina-share namo ni sa atong barangay reading centers (We receive many donations, so we share them with our barangay reading centers),” Enoc said, adding that the office also conducts barangay visits to strengthen partnerships and collaboration
To further increase access to free books, the DCLIC is also planning to expand the Toril Reading Center. The project involves a one-storey building that will provide more space for readers. The project is already funded, and the bidding process is currently underway. CIO
