Summary Library Profile
Establishment and operation
The Dioso Library was established on 2 April 2004 in honor of one of Pandan’s sons, the late Philippine lawyer and diplomat Leocadio A. Dioso.
It is privately-owned & operated, but functions officially as the municipal public library of Pandan. The Library is the first one ever established in Pandan since it was founded in the mid-17th century. It is also the only public library currently operating in Antique’s northern half, where eight (pop. 178,000) of the province’s 18 towns are located. Only three other public libraries function in Antique, all of which are in the province’s southern half (10 towns, pop. 302,000). This problem of lack of public libraries exists not only in Antique but is nationwide in scope.
It was founded by retired UN official Leo Dioso and his wife Chiqui. Its day-to-day operations are handled by five full-time and two part-time local staff, headed by a Director. Supporting them are nearly 100 active and retired schoolteachers, day care workers, and other local professionals who volunteer their services as storytellers and puppeteers. They received special training — organized by the Dioso Library in cooperation with the National Library of the Philippines — on how to entertain and promote reading among children through storytelling programs and puppet shows.
The Library receives annual financial grants from the Provincial Government of Antique and the Municipal Government of Pandan. It also receives, and welcomes, contributions in cash or in kind (computer equipment, books, etc.) from private individuals, foundations, and other institutions in the Philippines and other countries, particularly the United States.
Our primary mission
To instill the love of reading among members of the community, particularly its children, and to make available to them — completely free — a wide selection of books, Internet-ready computers, and other library materials, facilities, services and programs, to both encourage and enable them to adopt reading, and library use, as lifelong habits for their personal development, entertainment, and overall well-being.
Our motto
Today’s readers, tomorrow’s leaders!
Library services and programs
Free entry to the Library of any visitor, regardless of age, residence or nationality
Free Dioso Library membership and library card
With library card:
- Free loans of books and audio-video tapes or discs (except Reference materials)
- Free use of computers and free internet access
- Free access to eLib (the Philippine Electronic Library Project, see www.elib.gov.ph)
Free storytelling, reading, and other programs for children
Free movie showings for both adults and children
Library collection and facilities
20,000 volumes/issues, for both adults & children, of fiction and nonfiction books; encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, self-help books & other Reference materials; local and international newspapers and magazines; books on audiotape format; movie videotapes and DVDs
Separate Reading & Reference Room, Computer Room, and Children’s Room
Separate Filipiniana Section – Containing books about the Philippines and/or by Filipino writers
Separate United Nations Corner – Containing publications on the various activities of, and critical issues dealt by, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, programs and projects worldwide
External stage and grounds for live presentation of Library and community programs
