In a bid to instill the importance of reading, the Quezon City Public Library (QCPL) has lined up projects with the aim of enticing public school students to become avid readers to help them enrich their knowledge in various fields which will serve them well in the future.

 Among the programs lined up to improve the students’ reading habits are puppets shows -- which have been scheduled twice a month in the city’s public libraries -- free computer tutorials and storytelling sessions.

City Librarian Emelita L. Villanueva said she finds it necessary to encourage students to read books and to have inputs that will enhance their capability as individuals, making them aware of the latest global developments.

The QCPL is optimistic that the program will be instrumental in achieving its mission of promoting reading habits among pupils to arm with the knowledge that they would need as they grow up. Aside from puppet shows, the QCPL is giving free computer lessons to all students.

At present 26 students have graduated from free computer lessons given by QCPL which include Windows basics, computer basics, Internet basics, e-mail basics, IMPRESS (Microsoft Powerpoint), CACL (Excel), and WRITER (Microsoft Word).

Villanueva said the QCPL is also offering free computer lesson program to students and to all interested city residents who wish to further improve their computer operation knowhow, adding that the office also provides free Internet surfing and free photocopying especially for the city’s less privilege students.

Another QCPL program is storytelling which was made on a regular basis among toddlers, day-care center children and primary pupils.

Chosen as the most outstanding public library of the National Capital Region (NCR) in 2000, the QCPL serves more than 500 clients a day most of whom are public high school students in the city.