A BRIEF HISTORY OF ATIMONAN MUNICIPAL LIBRARY
By: JULIANA LAVILLA-ESCASA
The establishment of the Municipal Library of Atimonan, Province of Quezon was initiated by the 1948-1951 Municipal Council of Atimonan, Quezon, under the active leadership of the late Mayor Diosdado Amado (RIP). The dream of a Municipal Library was realized in 1950 through the efforts of Mr. Arsenio Marquez, then a Munici
pal Councilor, who fathered the resolution addressed to the National Library requesting that a Municipal Library be established in Atimonan, Quezon. As the application for opening a Municipal Library was duly approved by the Office concerned, Mr. Esteban Salvanera, the Chief Provincial Librarian of Quezon Province, advised Mr. Eladio Nerier, Municipal Secretary of Atimonan, Quezon and currently assigned as acting Municipal Librarian, to secure some books from Bilibid, Muntinlupa. He was also authorized to get official gazettes and pamphlets from the Bureau of Printing, Manila. Thus on June 1, 1950 Municipal Library of Atimonan, Province of Quezon was formally opened in a reasonable portion of the Municipal Session Hall. was appointed Municipal Librarian of the Municipality with an annual compensation of Php 1,440. Under the so-called compulsory retirement plan, Mr. Andaluz retired on July 14, 1958. On July 15, 1958, Mrs. Lourdes Eudela, an Elementary Public School Teacher succeeded Mr. during the incumbency of Mrs. Eudela, improvements were noted. The Municipal Library was house in a bigger room adjacent to the session hall of the newly constructed Municipal Building. There were twelve big shelved with books, pamphlets, bulletin, magazines and newspaper were abundance. Town folks, pupils and students started to flock in the library. As the importance of a Municipal Library had been sold to the public, the services of an assistant Municipal Librarian was inevitable, so, from 1956 to 1963, Miss _____________ was hired as assistant. Municipal Librarian of Atimonan, Quezon. The services of an assistant librarian was terminated in the early part of March 1964 as the horrible conflagration on March 6, 1964 burned the Municipal Building where the Municipal Library was housed. The rehabilitation of a new Municipal Library was undertaken immediately by the Municipal Librarian, Mrs. Lourdes Eudela. She requested for funds from the civic minded persons of the community. She communicated with National Library requesting for donations of books and some other reading materials. The National Library responded accordingly. As the husband of Mrs. Eudela was working in Manila, she requested for a transfer. Her transfer was approved on July 19, 1965. Before her transfer, her yearly compensation was Php 1,680. Caferina Martinez was assigned as the care taker of the Municipal Library on July 1, 1965 as she only a casual employee due to the lack of funds. On September 15, 1965 Mrs. Martinez was fortunate to have received the provisional appointment as a Municipal Librarian. She served until May 23, 1971, or for almost six years. Through her efforts, progress in the management of the library was noticeable. Before her transfer to Manila, there were 2,212 books placed in open shelves. The library room is quite contested as it measures 5 ½ meters by 6 ½ meters which is adjacent to the Session Hall of the new Municipal Building which is situated in Barrio Tagbakin almost kilometre away from the town proper. Due to the transfer of Miss Caferina Martinez to the Public Documents Division of the National Library, Manila, the writer of this Brief History was assigned on May 24, 1971 as the Municipal Librarian of Atimonan, Quezon with temporary appointment from the Civil Service. Modesty aside this functions normally. Library-conscious visit the Municipal Library day in day out despite its distance from the town proper. This library needs a more spacious hall. A BRIEF HISTORY OF ATIMONAN MUNICIPAL LIBRARY
By: MANUELITA R. VERANGA
Formerly Mrs. Juliana Escasa appointed as Municipal Librarian form the year 1971 to 1999. When she retired there was many Library Assistant in different person from 1999 to 2005 namely Sheila L. Escasa, Aileen Aguilar, Malyn Altez and Mildred Escritor. I was recommended by Vice Mayor Mariles Aguilar and approved by the Civil Service Commission on June 16, 2005. The Municipal Library is located at Atimonan Central School at the second floor of old (ECOSOF) building. I make a request to our beloved Municipal Mayor Atty. Jose F. Mendoza thru our Municipal Administrator Rustico Joven U. Mendoza that our Library will be transfer to the vacant office at 2nd floor ABC building at Barangay Tagbakin because as per director of the National Library of the Philippines in Manila that the library must be in the vicinity of the Municipal building not in the school institution. The Library was an open shelves system up to the present. We transferred here at Barangay Tagbakin to the second floor of the ABC building on June 13, 2014. Blessed and Inaugurated together with the Historical Museum, DOST-Quezon Atimonan Satellite Office and COMELEC Office on July 29, 2014.
