From the notes of Carlos Sira, former OIC of the Library
The Iloilo Provincial Library first opened to the reading public on October 29, 1916. The Governor of Iloilo that time was Hon. Gregorio Yulo and the Director of the National Library was Hon. Teodoro M. Kalaw.
The Province of Iloilo pledged to maintain and operate the new Provincial Library in behalf of the National Library and give technical assistance and books. The Province of Iloilo provided a library building equipped with necessary furnishings and the National Library sent thirteen cases of books, most of which came the Filipiniana Division of the National Library. Mr. Manuel Ortigas Y Curva was temporarily designated to take charge of the National Library outside Manila.
The act of the Provincial Government elicited further support from Ilonggo leaders whose names were identified with the history of the province and from civic united citizens both of Iloilo and Negros. Donation of the people from Negros and Iloilo in the amount of one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) was willed to the new library and intellectual leaders of Iloilo, namely Don Manuel Ortigas Y Cuerva, Don Casimiro Perfecto, Señor Rosendo Mejica, Don Raymundo Milleza, Honorable Cresenciano Lozano, Diputado for Iloilo, Don Ruperto Montinola, Señor Manuel Locsin, Señor Juan de Leon, Señor Esteban Lanza, Señor Federico Jalandoni, Señor Nicasio Gepana, Señor Mequel Marino, Padre Nicolas Valencia, Don de la Rama and Don Manuel Linson, donated collections of books to the new born library.
At this time the library had initial collection of over a thousand volumes about half of which were barrowed from Mr. Conrado A. Banzon, Provincial Librarian of Negros Occidental, through the intercession of Director Luis Montilla of the National Library. In need of a better and accessible location, it moved in July 1946 to Atty. Pablo Oro’s building, Valeria St., Iloilo City. In July 1955, it moved to a separate building. At this time, the library acquired more than nine thousand volumes of books from the National Library and every year, thereafter, new books were acquired.
Out of its resources, the Province of Iloilo embarked in the establishment of Municipal libraries in 1948. This province-wide activity was started when the Provincial Board of Iloilo, under Governor Mariano Peñaflorida, passed a resolution urging municipal officials to organize municipal libraries.
The Library during World War 2 The new library has the sympathy not only of the Ilonggos but of the people of Negros. Because of this concern the Iloilo Provincial Library had the distinction of having the riches Filipiniana Collections among the provincial branches of the National Library, Unluckily enough, the library, once the pride of Iloilo, was totally burned when the Japanese forces occupied Iloilo City. Following the liberation of Panay and upon the institution of civil government, the Iloilo Provincial Library was one of the offices revived by Governor Patricio Confessor and Mr. Paulino Natino, the last pre-war librarian, was appointed as the first pre-war librarian.
To maintain and operate a new Provincial Library, we transferred last June, 2004 to the Old Capitol Building near the New Capitol Building. The purpose of which is to provide the basic library services to the public. The Iloilo Provincial Library faces both internal and external challenges in the delivery of basic library services both the academic and in the out-reach community. The Library had developed a closer link to the youth in the grass root level of the society then its “Book Mobile” Libro sa Barangay program. This program has enriched the lives of the children thru free readings of children books and other reading materials delivered to them in their respective area.
In the Annual Investment Plan of the Province of Iloilo for Calendar Year 2006, one of the programs of the Iloilo Provincial Government is to purchase books for rural-based support to literacy program. These are sets mobile references for remote and far flung barangays to provide them with updated and improve basic literacy.
Likewise, circumstantial to the operation of the Provincial Government of Iloilo as an organization is the creation and use of records in the course of conducting its day to day business transactions and extending basic services to the people.
The new Local Government Code of 1991 recognizing the importance of an archive, provided under Section 438, the establishment of an Archival System in every local government unit to ensure the safety and protection of government property, public documents and very important permanent records, thus SP Resolution No. 95-125-Resolution adopting the report of the committee on Human Resources approving the creation/establishment, staffing and operation of an Archives Division in the Province of Iloilo, under the Office of the Governor.
Further, for effective governance, the Province of Iloilo under SP Res. No. 2006-07, included the merging of the Provincial Library and Archives Office to one department.
During the restoration of the Old Provincial Capitol (Casa Real de Iloilo) as a historical landmark for the province, a space at the ground floor was provided for the Iloilo Provincial Library & Archives Office.
Today, the Iloilo Provincial Library and Archives office is located at the Old Provincial Capitol (Casa Real de Iloilo).