San Miguel Municipal Library

The Heritage Town of San Miguel is the northernmost town of the Province of Bulacan famous for its landmarks such as the historical Biak-Na-Bato National Park, numerous Spanish-era Municipal Hall and Ancestral Houses, and the century-old San Miguel Church. This town which is the home for many prominent personalities and heroes of the past, is also the home to one of the oldest public libraries of Bulacan, the San Miguel Municipal Library. It is presently housed at the 2nd floor of an unattached building inside the San Miguel Municipal Compound. 

The building where the San Miguel Municipal Library is presently located.

The library is under the Office of the Mayor and is presently headed by Mrs. Aurelia Garces as the Municipal Librarian. She is helped by Mrs. Janilyn Alfonso, Assistant Librarian, and Mrs. Teresita De Vera, Library Staff.

DISCOVERING SAN MIGUEL MUNICIPAL LIBRARY's  PAST 

Based on the interview with Mrs. Aurelia C. Garces, 

Municipal Librarian (1994 - Present)

If one would trace which Bulacan public library has a librarian who has continuously served the longest until now, then San Miguel Public Library would hands down own the title because its librarian, Mrs. Aurelia Garces, has served the library for almost 24 years... and counting! Ma'am Lea, as she is fondly called, is a licensed librarian who finished her college in the Philippine Women's University in 1989. She became the municipal librarian during the incumbency of Mayor Fernando Mendez. She is also an active member of the Bulacan Public Librarians Association (BPLAI) where she has served as an auditor and sergeant-at-arms in the past. 

The San Miguel Public Library, as already stated above, is one of the oldest public library of Bulacan. According to Mrs. Garces's record, the library was established on April 16, 1952 during the incumbency of Mayor Felipe Buencamino (upon checking, it was Mayor Conrado Pascual who served during that year, Buencamino only became the mayor starting 1956). If the date given is accurate, it puts the library's age as 62 years old this year! The reason given why the mayor has established the library is because he felt the need for a place where underprivileged students who are striving for knowledge will find the information they needed to uplift their education.

San Miguel Municipal Library

The library was first served by the late Felicidad Payawal with the help of many volunteers. Other identified librarians who took care of the library in the past were Mrs. Jessie Capulong, who later became the Provincial Librarian, and Luciana Esguerra, who served the library for 7 years (exact years not determined by the author). In 1994, Ma'am Lea took the helm and since then managed the library until today. She is being helped by Mrs. Janilyn Alfonso who has been with the library since 1995, and Teresita De Vera, since 2005. 

Owing to San Miguel's historicity, the library has been an important repository of the town's local history materials and documents. It keeps a Bulacañana collection and articles and clippings of San Miguel related topics such as the ancestral houses, San Miguel National High School, the town's industry of pastillas and chicharon, and many more. Notable donors of library materials are the Rotary Club of San Miguel and Councilor Romy Reyes, aside from numerous individual donors. The present mayor showed support by placing 2 computer units in the library for the use of the library clients. Just like the other public libraries of Bulacan, the library beefs up its collection through the annual book allocations from the National Library of the Philippines.

Spanish-era San Miguel Municipal hall where the library was once located.

The library has seen 3 locations since it was established. Its first location is at the 2nd floor of the old municipal hall. Later, it was transferred to the 1st floor of the same building and this was the location of the library when Ma'am Lea started working as the municipal librarian. It is now the Assessor's office. Finally, in 2007, the library was transferred to its present location.

Notable user and supporter of the library is the local historian Luis "Bobot" Tecson who donated to the library a book he has written entitled "Remembering My Lolo Simon Tecson : Leader in the Siege of Baler". Both he and his lolo Simon are native San Migueleños. He is a frequent visitor of the library according to Ma'am Lea. 

Asked about how the San Miguel Municipal Library has contributed to the progress of the town, Ma'am Lea answered that the library helps in molding the education of the town's students and youth. She adds that the library satisfies the need of the general population, especially those who have no money, by lending them books they needed at no cost at all. The library then is instrumental to the development of these youth's mind who in turn will lead San Miguel to progress.  


To listen to the author's whole interview with Mrs. Garces, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.