Manila: Story books and other essential reading materials for leisure or research will soon be available in a pop-up library at the east wing of Capitol interactive park in Ilocos Norte.

According to Philippines News Agency, Eric Coloma, the Provincial Library head, announced on Thursday that widely-read Ilocano magazines, pocketbooks, and children’s books, among others, will be available at the book nook to promote a love for reading. “The reading materials at the park can be borrowed,” Coloma stated in an interview, adding that personnel from the Provincial Library will be deployed to the area to assist interested individuals.

The return of the mobile library at the Capitol park is among the initiatives of the provincial government to promote the pleasure of reading among Ilocanos. In November of last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 76, which declares the ‘Tara, Basa!’ tutoring program a flagship government initiative aimed at improving reading proficiency among elementary students.

The Ilocos Norte government, along with other local government units and schools in the province, has been distributing books and reaching out to communities to address the learning gaps among students struggling in reading and comprehension skills. On October 16-17, 2025, the Ilocos Norte Provincial Library, in coordination with the Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano idi Filipinas ken Ballasiw Taaw (GUMIL Filipinas), will showcase the first-ever Ilokano book festival in this city, featuring the works of some Ilokano writers and their contributions to cultural development and heritage conservation.