Buksan ang Isip, Buksan ang Mundo a project of Booklat Isip, Inc.

Silid Booklatan, under Booklat Isip, Inc., is a non-profit organization that promotes a lifestyle of reading in order to build a nation of readers. We work with community partners to provide venues, reading materials, reading-related activities, support, and encouragement to members of communities in underprivileged areas. It is our goal to build community reading rooms in every Barangay in the Philippines. Why read? Studies have clearly shown that better reading skills lead to better job opportunities and greater chances of success. Literacy is also linked to higher self-esteem. In surveys cited by the National Institute of Child Health and Development in the United States, about half of teens engaged in substance abuse and half of those with criminal records have poor reading skills. Reading encourages a curious mind, and helps build brain muscle, develops creativity, and makes it easier to learn all throughout life. Reading gives an individual power and freedom. It has been said that there is no progress for a nation that does not read, and the Philippines, despite its claim of one of the highest literacy rates in Asia, is tagged as a nation of non-readers. Several factors contribute to this, but two major ones are lack of access to appropriate reading materials, and lack of motivation to read, beyond any required reading. These two reasons are what Silid Booklatan aims to address. What does Silid Booklatan do? By working with community partners, we create accessible environments that encourage reading for pleasure. We also have come up with our Passport Program that motivates community members to start reading, and develop reading as a habit. We have a Book of the Week that is tied-in with weekly activities, ranging from storytelling (both for adults and children) to workshops on resume writing, painting, cooking and accounting. Our Ito Ang Trabaho Ko program has resource people from different industries who will talk about their jobs and the industry. Ibat Ibang Kultura highlights food, beliefs, languages, and culture from different regions in the Philippines and countries around the world. All these are designed to expose community members to a broader range of experience that they may otherwise not have access to, and to weave the habit of reading into everyday life, making it relevant and personal.

How others can help We believe that we can uplift our country by transforming ourselves into a nation of readers. We also believe that by working together, we can achieve this lofty goal faster. There are many ways to help, and these are just a few: Donate books and other reading materials in good condition, as well as supplies such as book covers, paper, pens and the like. Volunteer to be resource people. We need people who have a passion for something and are willing to teach others about it, be it a job in banking or graphic arts, a love for cooking, drawing or dancing, a gift for public speaking, or deep knowledge about Ilocano history. Give cash donations, and make a monthly pledge. These funds will go into the operations of Silid Booklatan: to build and set up community reading rooms, to supply and maintain the book collections, and to produce the required materials and equipment for the various programs and activities. Spread the word about Silid Booklatans efforts. Be a community partner.

Current Projects Silid Booklatans first community reading room is opening in Sitio Una, Barangay Fort Bonifacio. We are working with the Barangay officials on this one. Silid Booklatan will be occupying one room in one of their Barangay buildings, and they will be providing the staff. This opens on November 24, 2012. Our second project is in Barangay San Gabriel, San Pablo City, Laguna. The MSC Institute of Technology is our community partner. They are providing the land that we will build our reading room on, and they will man the center as well. The United Architects of the Philippines Diliman chapter also volunteered to design the building. This Silid Booklatan is slated to open in December, 2012. Next year, we are looking at community reading rooms in Teresa, Rizal and in Cavite. Need more information? Wed be happy to talk more about how reading makes a difference in peoples lives. And wed love to share more of Silid Booklatans plans and programs, and how you can help make a difference. Do get in touch with Rheea Hermoso-Prudente at +63917.898.4297 or at rheea@reewrites.biz.ph. You can also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SilidBooklatan.

Silid Booklatan is a play on the words silid-aklatan (library in Filipino), and buklat, which means to open or turn pages of a book. With Silid Booklatan, we hope to open up a world of opportunities for people who otherwise may not have them. Our hopes are embodied in our tagline Buksan ang isip, buksan ang mundoliterally, open your mind, open the world.