In the age of the Internet, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna has emphasized the relevance of physical libraries, as well as the books and other reading materials they keep as veritable treasures of knowledge.

Lacuna urged people, especially the youth, to visit city libraries as she greeted the Manila City Library  headed by its Director Mylene Villanueva, on the occasion of its 77th founding anniversary celebrated throughout the month of October.

"For those who don't know, we have many libraries. We are striving to improve the level of service provided by our libraries, which is why we have more and more clients, from young to old," she said.

"Now that it's the digital generation, most research is done at home using the internet. But nothing can beat opening a book," she added in the vernacular.

She said that by visiting libraries, people can learn, hone their skills, even as she emphasized that not everything that people read using the search engine platform Google is true.

She explained that at times, what's available through the Internet is "incomplete" or "even false."

"That's why I encourage everyone, especially those with children, to visit our libraries," Lacuna said.

The MCL will continue providing quality educational services that would raise the level of intellect of the student population of Manila, the mayor said.

The MCL had received various recognitions from the national government in recent years. The total library services that it has provided the public to date has reached 156,856.

Villanueva reported to the mayor that the figure covers those served from January to September alone, notwithstanding the fact that five branches of the library are currently not functional since they are under rehabilitation.

According to Villanueva, the MCL registered a total of 61,269 library users. Those who used the library's computers and Wi-Fi reached 15,099 while those who borrowed books totaled 21,762.

She added that the number of children served is 47,891 while the senior citizens served totaled 425. The MCL was also able to visit 167 barangays and 11 schools.