Public Libraries in Manila: Where to Read, Study and Borrow, With Hours and Rules

National Library of the Philippines, Ermita

The National Library of the Philippines is on T.M. Kalaw Street in Ermita, Manila. Go for its print collections, current newspapers and online databases of e-books, e-journals and audiobooks. It also has a separate Children's Library and a permanent gallery.

The library now works a four-day week. The reading rooms, the Children's Library and the permanent gallery are all open Monday to Thursday, 7AM to 6PM. The library says this compressed schedule "supports the national government's energy conservation efforts." That means no Friday visits.

Getting in takes a few steps the first time. Show any valid ID to the guard at the ground floor entrance, go to the registration area for an NLP Client Stub or PVC ID, fill out the online registration form and have your photo taken. Then go up to the second floor reading area and tap your ID at the scanner.

How reading works:

• All collections are for "room use" only. You read them in the library.
• Find titles on the catalogue terminals, reserve them, then claim a pager at the circulation counter. It vibrates when your books are ready.
• You can have up to three titles at the same time.
• You may bring your bags into the reading areas, but not food or drinks.
• Rare books, serials and manuscripts from 1945 and earlier are requested by email. The library says it replies within two days, or six when there is no digital copy.

The Children's Library is for ages 15 and below. Children 10 and under need a guardian aged at least 18, and both need an NLP ID. Socks are required, and shoes go in the lockers. There is storytelling or a puppet show on Mondays at 2PM, and arts and crafts on Wednesdays at 2PM.

• When: Monday to Thursday, 7AM to 6PM.
• Where: T.M. Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila.
• Bring: any valid ID for registration.
• Ask: the library's online chat has a live librarian Monday to Thursday, 7AM to 6PM, and Friday 8AM to 5PM, except holidays.

Quezon City Public Library, Diliman

The Quezon City Public Library is the city's library system, with more than one branch. Its listed address is Gate 3 of the City Hall Compound in Diliman. It lists a reference section, Filipiniana and local history, law research, a children's section, periodicals and eResources, plus reading areas, individual study carrels, discussion rooms, charging stations and a breastfeeding station.

It also lends books for home reading. Clients with a QCitizen ID (QCID) can borrow up to three books at a time for seven days. Without a QCID, you can still use the books inside the library. If you do not live, work or study in Quezon City, the library gives you a library pass instead, which it says is permanent and works in all branches for attendance and reading on site.

The fees are small but worth knowing:

• Overdue books: ₱1 per book per day, not counting Sundays and holidays.
• A lost book: ₱50.
• Charging a laptop or phone: ₱20 per hour per device.

Keep phones on silent and take calls outside. Food and drinks are generally not allowed, and children 12 and under must be with an adult.

• When: all branches Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM. Closed Sundays and regular and special non-working holidays. The library says hours are adjusted during school breaks and the Christmas season, and posts changes on its Facebook page.
• Where: Gate 3, City Hall Compound, Diliman, Quezon City.
• Borrow: QCID holders only. Reserve a book online with a QCeServices account and a QCID.
• Contact: (02) 8922 4060.

Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati

The Filipinas Heritage Library is on the sixth floor of Ayala Museum, run by the Ayala Foundation. It is a research library about the Philippines. Its main collection is over 10,000 Filipiniana volumes published from 1946 to the present, and its rare materials include antiquarian books, maps and manuscripts dating back to the 17th century. It also keeps a collection on the Second World War in the Philippines and papers of Presidents Elpidio Quirino and Manuel Quezon.

Unlike the government libraries, it charges for a visit. A Library Day Pass, up to seven hours, costs ₱300, or ₱150 for students, ₱210 for seniors and PWDs (persons with disabilities). A quick 15-minute look around is free, subject to availability. Seats are limited, so the library encourages booking ahead through its booking page, and sending your book list first so it can check the titles are on hand. Materials are for room use only, and food and drinks stay at the museum's baggage counter, except drinking water in a spill-proof bottle.

It also has an online library and hosts talks. Its news page lists a free exhibit at Ayala Museum, "Through War and Peace: Life After Liberation", from 13 October to 29 November 2026.

• When: Tuesday to Saturday, 10AM to 6PM. Closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays.
• Where: 6F Ayala Museum, Makati Avenue corner De la Rosa Street, Makati.
• Cost: Library Day Pass ₱300; students ₱150, seniors and PWDs ₱210, with ID.
• Book: through "Book a Visit" on filipinaslibrary.org.ph, or email asklibrarian@filipinaslibrary.org.ph.

Instituto Cervantes library, Makati and Intramuros

The Miguel Hernández Library of the Instituto Cervantes first opened in 1993. It holds Spanish and Latin American literature, films and music, and a small selection of works and translations in English. The institute says its library has two places, in Makati and Intramuros, plus an electronic library.

You do not need a card to read there. The library says information "can be accessed freely in the consultation room without making any prior appointment." To borrow, you need a library card, which costs ₱840 a year, or ₱500 for students and senior citizens. Card holders can borrow up to four items at a time: books for two weeks, films and multimedia for one week.

• When: Monday to Friday, 9AM to 5PM, with borrowing until 4:45PM. Closed weekends. The library calls these hours provisional.
• Where: The Enterprise Center, Tower 1, Level 11, Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati; and Plaza San Luis Complex, Calle Real, Intramuros.
• Join: bring an ID and proof of billing, such as a recent phone bill.

What to bring, and what to leave at home

• An ID. The National Library needs a valid ID to register. In Quezon City, a QCID is what lets you take books home.
• No snacks at the table. The National Library does not allow food or drinks in its reading areas, the Quezon City library generally does not either, and the Filipinas Heritage Library allows only water in a spill-proof bottle.
• A charged laptop. Quezon City charges ₱20 an hour per device to plug in.
• ₱300 for Makati. That is the Filipinas Heritage Library's regular day pass.
• Socks, if you are taking a child to the National Library's Children's Library.
• A weekday. The National Library is closed Friday to Sunday, the Quezon City library on weekends, and the Filipinas Heritage Library on Sundays and Mondays.

If you just want a quiet table and a coffee, see our guide to the best cafes to work from in Manila. For buying books, try bookshops, book fairs and book clubs in Manila.

Questions people ask

Is the National Library of the Philippines open to the public? Yes. Show any valid ID at the entrance and register for an NLP Client Stub or PVC ID. All books are for reading inside the library.

Is the National Library open on Saturdays? No. The reading rooms, Children's Library and gallery are open Monday to Thursday only, 7AM to 6PM.

Can I borrow books from a public library in Manila? At the Quezon City Public Library, QCitizen ID holders can borrow three books for seven days. At the Instituto Cervantes library, you can borrow with a paid annual card. The National Library and the Filipinas Heritage Library do not lend books out.

I do not live in Quezon City. Can I still use the library? Yes. The Quezon City Public Library gives a permanent library pass to people who cannot get a QCID, such as non-residents, for reading and using books inside any branch. Only QCID holders can take books home.

Where can I find old Philippine books and maps? The National Library takes email requests for rare books, serials and manuscripts from 1945 and earlier. The Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati holds rare books and maps from the 17th century onward. It charges a ₱300 day pass and encourages booking ahead.

Do I have to pay to use a library? The Filipinas Heritage Library charges ₱300 for a day pass (₱150 for students). Reading inside the Instituto Cervantes library needs no card. The Quezon City library charges small fees for overdue books and for charging devices.

What time does the Quezon City Public Library open? Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM, at all branches. It is closed on Sundays and holidays.