Do you know that the Basilica del Santo Nino have a library? I learned this from Sugbuanon Na Ni!, a radio program over DYAB two Sundays ago.
It is considered to be one of two treasures of the Basilica, the other being its museum.
The library has about 7,000 volumes of books. These are mostly very, very old books. The oldest title dates back to the year 1622! Most of them are written in Latin and Spanish. These books have survived the test of time because they are made from acid-free paper and are bounded by covers made of pig's skin.
Most of the collection are manuscripts of biographies of saints, others are journals and accounts of early priests in the country. The latest acquisitions are Augustinian books.
The library was close to the public until 2002. Before that only scholars and historians were allowed to use it.
It is located at the second floor of the convent, at the back of the Santo Nino chapel (where you see people lining up to see the Santo Nino). It is open Mondays to Fridays from 8AM to 12 Noon and from 1PM to 6PM.
Entrance fee is Php 20.00 for students and Php 30.00 for non-students.
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