Helping Libraries

I have been interviewed recently by AHON, a foundation that will help libraries in support of literacy development. Headed in collaboration by Filway Marketing and Harvey Keh, the brainchild behind Pathways to Education, it shall be holding training sessions for library personnel in the public school library system. Last I heard about AHON, it is pooling its resources to donate boook sto spublic school libraries.

This is good. More and more NGO's (Non Government Organizations) are made awrae of the value of libraries as avenues for learning and qcauisition of literacy skills. What I specially like about AHON is its initiative to train people in charge of the school libraries. Stocking up a library with books is one thing, building the manpower to manage the content and knowledeg found in books is another.

The again, it poses a not so pleasant image to government agnecies in charge of empowering library personnel and library resources. Are they not supposed to spearhead such initiatives. I may be wrong, you know, so inform me of a government project (Library Hub aside) that is helping liraries grow. In this country beset by bad news, a little good news is enough to keep our hopes afloat.

On a more hopeful note, Scholastic Inc. has unleashed its marketing arsenal this school year. After attending Dianne delas Casas' dynamic workshop on Storytelling last May 13, 2006, Scholastic is gearing up for an exciting and competitive school year ahead. Its reach has widened, covering schools and conducting book fairs as far as Batangas and Cavite. They too has decided to give back to the community that made them who they are in the publishing and book selling industry. They have come up with projects to help public schools acquire books for the classroom. one of these is the Newspaper Drive - Classrom Library Project. A class or school can bring old newspapers and convert them into library corners in the classroom. For more inquiries look go their website.

This may seem to be an unabashed promotional lift, but I don't do this if the product or project is below standard. The project fosters a reading culture, besides so it is worthy of sharing with others. Keep reading! Keep helping libraries!