From my inbox today --

You or your teachers may be interested in attending any of the following sessions with visiting South African storyteller, writer, stage actress, motivational speaker Gcina Mhlope -Becker whose folktale books have been adopted in South African schools:

Tuesday, 7 July, 2- 4 pm, CCP Silid Pambansang Alagad ng Sining (Forum with her on Child Education and Storytelling. I am moderating the forum)

Wednesday, 8 July, 10 am (invitational performance)

Thursday, 9 July , 10 am *

Friday, July 10, 3 pm*

Friday, 10 July, 8 pm (invitational gala)

Saturday, 11 July, 8 to 11:30, Museo Pambata, Storytelling Workshop*

Note: the asterisked events have an admission fee of Php 300

Xavier School has released PR on the cancelation of classes from June 25 to July 5. Beginning this Friday, June 26, selected courses and subjects for intermediate grades and secondary levels can be accessed online. Using technology, a student can follow the required course outline through independent studying. Teacher made online lesson will be available and parents of younger students must assist their children in weaving their way in the web.

This was how Singapore and Hong Kong schools survived during the SARS season. I'm not happy about a Xaverian positive with the virus, but it sure is an exciting possibility for my son to learn via technology.

Here's hoping for better days to come.

The National Book Development Board (NBDB), Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), and Vibal Foundation are giving aspiring poets a chance to have their poems posted in LRT trains as part of the Tulaan sa Tren readership promotion campaign.

Rules and guidelines:
1) The contest is open from 22 June 2009 until 22 July 2009 to all Filipino citizens of all ages.

2) The NBDB will accept original, unpublished poems with the theme Journeys/Paglalakba y. Entries may be in English, Filipino, or any of the regional languages (with English or Tagalog translation if written in a regional language) and should be up to 200 words long. Only one (1) poem per author will be accepted.

3) The Board of Judges will select three (3) winners each for the English and Filipino categories. For each category, the Grand Prize winner will receive P5,000.00, second prize winner will receive P3,000.00, and third prize winner will receive P2,000.00. Winning entries will be posted in LRT trains alongside the works of established Filipino poets and will be published in a compilation of Tulaan sa Tren 2 poems. The NBDB shall share copyright with the authors for their winning poems for purposes of broadcast and/or publication in the NBDB’s readership campaigns.

4) Entries must be submitted along with the Official Entry Form. The author’s name and address must only appear in the Official Entry Form and must not appear on the entry. Entries may be e-mailed to tulaansatren@ nbdb.gov. ph or sent postmarked no later than July 22, 2009 to:

Office of the Executive Director
National Book Development Board
2/F NPO Bldg.
EDSA cor. NIA Northside Road
Diliman, Quezon City

5) The winners will be contacted by the NBDB prior to the launch of Tulaan sa Tren 2 and will be awarded during the project launch tentatively set in August.

Entry forms may be downloaded on the NBDB website (www.nbdb.gov. ph)

It was early this year when I chanced upon Audrey Niffeneger's book, The Time Traveler's Wife, at Fullybooked. I included it in my mental list of "to read" for this year. Due to some budgetary constraints, I still have not acquired a copy.

I'm inclined to read the book because of it's theme and story line. It's a mixed genre of romance and science fiction, so it would make for an interesting read. What's more, the lead character, Henry DeTamble is a librarian.

I'm bent to get a copy. Even a second hand copy. After reading the Sookie Stackhouse series, I deserve a serious romance novel. Niffeneger's book was adapted into a movie, besides. Eric Bana plays Henry (yum!) and his leading lady, Rachel Adams portrays his wife Claire. Here's the trailer.

This is Ms. Evelyn Nabus, Filipina and licensed librarian.

She is currently the librarian of Marikina City's Ka-Angkan Family History Center. The center is a genealogy library where one's family roots and routes can be traced. Ms. Nabus manages non-projected media formats that carry valuable primary reosurces of one's lineage. Before her assignment in Ka-Angkan, Evelyn was a college librarian at the Pamantasan ng Marikina. She also has an extensive experience in developing and implementing programs for the Marikina Public Library.

As officer of the Public Librarians Association of the Philippines, Ms.Nabus worked with other public librarians in organizing seminars and workshops for their professional growth. Likewise, she is an ex-officio of the PNU Library and Information Science Alumni Association.

Last July 11, the PBBY officers and board members met at the Kapitan Cafe, Kapitan Moy building in Marikina City to finalize plans for the 26th National Children's Book Day. This is the first time that PBBY will have the celebration of NCBD (National Children's Book Day) outside Manila. Only three venues were used in the past -- CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines), TNL (The National Library) and Museo Pambata. This year's theme focus on leadership and readership thus, the NCBD poster boasts of this slogan - Readers Make Good Leaders!

Marikina has taken a great interest on literacy promotion. The whole month of July promises to be a fun-filled month of reading, writing and interactive activities for children and literacy advocates. There is more to Marikina than just shoes, really. In fact, I was there twice last week to visit a librarian friend who is working in the city's Ka-Angkan History Foundation. If you want your genealogy traced, pay the center a visit and you might just discover your roots leading you to a popular celebrity or historical figure in the past.

Going back to NCBD matters, the Salanga and Alcala Prizes will be awarded during the opening ceremonies on July 21, 2009 at the Marikina Convention Center. Here's a photo of the winning Alcala by Ferdinand Guevara. His interpretation of Garlitos' wining Salanga, Ang Higante Sa Aming Bahay was done in 3D art.

Last Wednesday, I came home and found a package with my name on it. There was no return address so I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was transformed to Tatiana Del Torro upon opening the manila envelope. It's not everyday that I get a free book, you see. I could only think of the Filipino Librarian as the sender. Like a true librarian, he sure knows what book I will enjoy reading. To every reader is a book!

In The Stacks is an anthology of short stories about libraries and librarians. Edited by Michael Cart, it boasts of nineteen short stories by this century's premiere writers of fiction (so it says in the blurb). I will hold judgment as to how these writers perceive books, reading, libraries and librarians until the last story. I'm already on the third story in the collection and so far, it's been a satisfying read. Le Guin's The Phoenix left me puzzled. Yet, I am in awe of her discourse and her perspective to human nature's complexity. Calvino's A General In The Library is a timely read as I've been blogging about TGBB 2009.

Yes, yes! I will write a review. This is too good to pass.

So the same goes with the monumental "kissing" scene of Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Well, at least, for me it is. I am a solid Ron-Hermione fan and I'm thrilled with the news. I hope it beats the Harry-Cho kissing scene from Order of the Phoenix!

Add the movie trailer of New Moon on the pile and my routine induced world shook a bit. Taylor Lautner showed some skin. Woof! Woof! Go Jacob!

Training for Development of Library and Teaching Resources

Philippine eLibrary Partners:
1. Commission on Higher Education
2. Department of Agriculture
3. Department of Science and Technology
4. The National Library
5. University of the Philippines

Target Audience:
1. Librarians and other Information Professionals/Specialists
2. Faculty members of colleges and universities

Objectives:
At the end of the Training, participants are expected to:
1. Know the information products and services of Philippine eLibrary
2. Create a library/teaching site integrating various web resources
3. Gain familiarity with web technologies and web resources

Pre-Requisite for Participants
Participants must be computer literate

Methodology
1. Lectures
2. Hands-on training

Duration
3 Days


Tentative Schedules and Venues:
June 17 – 19, 2009
Baguio City

June 24-26, 2009
Naga City Library, Naga City

July 15-17, 2009
Venue: Cagayan de Oro City

July 29 – 31, 2009
Cebu City

Registration Fee: P 5,000 per participant. For registration or details, contact:
Ms. Melody Madrid 02 5281972 or Ms Tina Diaz 02 5253196

The Pilandokan (National Research Society for Children’s Literature) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts will be sponsoring the Second National Conference on Children’s Literature with the theme “Panitikang Pambata sa Edukasyon” (Children’s Literature in Education) on July 16-17, 2009 at the Claro M. Recto Hall, Faculty Center, UP Diliman. The national conference will feature paper presentations and workshops by both established and young literary scholars, creative writers, artists, and children’s right advocates. Topics include Filipino concept of child and childhood, state of Philippine children’s literature, national identity, book piracy, children in television, children’s media, children and the social problems, literacy program for the urban poor children and the deaf, and the formation of Filipino childhood identity. Keynote speech will be delivered by renowned literary critic and Pilandokan Founding President Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu. For inquiries about the conference fees, contact Dr. Eugene Y. Evasco and/or Prof. Will P. Ortiz (pagongatmatsing@yahoo.com). You may also contact Prof. Jayson Petras (0922-8889662) or Ms. Pauline Hernando (0906-5839390).

Sometime in 2006, I had a telephone conversation with Lizanne Alcazaren who runs Aklatan ni Mika, a children's library in a halfway house for children with cancer. The halfway house is a shelter for children who go through chemotherapy and counseling sessions. At that time, I was still the President of KUTING. Lizanne and I were brainstorming on literacy activities for the children to do while undergoing treatment.

Dreams are easy to conceive, of course. Weaving them to reality is another matter entirely. For some reason, plans did not push through but Lizanne continued collaborating with Teacher Isa Bautista-Saplala of Miriam College. It is a small world. Teacher Isa is my kumare and former co-teacher in Xavier School.

Last month, Teacher Isa brought me to Akltan ni Mika for a storytelling workshop with the children they take care of. We did listening, speaking, reading and writing activities with the kids. They were very eager and perceptive. Teacher Isa's students from Miriam College lent a hand and joined in the fun. For nearly five years now, Lizanne and Teacher Isa struggle to keep the library and its literacy programs alive. I admire their tenacity and dedication. And so far, they and the children have been blessed. Donations and volunteers pour in especially at times when they are needed the most.