CCP’s Thirteen Artists

A few weeks back, the fambam was in the Cultural Center of the Philippines to support the eldest’s music career. We were there, the three of us plus girlfriend and sister, to watch and cheer for the eldest and his acappella group compete in the 2018 Akapela Open International. Long story short, the group won the grand prize and it’s been a juggling act for each member, balancing academics and acappella guesting commitments.

On the side, our youngest was fortunate to catch the Thirteen Artists Exhibit before competition hours. She was immersed and impressed at the art works on display, and so was my husband. Here are three reasons why.

1. With art, you can be brave. The CCP’s thirteen artists courageously communicated their beliefs,  philosophy, and yes, political leanings. Theirs are a statement to what is wrong that needs to be right; a documentation to years of struggle; an eye opener to culture and religious beliefs that has crucified the country in poverty; an expression of escape; and a way to communicate big ideas that media could not and would not articulate. It is a well curated exhibit!

2. While the message and media used by the artists encompass universal truths, some “isms” that cannot be taken for granted especially in this political climate, their works are neither high nor low. Indeed, art must be for all!

3. The art works were all engaging. Goodbye to passivity. 

If you are in the area, go visit the CCP! Feed your soul. Wake up and disturb yourself!

Book Review: The Formative Five

I received a book recommendation from our Guidance Counselor the other day. She recommended Dr. Michelle Borba’s Unselfie, a book that hopes to bring back empathy in our lives, in general, and in the lives of our children, in particular. Checking the book’s bibliograohic data and reviews online, I put in our possible purchase file. My staff is processing budget and costing as I write this.

So, while waiting for the acquisition of Borba’s book, Unselfie, I searched for books in our collection that discuss empathy. I found one that looked like a good match to our GC’s information need. 

I semt her my review and recommendation. Sharing with you, my dear readers, what I sent her.

Dear GC, here’s a book you may wish to browse or read: The Formative Five Fostering Grit, Empathy and other Success Skills Every Student Needs by Thomas R. Hoerr (2017). Chapter two is where Empathy is, how to grow and nurture it in the school, strategies for teachers to help students develop empathy, why listening is the at the core of empathy, tips for school leaders in support of teachers who build empathy in and out of the classroom. Integrity, self-control and diversity are the three success skills identified and discussed further in the book. Includes a self-assessment of the five success skills. 

The  book ends with an emphasis on culture as key in actualizing the formative five. Hoerr uses John Coleman’s 6 Components of Culture (Harvard, 2013) as gauge or indicators of success. These are Mission, Values, Practices, People, Narrative and Place. Hoerr takes on his administrator’s har in this chapter, but ends the book with a very humanist turn by drumming up the importance of relationships and what makes us happy being teachers and working with children and young people.

Our library OPAC is down, but you can always send an email for questions and sources. 

PPT on Bibliotherapy Experiencing the Healing Magic of Stories

Library Bulletin Board: On Reading

National Book Week 2018 Contest Winners

Lifted from the Facebook Page of the Philippine Librarians Association. With permission for posting from Darrel Marco, #NationalBookWeek2018 Chairperson.

Congratulations to the following nationwide winners of the NBW2018 contests. We received so many creative outputs  and these are the best:

POSTER MAKING

1st place - Angel Blessy Fordan - Central Mindanao Colleges

2nd place - Jezelle Oliva - University of the Cordilleras

3rd place - Heizel Heins Martin - Nueva Ecija University of Science & Technology 

ESSAY WRITING

1st place - Natania Shay S. Du - Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu 

2nd place - Andrea Salvador - St Paul College - Pasig

3rd place - Gwyneth Dianne Zenarosa - Ateneo de Naga University 

GRAPHIC NOVEL CREATION

1st place - Rouel Christian Piczon - Calbayog City National High School 

2nd place - Daryne Judy Chua - Hua Siong College of Iloilo 

3rd place - Judith Lobrio, Nina Balbin, Liezel Escoto, Angeline Basa - Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School

Congratulations too and thank you dear librarians and RCs for all the help in promoting and making your own NBW events successful.

Winners will be awarded at the opening ceremony of the 84th National Book Week at the Gateway Gallery, Cubao in Quezon City on November 24, 2018.

*Next challenge is for librarians and regional councils to level up the game by mentoring and coaching more students, making them realize the importance of these contests, therefore, having more diversified, well-formed and superb entries!

The 2018 LIS Month Calendar

National Book Week 2018: Stories! Stories! Stories!

Darrel Marco explaining the judging mechanics

National Book Week begins on Saturday, November 24, 2018 and will end on Friday, November 30, 2018. NBW Chairperson Darrel Marco shares with us what makes this NBW celebration exciting, why libraries are all the more important in today's globally conflicted world, and compares NBW 2018 to Rhandee Garlitos'  Chenelyn! Chenelyn! (Adarna House)

 1. What makes NBW 2018 exciting?

Stories! Stories! And more stories!!! 

National Book Week 2018 this year is themed "Connected Actions, Collective Vision: Libraries transforming society".

I believe that it is thru the telling of stories that we can transform our society -- stories of struggles and hardships, stories of failures and downfalls, stories of hope and aspirations, stories of collaboration and cooperation, and stories of success and happy endings.

We are opening the 2018 National Book Week with a Reader's Theatre Contest and a Storytelling Festival on November 24, 2018 at the Gateway Gallery in Cubao, Quezon City. This is one successful story of collaboration between the PLAI and an NGO gearing towards the development and promotion of literacy in our society thru books and stories.

Another notable collaboration is among different regional librarian's councils working hand-in-hand with the Department of Education divisions to promote the National Book Week.

This year, we also introduced the nationwide Graphic Novel Making contest. Entries started pouring in from all over the Philippines since August, and this is aside from the usual Poster Making and Essay writing contests. Winners of these contests will be announced on the opening day, as well.

I think what makes this event exciting is the fact that this is not purely librarians' work but a collaborative effort of a community wanting to promote literacy. Some events and celebrations may have the flash and bangs but makes the NBW2018 special are those minute details that make the event more endearing to the public.

Entries for the Poster Making Contest

2. In light of the current political climate in the country and in the world, how do librarians and libraries factor in book development in the country?

The dawn of social media was a double-edged sword, with one side helping us to move forward thru easier and real-time communication, and with the other one shaking up our core value i.e. the truth. We are bombarded daily with deliberate disinformation in the forms of fake news, alternative facts and historical revisionism, and oftentimes people retaliate thru namecalling or smart-shaming. I say, let us go back to the facts -- i.e. the written and verified ones.

As librarians, we are supposed to be the gatekeepers of these facts. The library that is open to everyone -- the innocent, the accused, the victim, the abused and even to some extent, the criminals -- should be a bastion of social justice. We still have a long way to go in developing a learned nation that would go to books to seek for facts instead of social media but I am positive of the steps being taken to have a more media and information literate society. Additionally, there is also a sliver of hope that Philippine children's books today are tackling more radical and sensitive topics that were used to be considered as taboo.

The judges troop together for a photo op.

3. If you are to compare the NBW to a book, what is it and why?

In an ideal world, it would be The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Who doesn't love a beautiful butterfly as an ending, right?

But looking back, I would rather say, it's Chenelyn, Chenelyn by Rhandee Garlitos. 

Books are there whenever we need a friend or a helping hand, whenever we want to while away our time at the beach or at a coffee shop -- but we just realize their true importance once they are gone. We take for granted those books that are offered in front of us, given that we have social media, Netflix and technology.

I hope that books and technology would co-exist and would not go against each other. I mean if you could go watch one episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, then try to read one chapter of a book too, or even one short story, and you'll see that your life will change.