Library Linkages

It's going to be a happy day today depsite of the stifling heat this morning.

I got an email from Prof. Melissa Alma Orencia of the PNU, RAP Secretray and literacy advocate, regarding recommned books for children. What made it so was that, she referred me to a public library in Taipe who seems earnest at building a children's library collection representative of the diverse cultures in the continent. What better way to do so but stock up with the prouce of chidlren's books from the different countries in Asia!

So I gave her links from the PBBY website since Neni SR Cruz and I wrote about our favorite books there. Likewise, I was prompted to continue writing book reviews and annotated bibliographies on the available Filipiniana for children. With the promise of organizing this blog, I told the good professor to keep visiting since it will forge linkages between libraries as well as cultures too.

Also, our school director sent AHON Foundation's letter regarding a book donation project. Dubbed as Book Drive School Competition that will run from July 2-31, 2007, private schools are enjoined to raise books donations as many as they can. Winners will be awarded trophies and Time Life Books.

Now I wonder what will happen to the books that AHON will give to public schools when most are devoid of a library personnel. Sure, teachers are there to bring kids closer to books. They can teach reading, besides. But librarians can help fortify the links between books to kids and teachers to students. I still have to see a foundation that will support the training and development of librarians and library personnel. This is, of course, only a part of the whole library and literacy development scenario. The point is, librarians are more important than the book collection of a library.