Because it's Rizal's 150th next year, PBBY remembers his relevance in Philippine Children's Literature.
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2011 PBBY-Salanga Prize. The contest is co-sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and The National Library.
2011 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal. To commemorate this event, all 2011 PBBY-Salanga entries should be inspired in part or in whole by the life or works of Jose Rizal. Prizes will be awarded in an appropriate ceremony to be held during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day in July 2011.
CONTEST RULES
1. The contest is open to all Filipino citizens except those who are related to any PBBY member up to the third degree of consanguinity.
2. Stories should be intended for children aged 6 to 12 years old. The plot and the sequence must be capable of sustaining an illustrated book of 28 to 32 pages.
3. Entries may be in Filipino or English.
4. Entries must be in hard copy, double-spaced, on short bond paper. Maximum length is five (5) pages.
5. Each entry should be accompanied by a brief note explaining how the story was inspired by Rizal, as well as the source of the said information (i.e. title of book/article on Jose Rizal).
6. A contestant may send in more than one (1) entry.
7. Each entry must be signed by a pen name only. Five (5) copies of each entry should be placed in an envelope, on the face of which only the pen name of the contestant should appear.
8. Together with each entry, contestants must submit a second envelope, on the face of which the pen name shall appear. This must contain the contestant’s full name, address, contact numbers, a short literary background, and a notarized certification from the author, vouching for the originality of the entry and for the freedom of the organizers from any liability arising from the infringement of copyright in case of publication, and affirming that the entry or any variant thereof has (a) never been published nor (b) won any other contest i.e. that it has never won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, honorable mention in any other contest or otherwise been awarded a medal, a citation, or included in a publicized list of meritorious entries to a literary contest.
9.All entries must be sent through snail mail to the PBBY Secretariat, c/o Adarna House, Inc., Scout Torillo cor. Scout Fernandez Sts., Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City.
10. All entries must be received by the PBBY Secretariat no later than 5:00 p.m., November 15, 2010.
11. Winners will be announced no later than December 17, 2010. Non-winning entries may be claimed at the PBBY Secretariat until January 10, 2011.
The winning story will be the basis for the 2011 PBBY-Alcala Prize. For more details, interested parties may contact the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, at Telefax 372-3548 or email pbby[at]adarna.com.ph.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (KUTING), a private, non-stock, non-profit organization of Filipino writers for children, is inviting all writers who are at least 18 years old and interested in writing for children to apply for membership. The KUTING Orientation Seminar will be held on September 18, 2010 (Saturday) from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM at Room 309, CAL Building, UP Diliman, QC.
Application Requirements:
Four (4) copies of a sample work (published or unpublished) intended for children (18 years old and below) in Filipino or English; the written work can be any of the following: - one fiction or non-fiction manuscript (not more than 12 pages or one chapter of a novel) - five poems - one TV/film script - one 1-act play - one comic script/book
The sample work should be set in Times New Roman, 12 points, double-spaced on a letter-sized bond paper with one-inch margin on each side.
2x2 recent photo (two copies)
CV/Resume
The requirements should be submitted in a legal-sized brown envelope during the KUTING orientation seminar on September 18, 12:00 noon. The applicant’s full name must be boldly printed on the upper right-hand corner of the envelope.For inquiries send an e-mail to membership@kuting.org.
The applicants must attend the KUTING Orientation Seminar on September 18, 12:00 noon. During this seminar, an applicant must:
- fill-out an application form,
- go through a writing skills assessment exercise, and
- pay a non-refundable processing fee of P150 (for the kit, snacks, etc.).
A maximum of twenty (20) probees will be chosen from the applicants.
Application Requirements:
Four (4) copies of a sample work (published or unpublished) intended for children (18 years old and below) in Filipino or English; the written work can be any of the following: - one fiction or non-fiction manuscript (not more than 12 pages or one chapter of a novel) - five poems - one TV/film script - one 1-act play - one comic script/book
The sample work should be set in Times New Roman, 12 points, double-spaced on a letter-sized bond paper with one-inch margin on each side.
2x2 recent photo (two copies)
CV/Resume
The requirements should be submitted in a legal-sized brown envelope during the KUTING orientation seminar on September 18, 12:00 noon. The applicant’s full name must be boldly printed on the upper right-hand corner of the envelope.For inquiries send an e-mail to membership@kuting.org.
The applicants must attend the KUTING Orientation Seminar on September 18, 12:00 noon. During this seminar, an applicant must:
- fill-out an application form,
- go through a writing skills assessment exercise, and
- pay a non-refundable processing fee of P150 (for the kit, snacks, etc.).
A maximum of twenty (20) probees will be chosen from the applicants.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Book Review: Mockingjay
SPOLIER ALERT!
Read at your own risk.
I warned you, so don’t say I’m rude.
Real or not real? The last book of the Hunger Games series ventures further into a brutal psychological game that characters must face and endure. Emotions run high and only the strong, and the lucky, survives.
Mockingjay begins with Katniss Erverdeen’s visit to the charred remains of District 12. Gale Hawthorne, best friend and potential lover, watches over her on a hovercraft. She’s too precious to lose because, back in District 13, she’s considered an asset to the revolution. She is the symbol of the revolution’s goals and the hope of Panem’s populace. She is the one. She is the appointed hero who could free Panem from the Capitol’s tyranny. Or is she really?
Real or not real?
What worked
This question voices out one of the many themes in the novel. Trust. Deception. Belief. Disbelief. In a time of war, one could only hold on to the most essential element of survival. It is different from one person to another depending on the role he/she plays in the midst of armed conflict. Collins shows her readers this side of human nature. And it is not a pretty picture.
Characters like Gale, Beetee and Plutarch Heavensbee relied on their skills. Snow and Coin, their great need to stay in power. Haymitch, his influence on Katniss and Peeta being their mentor in the games and the quell. Many times, Katniss would come face to face with her own ruthlessness to survive. All the hate she’s kept in her heart motivated her to rise up to the role thrown upon her by the rebels. In the end, she is no more but a casualty, a victim of the war. She kept mementos of past lives during peacetime. One way to establish reality and to convince her self what was real and what was not.
Despite the destruction, it is Peeta Mellark who survived with the most grace and class. He knew at the start of the games the things worth fighting for – his identity; his values for the preservation of life; and whom he loves. He is a very consistent character, solid and yet, evolving. Reading Katniss’s state of mind and emotional disposition is very tiresome. As a reader, I latch myself to hope in all three books and Peeta Mellark symbolizes that. The boy with the bread lives! And he lives in my heart. He struggled through mental alterations and grappled with the truth, especially his feelings for Katniss. In the end, he was burned but lucid enough to know how to heal himself and how to deal with the loss.
As a genre, sci-fi aims to amaze and frighten. The what if’s and the plausibility of the impossible happen but, alongside these possibilities, hope floats. Even in great loss, hope finds a way. In real life, it is the same. The book offers the reader a good amount of grim and gore. Then again, life is also made of weddings and reconciliations; of friendships and compassion; of healing and forgiveness.
What line divides sci-fi from realistic fiction then? Collins makes it clear that there is none. The deaths of many children and the tyranny of Snow and the deceptions of Coin are reminders of the victims of war and those who propagate it. It's like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Hitler and Mussolini. The Allied Forces and the A-bomb. In the hands of an effective Language Arts teacher, Mockingjay is a perfect book to discuss cross curricular units in world government, literary genre and the very nature and complexities of the human mind and heart.
What did not work
The point of view has always confused me. I did a lot of lacuna jumping and to some degree it could work. Not for me though. Not all the time. Collins fills these gaps through Katniss’ narrations. It’s too limiting for my convenience.
Then again, I contradict myself since the effect is similar to putting pieces of a puzzle together. For most readers, this is a mental exercise and much excitement can be derived from this. Those who are very cerebral will revel in reading the book. There are so many foreshadowings on who Katniss will end up with. It's a dead a give away by Chapter three.
Over all, the Mockingjay is a painful but satisfying read to close the trilogy. I was pretty beat up in the end, just like Katniss. Her survival proved little to justify her as victor of the games. In war, there are no winners. People in power are dangerous. There is nothing romantic about revolutions. Losses from violence never fades. The human spirit is strong enough to survive and heal itself. Yet, it is also too weak and too forgetful to learn from the lessons of history.
Read at your own risk.
I warned you, so don’t say I’m rude.
Real or not real? The last book of the Hunger Games series ventures further into a brutal psychological game that characters must face and endure. Emotions run high and only the strong, and the lucky, survives.
Mockingjay begins with Katniss Erverdeen’s visit to the charred remains of District 12. Gale Hawthorne, best friend and potential lover, watches over her on a hovercraft. She’s too precious to lose because, back in District 13, she’s considered an asset to the revolution. She is the symbol of the revolution’s goals and the hope of Panem’s populace. She is the one. She is the appointed hero who could free Panem from the Capitol’s tyranny. Or is she really?
Real or not real?
What worked
This question voices out one of the many themes in the novel. Trust. Deception. Belief. Disbelief. In a time of war, one could only hold on to the most essential element of survival. It is different from one person to another depending on the role he/she plays in the midst of armed conflict. Collins shows her readers this side of human nature. And it is not a pretty picture.
Characters like Gale, Beetee and Plutarch Heavensbee relied on their skills. Snow and Coin, their great need to stay in power. Haymitch, his influence on Katniss and Peeta being their mentor in the games and the quell. Many times, Katniss would come face to face with her own ruthlessness to survive. All the hate she’s kept in her heart motivated her to rise up to the role thrown upon her by the rebels. In the end, she is no more but a casualty, a victim of the war. She kept mementos of past lives during peacetime. One way to establish reality and to convince her self what was real and what was not.
Despite the destruction, it is Peeta Mellark who survived with the most grace and class. He knew at the start of the games the things worth fighting for – his identity; his values for the preservation of life; and whom he loves. He is a very consistent character, solid and yet, evolving. Reading Katniss’s state of mind and emotional disposition is very tiresome. As a reader, I latch myself to hope in all three books and Peeta Mellark symbolizes that. The boy with the bread lives! And he lives in my heart. He struggled through mental alterations and grappled with the truth, especially his feelings for Katniss. In the end, he was burned but lucid enough to know how to heal himself and how to deal with the loss.
As a genre, sci-fi aims to amaze and frighten. The what if’s and the plausibility of the impossible happen but, alongside these possibilities, hope floats. Even in great loss, hope finds a way. In real life, it is the same. The book offers the reader a good amount of grim and gore. Then again, life is also made of weddings and reconciliations; of friendships and compassion; of healing and forgiveness.
What line divides sci-fi from realistic fiction then? Collins makes it clear that there is none. The deaths of many children and the tyranny of Snow and the deceptions of Coin are reminders of the victims of war and those who propagate it. It's like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Hitler and Mussolini. The Allied Forces and the A-bomb. In the hands of an effective Language Arts teacher, Mockingjay is a perfect book to discuss cross curricular units in world government, literary genre and the very nature and complexities of the human mind and heart.
What did not work
The point of view has always confused me. I did a lot of lacuna jumping and to some degree it could work. Not for me though. Not all the time. Collins fills these gaps through Katniss’ narrations. It’s too limiting for my convenience.
Then again, I contradict myself since the effect is similar to putting pieces of a puzzle together. For most readers, this is a mental exercise and much excitement can be derived from this. Those who are very cerebral will revel in reading the book. There are so many foreshadowings on who Katniss will end up with. It's a dead a give away by Chapter three.
Over all, the Mockingjay is a painful but satisfying read to close the trilogy. I was pretty beat up in the end, just like Katniss. Her survival proved little to justify her as victor of the games. In war, there are no winners. People in power are dangerous. There is nothing romantic about revolutions. Losses from violence never fades. The human spirit is strong enough to survive and heal itself. Yet, it is also too weak and too forgetful to learn from the lessons of history.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Live Blogging: The 2nd Library Link Conference Part 2
The three hour session I conducted earlier has come to a close. We're enjoying lunch now and light conversations fleet from one person to the next. The conference is spearheaded by the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) focusing on preservation of library resources. Seeing that e-books and e-readers are new formats of library resources, they included these topics for this year's conference. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts supported the FHL. Suzanne G. Yupangco, deputy director of the FHL, was present to oversee and hand over the certificate to invited resource speakers.
Earlier, we had a group discussion on the future of publishing. Majority believe that publishing in the Philippine context is alive and well. Given the needs of young children to learn literacy skills, most of the librarians believe that traditional skills in acquiring reading skills must be taught through books, then technology. One group mentioned the importance of establishing connections with book vendors and publishers. Librarians are conduits and mediators of information and knowledge so awareness on current issues, like the topic on discussion, is necessary. While e-books and e-readers are gaining popularity, the challenge on costing, updating of technology and readership of these formats are issues that participants identified. It's good to note that there were a good number of male librarians in the conference. The gender divide is starting to fall now. A good sign.
I was expecting for questions from the participants at the end of the three hour session. There was none. I got affirmations from the participants afterwards -- from my wardrobe and make up, to the structure and style of my presentation. It's a good session. The food is great and the venue is perfect for a small delegate such s this. The best part is, I was given a perk! I got free pass to the Ayala Museum!
Earlier, we had a group discussion on the future of publishing. Majority believe that publishing in the Philippine context is alive and well. Given the needs of young children to learn literacy skills, most of the librarians believe that traditional skills in acquiring reading skills must be taught through books, then technology. One group mentioned the importance of establishing connections with book vendors and publishers. Librarians are conduits and mediators of information and knowledge so awareness on current issues, like the topic on discussion, is necessary. While e-books and e-readers are gaining popularity, the challenge on costing, updating of technology and readership of these formats are issues that participants identified. It's good to note that there were a good number of male librarians in the conference. The gender divide is starting to fall now. A good sign.
I was expecting for questions from the participants at the end of the three hour session. There was none. I got affirmations from the participants afterwards -- from my wardrobe and make up, to the structure and style of my presentation. It's a good session. The food is great and the venue is perfect for a small delegate such s this. The best part is, I was given a perk! I got free pass to the Ayala Museum!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Initial Thoughts on Mockingjay
The Hunger Games enthralled me back to reading Young Adult literature. After my disappointment on the Twilight Saga, I lost appetite reading YA novels until I discovered Suzanne Collins' riveting book. Of course, when Catching Fire was released in October 2009, I scraped whatever was left of my personal budget just to get a copy.
Yes, both are satisfying and exciting reads. It offered me perspectives to the complexities of human nature. Needless to say, HG and CF characters showcased the best and the worst a person could become in grave and dire circumstances.
In the third book, Mockingjay, Collins continues to unnerve and disarm her reader. She is ruthless and unafraid. I cried out for the characters who died and suffered in the war. Like Katniss, I felt confused and used by those who hold and abuse power. Yet, in the end Collins offers her readers hope through the boy with the bread.
I would have not survived reading Mockingjay if not for Peeta Mellark. I'm writing his name in my long list of well loved characters. My formal and proper review of the book will follow as soon as I'm done with another round of reading. And yes, for the second round, I would know what will hit me in every turn of the page.
Yes, both are satisfying and exciting reads. It offered me perspectives to the complexities of human nature. Needless to say, HG and CF characters showcased the best and the worst a person could become in grave and dire circumstances.
In the third book, Mockingjay, Collins continues to unnerve and disarm her reader. She is ruthless and unafraid. I cried out for the characters who died and suffered in the war. Like Katniss, I felt confused and used by those who hold and abuse power. Yet, in the end Collins offers her readers hope through the boy with the bread.
I would have not survived reading Mockingjay if not for Peeta Mellark. I'm writing his name in my long list of well loved characters. My formal and proper review of the book will follow as soon as I'm done with another round of reading. And yes, for the second round, I would know what will hit me in every turn of the page.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Job Opennig: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
From Ms. Karol Ilagan of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) --
The PCIJ, a nonprofit media agency that specializes in investigative
reporting, is looking for a librarian who can manage and maintain its
resource center. Applicants must have a degree in library science,
relevant experience and an interest in current affairs. The position
has a particular emphasis on database management as well.
Interested applicants may send their resumes to kmilagan@pcij.org. Or, call
410-4769 for more information.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
After the Storm: Stories on Ondoy
Last year, I wrote an essay on my Ondoy experience. I sent this to Elbert Or who was then putting together a collection of essays on the disaster. Almost a year after, he sends an email bearing good news!
The soft launch in the Manila International Book Fair sounds delightful. I just hope it won't coincide with the storytelling gig I scheduled for librarians of Lucena, Quezon.
I implore you to buy the book. It's for a good cause. Besides, it's my first book out as contributor.
The book, with the final title of After the Storm: Stories on Ondoy has been printed by Anvil Publishing, and should be in stores by...next week! There will also be a soft launch during the Manila International Book Fair.
Proceeds, as mentioned before, will all go to charity, with a focus on community rebuilding and livelihood programs to help those who are, up to now, still recovering from last year's typhoons.
The soft launch in the Manila International Book Fair sounds delightful. I just hope it won't coincide with the storytelling gig I scheduled for librarians of Lucena, Quezon.
I implore you to buy the book. It's for a good cause. Besides, it's my first book out as contributor.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Mother Tongue & An Integrated Children's Literature Course
The two hour bus ride from Manila to Tanauan, Batangas with Teacher Portia Padilla of the REGALE, UP Diliman was peppered with conversations, insights and views on topics and issues we both hold dear -- books, reading, children's literature and literacy instruction, off course!
Some bits and pieces:
a. There is talk of legislation on Mother Tongue instruction in the education and political circles these days. As things are, there's the All English Instruction block and the Mother Tongue Instruction block. It's going to be one long process of debates and lobbying but conversion of curricular offerings, scope and sequence and lesson plans in the first language is on going.
b. The Reading Department at UP Diliman has taken an integrated approach to teaching Philippine Children's Literature. The undergraduate program will commence next semester. What does this mean? There will be five professors who will teach the course to education majors of the department. These professors are from the different colleges in the university -- Education, College of Arts and Letters, Filipino, Reading, School of Library and Information Science and a practitioner in the discipline who is into children's book publishing.
I'm wondering if I'll be allowed to sit in sessions?
Some bits and pieces:
a. There is talk of legislation on Mother Tongue instruction in the education and political circles these days. As things are, there's the All English Instruction block and the Mother Tongue Instruction block. It's going to be one long process of debates and lobbying but conversion of curricular offerings, scope and sequence and lesson plans in the first language is on going.
b. The Reading Department at UP Diliman has taken an integrated approach to teaching Philippine Children's Literature. The undergraduate program will commence next semester. What does this mean? There will be five professors who will teach the course to education majors of the department. These professors are from the different colleges in the university -- Education, College of Arts and Letters, Filipino, Reading, School of Library and Information Science and a practitioner in the discipline who is into children's book publishing.
I'm wondering if I'll be allowed to sit in sessions?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
SLIA's Reply to Public School Librarian In Koronadal City
Madame Fe Angela Verzosa gave a verbose but inspiring message to our letter sender, Arvin Tejada of Koronadal City. Allow me to say my piece as another Dear Librarian series draws to a close. I'm a believer of sweet and short things, so here goes --
Dear Arvin,
Thanks for reading my blog. I'm motivated to continue blogging every time I get feedback like yours. It's amazing how this medium can bridge distances and fill gaps. On top of this, blogs and the act of blogging has allowed us to inspire each other.
And that's my reply to you -- keep inspiring people and keep your self inspired. I have seen many young librarians lose steam on the job. I myself experienced burn out sometime ago. It's a natural cycle, I suppose. But when you know your passion it becomes your mission. In the end you will realize that life has rewarded you because you followed your heart desire.
Good luck to you and to the endeavors you've planned with your colleagues. As you said in Facebook, it's for the love of the hub!
Best,
Ms. Zarah
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Working Outline for Lib Hub Workshop
In between writing and consultancy work, I'm squeezing the workshop module for the Lib Hub workshop in my schedule. The Lib Hub is one project of the DepEd where I have always wished to be a part of. At least, in my own little way. Thanks to Adarna House for giving me the opportunity.
Klasrum Adarna
Library Hub Seminar-Workshop
Working Outline
9:00 – 9:15 – Introduction/Perking Up
9:15 – 10:00 - What is a library?
- literal and dictionary definition
- a. A library is a culture
- b. A library is a community
- c. A library is a learning and information center
- d. A library is composed of systems and processes
- e. A library is a discipline
The Role of the School Library
☺ DepEd School Library Guidelines Or. No. 6
☺ Board for Librarians School Library Standards
☺ IFLA-UNESCO School Library Guidelines
10:00-10:15 – BREAK
10:15 – 12:00 – Models of School Library Development (Singh, 2003)
The School Librarian as Library Hub Coordinator
School Library Management 101
SWOT Analysis
12:00 – 1:00 - LUNCH
1:00 – 3:30 Presentation of SWOT Analysis
SWOT Action Plan
Prevailing Challenges:
☺ Leadership (Totanes, 2005)
☺ Budgeting and Financial Support
☺ Library User Education
3:30 – 4:00 Open Forum
Monday, August 16, 2010
Lib Hub Workshop by Klasrum Adarna
I have prayed for this. God indeed answers prayers.
Title: Klasrum Adarna: Library Improvement Workshop for Library Hubs in NCR
Date and Time: September 4, 2010 - Saturday - 9am-4pm
Venue: DepEd Main Office in QC
Maximum no. of participants: 60 pax
Target profile: 16 Lib Hub Coordinators and the rest will be teacher librarians from public schools who borrow from these hubs
Objectives:
1. To prepare Lib Hub Coordinators for the 3-month long Most Improved Library Hub Campaign which will run from September to November of this year. The competition will be funded by Adarna House and the top three library hubs with the most number of borrowers during the competition period will be awarded on Dec 6, 2010. The prizes are a computer package, an audio visual system, and a document projector.
2. To be one of 2 workshops that will give lib hub coordinators and teacher librarians of public schools tips on how they can improve their hubs. There will be a storytelling workshop by Jay Menes for the same group on Sept 11.
3. To help address Library Hub issues through the help of Pasig's Lib Hub Coordinator, Ms. Digna Aquino. She will be allowed to give a 1 hour talk during the workshop.
The major issues that discourage teachers from borrowing books from the Library Hub are:
1. Difficulty in transporting books from the Hub to the schools. Each title comes in a crate. They will have to own or rent a big vehicle to be able to borrow more titles.
2. Lack financial support for transporting books and creating library activities to encourage kids to read.
3. Penalties for lost and damaged books.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Filipino Librarian: Romy Sebastian
Romy Sebastian of the Miriam College library looks like your typical librarian: soft spoken, unassuming and low profile. But hold the stereotype. The man is a genius.
I met Romy a few years back when LIBRO was in its fledgling stage. Now, it's undergone several revisions with a web scripting program to boot. It carries all the library functions from acquisition to cataloging; indexing to inventory; circulation and reader's profile; reports and statistics -- the works! No wonder, commercial IT corporations have been after his heel with proposals to buy his brain child. Romy would simply shush them away, holding on to the belief that he developed the system as an advocacy to help Filipino librarians and their libraries.
He claims he has no programming background. He learned Visual Basic through self studying. Over the years, tracking the feedback given to him by patrons and friends who uses LIBRO, he was able to improve and add functions like archiving and Web 2.0 features. One challenge that faces him in this time of rapid technological advancement is piracy. There have been cases when LIBRO's programming language was acquired with his permission. He dismisses this to fate and continues on undeterred.
I was privileged to view his newest creation, PLATONICXZ, a web based library integrated system. Impressive. Again he shrugged his shoulders and humbly told me that it's not perfect. In this world that's being flattened by technology every bit and byte, the word perfect no longer exist.
I met Romy a few years back when LIBRO was in its fledgling stage. Now, it's undergone several revisions with a web scripting program to boot. It carries all the library functions from acquisition to cataloging; indexing to inventory; circulation and reader's profile; reports and statistics -- the works! No wonder, commercial IT corporations have been after his heel with proposals to buy his brain child. Romy would simply shush them away, holding on to the belief that he developed the system as an advocacy to help Filipino librarians and their libraries.
He claims he has no programming background. He learned Visual Basic through self studying. Over the years, tracking the feedback given to him by patrons and friends who uses LIBRO, he was able to improve and add functions like archiving and Web 2.0 features. One challenge that faces him in this time of rapid technological advancement is piracy. There have been cases when LIBRO's programming language was acquired with his permission. He dismisses this to fate and continues on undeterred.
I was privileged to view his newest creation, PLATONICXZ, a web based library integrated system. Impressive. Again he shrugged his shoulders and humbly told me that it's not perfect. In this world that's being flattened by technology every bit and byte, the word perfect no longer exist.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Dear Librarian Reply to Public School Librarian In Koronadal City
The venerable Fe Angela Verzosa of the De La Salle University provides response to Arvin Tejada who wrote me about the plight of the DepEd Library Hub in Koronadal City. Madame Verzosa gives an inspiring and encourage reply to Mr. Tejada.
Dear Arvin,
The state of our public school library system is sadly dismal and discouraging. So reading your letter to School Librarian in Action about your plight as a public school librarian brought me back to the reality that stabs at the core of school librarianship in this country.
As librarians, we know that the heart of a school is its library. But do our elected and appointed government policy-makers acknowledge this as a fact? A library in every public school was, is, and will never be high on the political and educational agenda of our country for as long as these policy-makers and even our local school officials are under the misguided direction that focuses only on shortages of classrooms, teachers, and textbooks. Do they realize that there are acute shortages of libraries and professionally-trained librarians too?
It is not enough that we pay lip service to the promotion of the value of reading among the young. The order of the day is to ensure that every primary and secondary school has a library with a trained librarian. That a school library is an absolute “must” (just as important as a classroom with a trained teacher) is crucial to the economic, political and social progress of every nation, and the sooner our government accepts this as a reality, the better for our country if it has to survive, prosper, and compete in the 21st century global information society.
If it’s any consolation to the present challenges and difficulties confronting our school librarians, the ongoing 5-year old Library Hub project of DEPED is now doing well in providing assistance to our public school libraries. Let’s just hope that the project will go beyond its present objective of providing “a transitory warehouse for books waiting to be loaned to public schools on a rotation basis” (borrowing the words of Mindanaolibrarian). There is more to learning than having a room filled with books.
They say that “in the middle of difficulties lie opportunities.” With more Arvin Tejadas among the ranks of our school librarians who are doing “missionary work” as teachers and librarians, we can look forward to greater reading opportunities for our young children.
So Arvin, I take my hat off to you and the many “unsung” hero-librarians who, despite great odds, persevere in their commitment and dedication to make a difference. “READ TO LIVE” (Flaubert)
Fe Angela Verzosa
De La Salle Univeristy
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Librarians in Literature: Here Lies the Librarian
Once in a while I stumble upon a book with librarian characters that veer off the stereotype.
Oh, you know what I'm talking about! Most of the time, librarians are portrayed as boring and the job (we do) is far from exciting and essential. The Vilma Santos movie, In My Life, is one example. Santos' turn into a librarian was fueled by miseries that life had dumped upon her. From an exuberant PE teacher, she became the unglamorous librarian who resists change. Through this characterization, the librarian's role as enabler and agent of change dissipates. The librarian's indispensable contribution to literacy development and enlightenment is extinguished.
It must be an artistic bent on Olivia Lamasan’s part to use the job of a librarian as metaphor for Santos’ character’s surrender from the zest of living. It would have been better if Santos’ character discovered healing and a zen like approach to life’s many whippings through the books a librarian reads every so often in the library. Or, the routine and systematic work that librarians do would have offered her (Santos’ character) safety and refuge from the unpredictable dictates of fate. Next to the church, the library is a sanctuary for the lost and the confused. Sadly, Lamasan does not know her Library and Information Science. Her writers should have at least did a bit of research.
History and literature has many exciting librarians to be proud of! Such is the case in Richard Peck's Here Lies the Librarian.
In the young adult novel, Peck presented not one, but five librarians. Four lively, spirited, head strong, young and RICH library science students and one dead public librarian. Such contrast! Peck buries Electra Dietz, public librarian of Hoosier County, for good reasons. She doesn't like children and arranges the books on the shelf according to its sizes. On the other hand, the four library science students of Brent University possess the qualities and characteristics of the ideal librarian.
Irene Ridpath, leader of the pack, is confident, outspoken and fearless. Boy, do we need librarians like her. Grace Stutz, poised and pretty, daughter of an automobile scion is well organized. She loves working with and for children too. Lodelia Fulwider is proud of her academic preparation. She knows how expensive library resources are so she values preservation and conservation. Geraldine Harrison is the group’s technology and innovations expert. Note that these young women carry one or two endearing qualities of a librarian. Peck did not lump them all in one person.
He also knows how costly libraries are so he made the librarians rich not only in the pockets but in their hearts as well. The six hundred dollars annual salary was shared among the four. The job entails a lot of heart and a fullness of spirit. What a positive portrayal of the stereotyped librarian! Idols to emulate, right?
The characters are all works of fiction, products of the imagination. In general, they are reflections and representations of our beliefs and who we want to be. We’re not sure how the young reader will turn out to be when he or she reads the novel. One consolation is that, after closing the book’s they may hold on to hope. That the future may be strange and unfamiliar, but with role models to look up to, real or imagined, facing up to life’s challenges is a part of living it to the fullest.
Oh, you know what I'm talking about! Most of the time, librarians are portrayed as boring and the job (we do) is far from exciting and essential. The Vilma Santos movie, In My Life, is one example. Santos' turn into a librarian was fueled by miseries that life had dumped upon her. From an exuberant PE teacher, she became the unglamorous librarian who resists change. Through this characterization, the librarian's role as enabler and agent of change dissipates. The librarian's indispensable contribution to literacy development and enlightenment is extinguished.
It must be an artistic bent on Olivia Lamasan’s part to use the job of a librarian as metaphor for Santos’ character’s surrender from the zest of living. It would have been better if Santos’ character discovered healing and a zen like approach to life’s many whippings through the books a librarian reads every so often in the library. Or, the routine and systematic work that librarians do would have offered her (Santos’ character) safety and refuge from the unpredictable dictates of fate. Next to the church, the library is a sanctuary for the lost and the confused. Sadly, Lamasan does not know her Library and Information Science. Her writers should have at least did a bit of research.
History and literature has many exciting librarians to be proud of! Such is the case in Richard Peck's Here Lies the Librarian.
In the young adult novel, Peck presented not one, but five librarians. Four lively, spirited, head strong, young and RICH library science students and one dead public librarian. Such contrast! Peck buries Electra Dietz, public librarian of Hoosier County, for good reasons. She doesn't like children and arranges the books on the shelf according to its sizes. On the other hand, the four library science students of Brent University possess the qualities and characteristics of the ideal librarian.
Irene Ridpath, leader of the pack, is confident, outspoken and fearless. Boy, do we need librarians like her. Grace Stutz, poised and pretty, daughter of an automobile scion is well organized. She loves working with and for children too. Lodelia Fulwider is proud of her academic preparation. She knows how expensive library resources are so she values preservation and conservation. Geraldine Harrison is the group’s technology and innovations expert. Note that these young women carry one or two endearing qualities of a librarian. Peck did not lump them all in one person.
He also knows how costly libraries are so he made the librarians rich not only in the pockets but in their hearts as well. The six hundred dollars annual salary was shared among the four. The job entails a lot of heart and a fullness of spirit. What a positive portrayal of the stereotyped librarian! Idols to emulate, right?
The characters are all works of fiction, products of the imagination. In general, they are reflections and representations of our beliefs and who we want to be. We’re not sure how the young reader will turn out to be when he or she reads the novel. One consolation is that, after closing the book’s they may hold on to hope. That the future may be strange and unfamiliar, but with role models to look up to, real or imagined, facing up to life’s challenges is a part of living it to the fullest.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Collection Development: What's In? What's Out?
I am always pleased to hear news of donors giving books to libraries; of NGO's who support library development; of projects and initiatives by private and government agencies that develop libraries, its collection and its physical space. Once my pleasure simmered down, I think of continuity and sustainability for the new or renovated library. Setting up a room full of books is one thing. Building a learning center is another.
Ordinary folks are so eager to advocate reading. Build a library. Create space for reading. Acquire books. And then, what? One reading campaign I know donated books to a public school in the rural area. Less than a year after, the books were nowhere to be found. The library looked like a bodega! There is nothing wrong with donating books and advocating books and libraries to establish a reading culture. The lack of a trained professional librarian aggravates the situation.
If you build it they will come, so they say. But the library is not your local mall.
There are aspects of library services and operations that, like plants, need pruning and tending. From collection development to readers services; information management to creating and communicating new knowledge a trained professional librarian is necessary for the library to grow.
As much as being a cultural heritage, a library is both a system and a science. Let's take one core program of the library: collection development.
There is a science to library collection development. Since the blog is a school library blog, the focus of collection development is geared to school libraries.
Big school. Small school. Traditional school. Progressive school. Public school. Private school. There exist in every school a library. Whatever the size of the collection is, it is essential to begin with an assessment and an evaluation of the existing collection. To do this, it would require the following: 1) a set of school library standards that identifies the requirements of a robust collection; 2) the school's vision, mission and goals; 3)records pertinent to collection development and; 4) a knowledge of the demographics. It would help if there exist, on record, a set policy and procedures for collection development. If there is none, a written document, in black and white, as they say, must be made.
For school library standards, the DepEd Standards for School Libraries c. 1998 is still a good document to use. The Board for Librarians' standard for school library operations, upgraded from the DepEd Order, is another. And then there's the American Library Association standards and the IFLA-UNESCO School Library Guidelines. I am partial to the later because it was contextualize for school libraries in developing countries. The librarian working on collection development may use any of these instruments.
As for the rest, the school and the library must have these documents ready and on hand. In my next post, I'll be writing procedures to assessing and evaluating a school library's collection.
Ordinary folks are so eager to advocate reading. Build a library. Create space for reading. Acquire books. And then, what? One reading campaign I know donated books to a public school in the rural area. Less than a year after, the books were nowhere to be found. The library looked like a bodega! There is nothing wrong with donating books and advocating books and libraries to establish a reading culture. The lack of a trained professional librarian aggravates the situation.
If you build it they will come, so they say. But the library is not your local mall.
There are aspects of library services and operations that, like plants, need pruning and tending. From collection development to readers services; information management to creating and communicating new knowledge a trained professional librarian is necessary for the library to grow.
As much as being a cultural heritage, a library is both a system and a science. Let's take one core program of the library: collection development.
There is a science to library collection development. Since the blog is a school library blog, the focus of collection development is geared to school libraries.
Big school. Small school. Traditional school. Progressive school. Public school. Private school. There exist in every school a library. Whatever the size of the collection is, it is essential to begin with an assessment and an evaluation of the existing collection. To do this, it would require the following: 1) a set of school library standards that identifies the requirements of a robust collection; 2) the school's vision, mission and goals; 3)records pertinent to collection development and; 4) a knowledge of the demographics. It would help if there exist, on record, a set policy and procedures for collection development. If there is none, a written document, in black and white, as they say, must be made.
For school library standards, the DepEd Standards for School Libraries c. 1998 is still a good document to use. The Board for Librarians' standard for school library operations, upgraded from the DepEd Order, is another. And then there's the American Library Association standards and the IFLA-UNESCO School Library Guidelines. I am partial to the later because it was contextualize for school libraries in developing countries. The librarian working on collection development may use any of these instruments.
As for the rest, the school and the library must have these documents ready and on hand. In my next post, I'll be writing procedures to assessing and evaluating a school library's collection.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Librarian Seminars and Workshop (August-September 2010)
I got several invites last month as resource speaker for a series of librarian seminars and workshops.On 27 August 2010, I will be at the old Nielsen Tower for Filipinas Heritage Library's Library Link Conference to speak of the end of publishing (what?!) and the future of books, reading and libraries. On 4 September 2010, I'll be with NCR teacher librarians for an Adarna House sponsored workshop on the Library Hub project of the DepEd. A day before this event, I might be in Vigan, Ilocos Sur for the annual conference of the Philippine Public Librarians League, Inc. to tackle on the topic of reading in the digital age.
Exciting topics! The burning questions I have right now are these: How can participants' learning or insights be measured? What feedback mechanisms can organizers use to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the workshop or seminar? My point is such that, while these professional growth activities flourish, some concrete products of learning or change in behavior can be identified. PAARL, for one, is giving away awards for librarians and libraries who can create programs and activities from their workshops. Cool, huh?!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The 31st MIBF
It's book fair season again!
The Manila International Book Fair opens on 15 September 2010. More information on the website. The Filipinas Heritage Library has the list of activities during the five day book fair.
The Manila International Book Fair opens on 15 September 2010. More information on the website. The Filipinas Heritage Library has the list of activities during the five day book fair.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Interview by Rocket Kapre Part 3
Here is the last part of Rocket Kapre's interview where I talk about PBBY, Young Adult and children's literature.
Interview by Rocket Kapre Part 2
Rocket Capre unravels my mind scape and process in storytelling, writing and blogging. In the part 2 of the interview, Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories is mentioned. Dianne de Las Casas, my co-author, friend and a great influence in my storytelling and writing career is featured as well.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Poetry Reading: Racing The Rain
It is already a custom. The winning Salanga Prize is told or read aloud during the celebration of the National Children's Book Day. This year, the winning poems by Raymond Falgui were read out loud and performed.
Jay Menes followed the dictate of tradition reading Green Leaf. He then moved on to beat box as I read Racing The Rain. The short clip can be viewed here.
Special thanks to our dear Diannne de Las Casas for the beat box. It has been initiated!
Jay Menes followed the dictate of tradition reading Green Leaf. He then moved on to beat box as I read Racing The Rain. The short clip can be viewed here.
Special thanks to our dear Diannne de Las Casas for the beat box. It has been initiated!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Interview by Rocket Kapre
Paolo Chikiamco, writer and blogger, is posting a series of my interview via his blog, Rocket Kapre. It's a three-part feature that chronicles my life, so far. I feel so old and institutionalized. Haha! Then again, it's just me.
The first part appears today. Click the links!
The first part appears today. Click the links!
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