Filipino Librarians: The Librarians Association of Quezon Province

Current Officers of LAQUEP

My brief stay in Lucena last June afforded me a chance to do a round table discussion on school library development with the Librarians Association of Quezon Province (LAQUEP). They are old friends. I have had the pleasure of working with them in seminars and workshops and while I was their invited resource speaker, I learned a lot from them. This group of Filipino Librarians are making progress in their hometown province of Quezon.

By conducting continuing professional growth activities in the province, LAQUEP is providing mechanisms for mentoring among librarians and non-librarians working in libraries. Their book activities foster social and community development as well. Recently, LAQUEP organized a fitness activity which they called, Zumbook, a coined word of Zumba and book. By donating a book, one can join the Zumba dance fitness activity. The donated books go to the recipient library of their choice.

LAQUEP's roster of officers came from different library sectors namely, school, public, government-provincial, academic and research, and private-special libraries. This month of August, as we remember Manuel Quezon and celebrate the language we are most at home with, the blog features LAQUEP and their vision of a library development in Quezon Province.

The Birth of Quezon Librarians Association

Motivated by the Cavite Librarians Association (CLASS) Ismaelinda “Smile” Cabana and Rosario “Rose” Villamater had stirred interest to organize the Association of Librarians in Quezon Province. The Association was created before the PLAI-STRLC Regional Conference and General Assembly to provide provincial representation on September 8, 2006. Invitations were distributed to all types of library, private and government alike.

To encourage librarians and unregistered librarians to attend the creation of its officers, a forum was set and the theme “Librarians and their Accountabilities” was conducted. The forum aimed to enlighten some issues on accountabilities of librarians.

During the morning session, two speakers presented their papers on “Accountabilities of Librarians” Mrs. Teresita DJ. Magbag, Director of Enverga University Libraries for Academic and Mrs. Ismaelinda S. Cabana, Quezon Provincial Librarian for Public Libraries.

 Fifty seven (57) participants from different libraries of Quezon Province attended the forum. Out of the 57 participants, fifteen (15) were registered librarians. After the forum, Quezon Librarians Association (QLA) was born. Proposed By-Laws was ratified and officers were elected. Executive
Officers were as follows:

    President    :    Teresita DJ. Magbag
    Vice-President:    Eulalia G. Zapata
    Secretary    :    Ivy Rose Y. Atienza
    Treasurer    :    Miled G. Ibias
    Auditor    :    Manuelita R. Veranga
    PRO        :    Jenalyn A. Pancho
    Council of Elders:
                Aurora A. Navela
                Fhraned B. Edad

Committee Chairmen were also elected. Chairmen were requested to choose their members. Here are as follows:

Conference Committee                            Publication Committee
Chairman:    Marietta Z. Enverga            Chairman:    Myrna P. Macapia
Members:    Marites R. Lazona                Members:    Panfilo C. Talisic
                    Nelda Z. Layugan                                     Rowena V. Alvano
  
 Membership Committee                        Emerita G. Lucio
 Chairman:    Aprilyn M. Rodil              Trinidad A. Imperial
   
Members:    Marites R. Lazona        NOMELEC
            Erlita Villamiel                        Carolina B. Engaña
            Cynthia F. Anday                    Rowena Alvano

Ways & Means C0mmittee
Chairman:         Isabel Noreen R. Rairata
Members:        Bernie M. Castillo and Jocelyn Gabriel

LAQUEP and the Future

We see LAQueP-LInc in five years as an organization which had helped municipalities and barangays build their libraries. The organization is targeting 10 municipal/barangay libraries in five years. Also, in five years, the organization is looking forward for most of the libraries to have librarians with Master’s degree.