Filipino Librarian: Kevin Conrad Tarrobal Tansiongco

This is Kevin with kids who enjoy listening to his storytelling.

This month, the featured Filipino Librarian is Mr. Kevin Conrad Tarrobal Tansiangco. I first met him in the Information Literacy seminar workshop I conducted with the Aurora Boulevard Consortium in August last year. He was a Library and Information Science (LIS) student then and a candidate for graduation at the University of the East.

I was impressed at Kevin's idealism for LIS development in the country in general, and in particular on his advocacy for reading through the establishment of reading centers and libraries. Last January, I met him at the Follet Destiny workshop at ISM. He has graduated from university and has begun work as a new LIS professional with Follet. Here is Kevin's interview.

1. Why did you major in LIS?
Actually, I enrolled as an accountancy student  then I shifted to LIS because, first it has a board exam and this is one of my goals to finish a degree with a board exam. I don't have any idea of what it is and what will be my future in this course. This was a suggestion from my aunt who is working in the university where I was a student, the University of the East. I was so curios about the course and when I enrolled in LIS on my first semester I loved the way it was taught. To fast forward, I see myself as a successful librarian in the future, specifically a good storyteller.

2. What learning did you get from your LIS training that you will take with you in the workplace? 

Before I graduated and hired in a job I was a student assistant of the UE Library for 3 years. I experienced almost all of the activities and services needed to be learned as a future information professional. Most of the learning I brought with me in my new workplace is more on the management aspect taught in the subject library management.  Even my storytelling skills  is a way of demonstrating to my audience, which are mostly librarians and administrative officials, the points of management concepts, like marketing. Through storytelling, I can persuade them to look at the benefits and how good our library software is. Also learning cataloging principles help in explaining and demonstrating the advantages of cataloging online.

Cool Kevin in the City of Pines

3. What are your expectation as a new LIS Professionals? 

I expect a big change to the level of the librarians to other professionals. I expect that we as the new generation of LIS professionals will take an action to help the profession be known and become more important than usual. Continuing education and research must start from us librarians because that can help us level up our love for the profession. I really expect, as always, that the librarians' world are very wide and opportunities in the society.

4. What aspect of your advocacy are you most proud of?

I am very proud of the way we help children; to lift up their dreams; and to help them study more as I make a difference in each of child. I am very proud also that I will start with my new program which is the READ Program - Read, Educate, Act, and Develop. This way I can say that I can help lessen illiteracy in my community. The plan is to build a reading and learning center under the READ Program in my community. The Library Renewal Partnership is one of our partners continuously helping and donating books.