MUNPARLAS: On Mentoring and Being Mentored

With Ann Grace Bansig and Marivic Silence

I have to hand it to MUNPARLAS, the little library organisation that could, and can! It has once again successfully concluded a summer conference in Capas, Tarlac last April 7-8, 2016. The Mt. Pinatubo trekking did not push through, but participants and its officers went home happy, energised with the friendships they have forged with old and new ones, inspired to carry on despite the challenges that face Filipino Librarians today.

This is not the first time that MUNPARLAS has invited me to give a talk and workshop. Back in 2012, I gave a talk on reading promotions and from then on, they have "patronised" me. For the past five years, I think I have done, four or five talks, lectures and workshops with them on K-12, Information Literacy, Objectives Based Education, Bibliotherapy and the recent one which is the Library Customer Journey Map. Always, they are grateful for my presence and for my participation as resource speaker and workshop facilitator. I am humbled by this.

I am just as grateful -- and more!

The recent MUNPARLAS Conference focused on the themes of mentoring and coaching and the challenges that LIS professionals face in this day and age. While I was "packaged" and promoted as a mentor to younger LIS professionals and as a coach to colleagues, I have to admit that MUNPARLAS is one of the many associations in Philippine Librarianship today who continuously mentors me. The officers of MUNPARLAS have given me topics I am very confident in doing and comfortable enough to explore on. I feel the organisation's respect in me and their belief that I can develop new ideas and content. In fact, I am going to apply the topic I presented at the conference in my school library. It is an exciting endeavour! What an amazing way to grow professionally!

Another good thing that I noticed is the continued nurturing of its members and the setting up pathways for them to become the next leaders of MUNPARLAS. The current set of officers is very promising. From the looks of it, they are ready to take MUNPARLAS to the next level, if not, probably deeper into developing skills, talents and collegial relationships among its officers, advisers and members.

Participants, mentors and coaches of the 2016 MUNPARLAS Conference

Congratulations to Ann Grace Bansig for a job well done being its President for the past three years! To Marivic Selencio, who will be leading MUNPARLAS into greater heights and exciting adventures, you have my support. To its committed officers, good luck and more power!