Filipino Librarian of the Month: Mariquit “Kit” Pedrasa

The Filipino Librarian of the Month is Ms. Mariquit "Kit" Pedrasa, licensed librarian of Lyceum, Calamba Laguna. She is the 2018 Outstanding Librarian conferred by the Consortium of the South. In this interview, Ms. Pedrasa shares with us a slice of her life as a researcher and licensed librarian.

What was your approach and attitude during the panel interview?

During the panel interview, I shared my experiences to describe the background of my activities such as the organization of the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Library, writing a paper about it, and presenting it to an international conference, and some other activities which presented the range of skills I have which I think validated the submitted documents. ​

I considered the interview as mere conversation with colleagues so I will not feel nervous. 

What has been the best thing that has happened to you since you became a licensed librarian?

There were numerous remarkable things happened to me since I became a license librarian. 

It includes writing papers, leading a team in organizing the NCIP Library, oral presentations, etc., but the most memorable for me is the experience of mingling with colleagues in an international event who listened to my paper presentation. ​

We exchanged ideas, which made me motivate to write more papers about our profession, present them locally and internationally to share whatever knowledge or learnings I have. 

Where do you place yourself in the bigger scheme of Library and Information Science (LIS) in the Philippines?

As of now, I still consider myself as newbie or novice in the profession who still has to learn the motion, but at the same time I would like to be governess to young LIS learners by sharing whatever learnings I earn while learning and mastering the waves.

 Tell us something about your research on Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines.

The research describes the challenges and opportunities in organizing an Indigenous Peoples Library. The challenges includes the classification, organization, and digitization of IP reading materials, and other artefacts, establishing library services, generating reports, installing a library system. 

These challenges were all addressed through an approved Library Operations Plan which served as the guide in implementing the innovations. The opportunities include the commission considered a job order for a full time licensed librarian to manage and sustain the implemented innovations, counting the NCIP Library in the commission's budget proposal, and the linkages with other agencies to strengthen its resource network.

What do you wish to see in the LIS profession today?

In the near future, I would like the LIS profession to become dynamic leaders not only in their library organization but to their mother institution as well, actively engaging in research and community services to make an impact to the society.