From CPE to CPD for Filipino Librarians 2017

Before I write about the updates regarding the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Filipino Librarians, here are blog articles and some content on the topic which I posted in the blog dating as far back as 2007.

Dr. Corazon Nera, who was the chair of the Board for Librarians in 2007 presented updates on the resurgence of the CPE and the Professional Standards for Librarians during the PLAI Southern Tagalog Region Librarians' Council. If my memory serves me right, this was the time when the BFL finished working on a set of guidelines for the practice of librarianship and revisiting the CPE of several years back. Apparently, with the organization of regional councils of librarians, standards and CPE programs for Filipino librarians would have a platform of implementation. Two years after, the CPE Program for Librarians Articles 1-3 date of posting April 26, 2009  was presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Peralejo who was then a member of the Board for Librarians, during the PATLS seminar.

The BFL was indeed hard at work, and still is, to fully interpret and implement Republic Act 9264. However, there is much talk about challenges in fulfilling and meeting CPE requirements. In 2010, I wrote about complains and worries of librarians on the "earning" of CPE units. I gave my two cents as an ending to the post.

The concerns on meeting units and points, asking for permission and seeking for supervisors, looking for funds to finance one's CPD activities are all real!

Ms. Angelic Bautista, who was a school librarian back in 2011 asked me about professional activities for school librarians. I asked a friend, Darrel Marco, who was a school librarian in De La Salle Zobel gave his response. He enumerated different ways in which school librarians can update their knowledge and upgrade their skills. I gave additional tips and lent insights too. 

Three years ago, the BFL conducted consultation meetings with leaders and practitioners in the profession. Here is a document on the consultation on new guidelines on the CPD for librarians. 

If I started blogging about the CPE of Filipino Librarians, (which is now called CPD see how it changed from education to development), back in 2007 that would be ten years to its evolution into a law,

More of that on my next post.  

Dear Librarian: School Library Instruction Program

Here's another email seeking for ideas on setting up a library instruction program -

Dear Ms. Zarah,

Good day! I am currently updating our Library Instruction Program. I would like to ask you of some recommendations. What topics should we include for Prep, Grade 1 and grade 2? We are exclusive for boys and I know you have great experience in teaching.

The email came from Ms. Angelic Abayan Bautista, school librarian of Marist School, Marikina.

Love a Librarian: Loving the LIS Profession in Many Ways

Today's Love a Librarian feature is Ms. Angelic Bautista. She describes herself as a subversive school librarian, book enthusiast, a reading advocate who runs around with stilettos by day and a coffee drinker by night. She sharpens her pencil in between.

She reflects on the many roles librarians play and how, by loving the profession, love is shown in many ways.

The new era librarians have taken the information world by storm! We succeeded drastically in changing the way people look at us. We surprise people when we introduce ourselves as librarians. “Really, you are a librarian? You don’t seem to look like one!” Have you heard that? Sound like music to our ears, right?. 

We librarians could play a long list of professions. To name a few, We are like pharmacist when we provide what our users asked for. Like doctors, we do follow ups. Lawyers, when we give justice to the materials that we provide. IT professionals, when we are becoming more and more computer literate. Accountants, when we determine our library’s assets and liabilities. Statisticians, in the way we generate our user’s statistics. Guidance counselors, in the way we handle bibliotherapy. We are also like teachers the way we do our storytelling and library instruction program. Not having to mention our artistic skills in library marketing. All these rolled in one with our curiosity, wide-ranging knowledge, good memory, organization and analytical aptitude, and discretion. 

We radically change as the world change. The best part of it, we can change the lives of many individual through this craft of reaching to them either through the dust or the mouse. We take part in the success of the many and though they don’t know our real value, we always take venture to our own desire to instill the love of reading.  We do not build libraries, we make one. 

This is what I am and will always be proud of.