Online Benchmarking with St. Scholastica's College

Team BA Library had an online round table discuion with librarians of St. Scholastica's College earlier today, March 30, 2022.

We had a sharing of best practices for our students and the learning community before COVID, during the lockdown and measures taken towards hybrid learning. As a result of this professional exchange, the two libraries have identified different ways of working from home and on-site arrangement. The common denominator is each library's purpose to continue providing access to learners despite the limtations in physical and social spaces.

Many thanks to Ms. Anne Camille Murakami, librarian of the Grade School department, for taking the initiative to make this professional development possible.

School Librarians and 21st Century Literacy (1 of 3)

The last week of April is when most library organizations in the Philippines have their national conferences. The Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc (PASLI) is one of them. Many school librarians are on summer break in April and PASLI sure knows where to go to offer its members a conference where learning and fun both happen. I have had participated in many summer conferences of PASLI in the past and I always felt welcomed.

In 2009, I conducted a Storytelling Workshop in the PASLI Conference at Teachers' Camp, Baguio. They went back to the same venue in 2013 where I first presented the idea of BIbliotherapy and ran a workshop. Three years after, I was back with PASLI friends to run two workshops namely, Work Life Balance and Building Professional Learning Networks. The PASLI Conference that year, 2016, was held in IloIlo City. A few days after, I had a stroke. That is why, in 2017, I missed the annual conference at their invitation but I Darrel Marco and Ann Grace Bansig conducted the session on my behalf. They also received the plaque of appreciation that the association conferred to me. It was a surprise! I only managed to post in my blog my "acceptance speech". When PASLI celebrated its Ruby year in 2018, the officers asked for a video relaying my message of good wishes for the association.

And so, when Cris Laracas and Jude Gorsope sent me an email to join them for dinner to meet Diljit Singh, former President of IASL last July 2018, I said yes. Turned out, it was a dinner to begin initial talks on a  regional IASL workshop in Manila. In less than a year, PASLI pulled through!

Last April 24, 25, 26, more than 150 school librarians in the ASEAN region and in the Philippines attended the 5th IASL Regional Workshop and Annual Summer Conference of PASLI cum National Assembly at the Century Park Hotel, Manila. Present were past officers of PASLI imcluding Madame Leony Galvez who was also there as the assigned monitor and observer of the Board of Librarians (BFL) and the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC). The regional workshop and conference was a success as it gathered school librarians in Southeast Asia with resources speakers and paper presenters from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and even in the US!

The three day IASL Workshop and PASLI Conference was fun, friendly and full of learning insights!

Renewing My Professional License (1 of 3)

My experience renewing my librarian's license had been very smooth and easy. Thank you to the assistance given to me by officers of the Philippine Librarians Association Inc., Southern Tagalog Regional Council (PLAI-STRC), particularly Dr. Lindie Masalinto and Mr. Rene Manlangit. Now, I can proudly attach the initials RL (Registered Librarian) after my name as mandated by law.

I am Zarah C. Gagatiga, Registered Librarian. There, I just made myself a noun. A proper noun.

I met very young and helpful staff at the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) branch that I went to. They looked like my students in senior high school. The guy in Window 6 reminded me of my son. The girl at Window 4 kept calling me Madame. I lingered for a few more minutes to find out if she would address other ladies the same salutations. She did not. Just saying. 

When the staff at Window 3 asked me for my requirements and proof of units earned in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), his face broke into a wide smile when I handed him a thick clear book and the plaque of recognition which the Philippine Association of School Libraries, Inc. (PASLI) conferred to me in 2017. 

He told me, "Ma'am, over and above the expected and required CPD units na po kayo!"

I replied, "I document all my CPD activities. Kaya makapal ang clear book."

He smiled and said, "Sa plaque po ako natuwa sa inyo, Ma'am. May print out po ba kayo ng citation niyan?" He pointed to the plaque.

"Wala, e. Sorry ha..." I said to him.

He nodded. "Check ko na lang po yung certificates ng accredited PRC CPD provider sa file ninyo."

They were all courteous and eager to help despite the lateness in the day. I actually forgot my password to my account by the staff knew what to do ease my worry. In less than an hour, I received my new ID. Proof that I am a law abiding citizen. Evidence that I commit to my moral obligations. Testament to my allegiance to Philippine Librarianship. I stay true to my oath. 

Well, I do the best that I can.

A PRC license does not completely make one a professional. But adhering to the law and to ethics make us so. I think this is the relevance of this exercise and earning CPD units, no matter how small, is another indicator that we hold our integrity to the highest of standards.

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.