Dear Librarian: How do I make a 21st Century Library? (1 of 2)

Here is a question I received from one of my blog readers last year:

Good evening po  

Gusto ko lang po sana mag ask ng opinion niyo po or suggestion on what else can I do to make our library more like 21st century? Technology aside po, are there any other ways po kaya para maaddress yung 21st century needs ng patrons?

There are two concerns in the message namely, how to create a 21st century library and how can librarians address the 21st century needs of patrons. These are valid concerns and very relevant. Any well meaning librarian would be thinking of these concerns. There are many ways to innovate and reform library programs and services to fit the times and to meet the needs of readers. Strategic planning is essential and the support of the school leadership towards the changes can make a big difference.

Specifically, here is my advice to the blog reader.

I suggest you do research on 21st century skills and 21st century learning. There’s an entire new educational philosophy about it and how this philosophy translates to pedagogy. The next thing you can do is to understand them and connect them to school library services and programming. Find out if you can see or develop criteria, or draft questions to use as basis for assessing and evaluating current library services and programs that you have whether these are 20th century or 21st century skills/learning. 

You may be surprised to find out that what research tells us about 21st century learning/skills has been thought about, discovered and created by philosophers of long ago.

Do not follow trends to easily.  

Once you have done your research, present your findings to the head of school, including your recommendations. Another good resource to use is the IFLA Library Report of 2017-2018 where directions and prospects, focus and pathways are identified. These are presented in broad strokes so you would have to contextualize them for the school library. 

Understand what 21st century learning/skills are, how your school actualizes these skills in curriculum and pedagogy. Then, use all these elements to assess and evaluate existing library services and programs.  

Show your school head that you are taking careful and well thought out steps to manage the change. Communicate to her your research plus, recommendations for new projects or programs in the library.

Dear School Librarian in Action: Library Activities for Chidlren and Writing Community in Iloilo

Early of December last year, a friend referred me to Hazel Hagerty, a library volunteer in a private school in Iloilo. She is from the United Kingdom and will be in the Philippines for a while to help run a school library for grade school children. I received the following questions from her: 

As you are librarian, could I please ask for your advice... as to what I can do here in this children's library? I really want to plan an author visit too, do you know of any authors that are based in Iloilo or somewhere nearby? 

I sent Hazel my answers:

Here are the writers whom you can get in touch with for author visits and literacy events in your school:

I have rounded up friends from the local book industry and they have given me leads and names. Apparently, there is a book launching of Aklanon children's books on Dec 10, a children's book summit in Iloilo in February, and a growing number of children's book writers in the province. In fact, they have groups and a publishing house already.
 

Check these links:
 

Dungung Kinaraya
https://www.facebook.com/dungugkinaraya/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
Kasingkasing Press
https://www.facebook.com/KasingkasingPress/ 

Here are names of Ilonggo authors based in Iloilo, Aklan and neighboring areas:

Noel G. De Leon 

Melchor Cichon
Christian George Acevedo
Antonniette Cortez

Now, about the library activities for your children, here is a link to my blog where you will find reading and book activities appropriate for them and the community too.

On Books and Reading

http://lovealibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/02/dear-librarian-on-books-reading.html

Book Making and Information Literacy Lessons

http://lovealibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/09/information-literacy-skills-lesson.html

Book Spine Poetry

http://lovealibrarian.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-book-spine-poetry-contest-is-back.html

I have not heard from Hazel since last week, but here's hoping she's doing well in her bookish and reading endeavors

SLIA's Dear Librarian: Epekto ng Paglaganap ng Teknolohiya sa Aklatan

Last year, Augie Ebreo, librarian from the University of Batangas, asked me of my opinion on the effects of technology to libraries today. 

Mam pwede po makabasa ng inyong view sa epekto sa library ng patuloy na paglaganap at pag-unlad ng teknolohiya. May posibilidad po ba na bumaba na ang bilang ng mga gumagamit ng books o tuluyan ng malusaw ito. Salamat po.

Translation: May I ask your views on the effects of technology to libraries. Is there a possibility that book use will be non-existent in light of the rapid technological changes? Thank you!

I will post my reply to him next week.

Dear Librarian: Reply to Continuing Porfessional Education

Dmarco, blogger and school librarian from De La Salle Zobel lends advise and tips for Ms. Angelic Bautista who wrote me about Continuing Professional Education a few weeks back. My additional two-cents will follow.

Dear Ms. Angelic Bautista,

Good day!

As a colleague in the field of school librarianship, honestly, I believe that we are short of trainings and workshops geared towards the development of our field. On a lighter note, the range of our field is broad, it is not limited to school librarianship per se.

As a practice, we in De La Salle Zobel, try to attend different fora, workshops and trainings geared not only in the development of school librarianship but of the field of library and information science, at large.

While I may not be able to suggest and recommend to you particular and specific upcoming trainings and workshops, may I suggest that you join the mailing list or Yahoo groups of the following:

-- Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc. (PASLI)
-- Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians, Inc. (PAARL)
-- PLAI - National Capital Region (PLAI-NCR)
-- PLAI - Southern Tagalog Regional Librarians Council (PLAI-STRLC)
-- Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY)
-- Children's Literature Association of the Philippines

The good thing about these mailing lists and websites is that these professional groups try to update their members and other colleagues in the profession of the latest and upcoming events, e.g. trainings, workshops, ect., which most of the time are open for all to attend (charges and fees apply, of course).

Another venue where you could find upcoming events is through Alumni Associations of different LIS School like UP-LSAA, PNU-LISAA, etc. And even student-hosted activities of different LIS schools like UP FLIPP.

And lastly, you may also want to join different mailing groups of International LIS Organizations like International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) and Your School Library (YSL).

I hope that somehow, at the least, I was able to help you with your query. As I've said, we may not limit our vision to school librarianship per se because our field continues to grow and develop.

Best,

dmarco

SLIA's Reply on Library Staff Supervisory Program

Here is my reply for Rose Marie Quilantang's email about making a supervisory program for the library staff - 

Dear Rose --

What you can do is to refer to the school's HR department for a set guideline and rules on supervision. Do they have a supervisory program for all faculty and staff that managers of each department can follow? What expectations do they have of librarians? Are there indicators for assessment and evaluation of performance? Most schools have. Use this as your guide. If you are supervising your librarians, refer to their job description next. 

Create a list of focus areas that merges the school's standards on performance and the librarian's or staff's expected job description. This is for your perusal. This comes in handy during supervision and monitoring where notes can be written or documented. In time, this could be used as your reference when finalizing a report or document during staff evaluation and rating purposes. 

There are performance instruments as well. These are made by the HR department. It has, basically, three components -- Professional Competence; Work Ethics; Personal and Community Relationship.

Remember that supervision is two-way. It can be directed by you, as supervisor, or by them as independent workers. It would depend on the librarian's or library staff's level of experience, competence and yes, EQ. For senior staff, they can be self-directed, meaning, they can set their own goals and objectives at work. They can also be depended upon to manage their time better. Therefore, monitoring and supervision of their work can be done periodically, say once a quarter or semestral. Or, their report on the work they do is enough for you to know that they deliver. If not, then change strategy. There are cases when supervising a senior staff is like mentoring a newbie or worse.

For newbies and junior staff, more frequent monitoring and supervision should be done until such time when they manifest self-directed work skills and ethics.

What will you supervise and how? Begin with assessment of their skills. We're talking of library skills here inclusive of basic communication skills. You may also refer to past performance records of the staff. That's a starting point to assessment. Focus on areas that need improvement in a given time - six months, one year, etc. What measurements will you employ to see improvements or otherwise. Rating scale? Narrative reports? This must be clear.

When these are identified - areas of focus, indicators and measurement, speak with the staff and work together. Staff should also be aware of his or her weakness and strength. The result of your dialogue becomes the supervisory plan for that staff. The accumulated supervisory plan for each staff becomes the supervisory program.

The trick here is that, you, as library manager, must be able to set individual objectives leading to the attainment of library goals. You act as conductor giving direction and achieving harmony. It's not so much as who is doing the job or not, but seeing to it that library goals and objectives are achieved by the people you've entrusted to do the work. Praise when necessary. Manage behavior as needed. Managing and mentoring people can be tough, but keep trying. I wish you all the best!

Ms. Zarah

Dear Librarian: Reply to Library Staff Supervisory Program

Dr. Rose Villamater, director of the Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation Library, provides Rose Quilantang of Cebu City a reply from her query on library staff supervisory program.

Dear Rose,

 A supervisory program (can be) a computer program that controls the execution of other routines and regulates work scheduling and workflow, input/output operations and error actions in a data processing system.  Here is the URL of one example --  http://www.answers.com/topic/supervisory-program-1#ixzz19Noqvn4r.

I think I am not the best person to give an advice regarding this topic because this topic needs someone who knew much on computer programs.

But from the simplest point of view when I read this, I was thinking of the Library Staff at supervisory position who plans, organizes, implements and evaluates the school library program(s).

The school librarian need to calendar the special events intended and related to the library with consideration to personnel, facilities, finance, and administrator’s support to the program. 

To share our experiences in MSEUF that can serve as a guide, we started the reading program two years ago and launched it during the National Book Week.  We are hopeful that this program will encourage our Basic Education (BED) students to read and acquire a habit of reading. We were successful in encouraging students to read on the first two years but acquiring a habit of reading had just started.  For this school year, we prepared our calendar of activities with this reading program scheduled towards the early part; we started it last July to celebrate the Childen’s Book Day.  The monitoring of the program was scheduled.  Monitors for the different grade/year levels were assigned.  Recognition, awards and incentives about the program were formulated and scheduled.  Appraisal of the program was also designed and implemented for the improvement of the program and achievement of acquiring the habit of reading.

The guide should provide a broad overview of the content and process of managing a school library program.  A broad overview of the purpose, historical development, and current activities of school libraries and school librarians is presented. Consultation and cooperation between librarians and teachers, administrators, and other staff; public relations and ideas for promoting maximum use of library resources; the production of instructional media; the provision and management of time, personnel, and facilities; the provision and management of library materials; and the assessment and evaluation of school library services. 

The effective school library program supports the classroom program in meeting the learning needs of students. The contemporary school librarian, who orchestrates the major components needed to deliver a total school library program, must fulfill and balance a multi-faceted role and at the same time not lose sight of the benefits to student learners. Systematic planning and effective problem-solving are critical skills for the librarian attempting to set priorities and implement an effective, yet realistic, school library program.  To view the sample guide, check the link.  http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED241041.pdf

Happy New Year!

Dr. Rose Villamater, Library Director Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation Lucena City

Dear Librarian: Library Staff Supervisory Program

This month's letter sender is Rose Marie Y. Quilantang, a school librarian from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. She wanted to know more about a supervisory program for the library. Below is her email in verbatim --

Hi Maam gud day! Hope you're doing fine.

I'm a librarian and is confused on how to make a supervisory program. Can I ask help from you? or any sample or guide. Please help me. Am working in one of the private school here in Lapu-Lapu City Cebu.

God bless you always and thank you in advance.

Respectfully yours,

Rose Marie Y. Quilantang

This is a very interesting topic that would help many library managers out there. I have invited a guest blogger to lend advise to Rose Marie. I will give my two cents worth as well. Keep visiting for our responses!

SLIA's Reply on Storytelling Program for the Library

Here's my take on setting up a storytelling corner and implementing a Storytelling Program in the library.

Dear Augie --

Any corner in the library that is well lighted and well ventilated will do. Choose a space that is also near the picture book collection. Make it comfortable so that children would feel relaxed. Pillows and mats will make it so. What does it imply? Reading and storytelling is not stressful. No pressure. It's fun! And it should be. Unlike in the the classroom, storytelling and read alouds are done to teach a reading skill, the library storytelling sessions are all about developing a genuine love for books and reading (It sounds so cliche now, but it is how things SHOULD be).

As for the program, ideally, storytelling is integrated in the Reading class or in the pre-school literacy program.

Coordinate with the Reading teacher from schedule, time, number of kids, grade level of kids, to storytelling activities that the librarian will do. Make a storytelling plan that is similar to what the Reading teachers make. It must contain the objectives, pre-activities, storytelling proper and post-storytelling activities. When you choose stories, again, consult the Reading teacher. Is this a session for enrichment or for intervention?

If the storytelling is for an event, say, Literacy Week, UN Week, Filipino Week, draft a proposal addressed to your supervisor. Objectives, resource person, logistics, evaluation, etc. must be identified.

I suggest you visit my blog and type in the search box Storytelling. I think I have written many posts on storytelling that may help you.

Good luck in your endeavors!

Ms. Zarah

Dear Librarian Reply: Storytelling Program for the Library

For this month's Dear Librarian guest blogger, I have invited Ms. Ann Grace Bansig, School Librarian from the De LaSalle Santiago-Zobel School in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa. Ms. Bansig is off to Flanders, Belgium next month for a scholarship grant via the STIMULATE 10 Program. Before she leaves Manila, I asked her to participate in this blog's Dear Librarian series which she so willingly accepted.

She lends advise to Mr. Augie Ebreo's question on the planning and implementation of a Storytelling Corner at the library.

Building a storytelling corner in the library is like putting up a playpen for kids in the house. You have to select a very good spot in the library where kids could comfortably read. You also have to select nice bookshelves and additional furniture like carpet and bean bags to make the atmosphere more relaxed and conducive to reading. You could also put a decoration around it. Of course, after that, you have to select books to be displayed in that area. If your purpose is to read aesthetically (leisurely), you could have storybooks both in English and Filipino in that corner. If you have big books, you could also add those. Given all these, your storytelling corner is almost ready.

Now, how are you going to do the storytelling? Storytelling is mostly done with the Lower Grades pupils specifically Kindergarteners up to Grade 3. But sometimes, it is being conducted with the Kindergartens only. To start, you have to coordinate with the Team Leaders (level coordinators) regarding the sessions and schedules. What you can do is to incorporate it with the Library Instruction Program (LIP) if you have one.

In Zobel, the LIP is very much observed and done in the Lower Grades. We conduct it once in a month per level. Coordination is the key word here and also your willingness to implement it. In the beginning, it will look complicated and a little difficult because you have to put a lot of energy and effort to it but once you started, you have to keep it going. The kids will always ask you when they are going to have it again.

Practice and exposure in storytelling also help in honing the art of doing it. Our practice is done during outreach program with the Social Action Office where a librarian is asked to do a storytelling with the kids usually in Calatagan, Batangas. Another exposure for me personally is during transfer of our Book Mobile Project in public school where I am mostly tasked to do this. Attending seminars in storytelling also adds confidence and knowledge on techniques and strategies. Be sure to arm yourself with the necessary tools, the wit and the energy to tell stories once you decide to start. Good luck and have fun in implementing your wonderful plan!

Ms. Bansig loves to run, read and do volunteer work. She is currently enrolled in the Master's Degree Reading Education at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City.

Dear Librarian: Storytelling Program for the Library

Our letter sender for this month's Dear Librarian post came from Augie Ebreo of the University of Batangas.

Dear Ms. Zarah,

Please ... excuse me ma'am. May I ask for your help on how to build and operate a Storytelling Corner inside the Library?

Will send my reply and a guest blogger's in the next few days.

SLIA's Reply to Public School Librarian In Koronadal City

Madame Fe Angela Verzosa gave a verbose but inspiring message to our letter sender, Arvin Tejada of Koronadal City. Allow me to say my piece as another Dear Librarian series draws to a close. I'm a believer of sweet and short things, so here goes --

Dear Arvin,

Thanks for reading my blog. I'm motivated to continue blogging every time I get feedback like yours. It's amazing how this medium can bridge distances and fill gaps. On top of this, blogs and the act of blogging has allowed us to inspire each other.

And that's my reply to you -- keep inspiring people and keep your self inspired. I have seen many young librarians lose steam on the job. I myself experienced burn out sometime ago. It's a natural cycle, I suppose. But when you know your passion it becomes your mission. In the end you will realize that life has rewarded you because you followed your heart desire.

Good luck to you and to the endeavors you've planned with your colleagues. As you said in Facebook, it's for the love of the hub!

Best,

Ms. Zarah

Dear Librarian Reply to Public School Librarian In Koronadal City

The venerable Fe Angela Verzosa of the De La Salle University provides response to Arvin Tejada who wrote me about the plight of the DepEd Library Hub in Koronadal City. Madame Verzosa gives an inspiring and encourage reply to Mr. Tejada.

Dear Arvin,

The state of our public school library system is sadly dismal and discouraging. So reading your letter to School Librarian in Action about your plight as a public school librarian brought me back to the reality that stabs at the core of school librarianship in this country.

As librarians, we know that the heart of a school is its library. But do our elected and appointed government policy-makers acknowledge this as a fact? A library in every public school was, is, and will never be high on the political and educational agenda of our country for as long as these policy-makers and even our local school officials are under the misguided direction that focuses only on shortages of classrooms, teachers, and textbooks. Do they realize that there are acute shortages of libraries and professionally-trained librarians too?

It is not enough that we pay lip service to the promotion of the value of reading among the young. The order of the day is to ensure that every primary and secondary school has a library with a trained librarian. That a school library is an absolute “must” (just as important as a classroom with a trained teacher) is crucial to the economic, political and social progress of every nation, and the sooner our government accepts this as a reality, the better for our country if it has to survive, prosper, and compete in the 21st century global information society.

If it’s any consolation to the present challenges and difficulties confronting our school librarians, the ongoing 5-year old Library Hub project of DEPED is now doing well in providing assistance to our public school libraries. Let’s just hope that the project will go beyond its present objective of providing “a transitory warehouse for books waiting to be loaned to public schools on a rotation basis” (borrowing the words of Mindanaolibrarian). There is more to learning than having a room filled with books.

They say that “in the middle of difficulties lie opportunities.” With more Arvin Tejadas among the ranks of our school librarians who are doing “missionary work” as teachers and librarians, we can look forward to greater reading opportunities for our young children.

So Arvin, I take my hat off to you and the many “unsung” hero-librarians who, despite great odds, persevere in their commitment and dedication to make a difference. “READ TO LIVE” (Flaubert)

Fe Angela Verzosa
De La Salle Univeristy

Dear Librarian: Public School Librarian From Koronadal City

Our Dear Librarian sender for this month is Mr. Arvin Tejada, a public school librarian from Koronadal City. He narrates his plight and experiences working as school librarian there.

Dear Ms. Zarah,

Thank you for inspiring us through your blog site. I often visit your site and it always gives me hope that we can make a change in the field of librarianship. How I wish you can also help us in our advocacy. I'm a Division Librarian of Koronadal City Division - Library Hub, Region 12.

I was hired as Division librarian just last December 2009. Before I decided to transfer in the library hub, I worked as academic librarian at Notre Dame of Marbel University for 13 years. But when I was told by one of the Supervisors of the Koronadal City Division of the new item (librarian), I began to weigh things. First, I enjoyed working in an academic environment. Second, I was trained and developed as a librarian. And lastly, I am working with a dynamic support from the administration. But these were the things I am also contemplating on why I should cross the bridge.

Basically, I want to make a DIFFERENCE in our Division, in helping change the image of public school libraries. Next is to initiate programs and activities that will promote libraries in the public schools, and finally, for the reason of security and tenure… government can assure of my future, somehow.

I tried to figure out what will be my role in the library hub since the concept of it is opposite to a real functional library. With my 6 months stay, I realized that I need to re-educate and provide more training to our school librarian-designate since they don't have that formal education in Library Science.

I already gave them orientation about the Library Hub operations as well as a short idea on how to develop their school library last June 2010 but sad to note that most of them really don't have library materials. I learned from your blog, and it’s true, they simply stack all textbooks inside the small room and call it their library.

[Quoting from a previous post]
“…Librarians can establish learning communities through the provision of learning resources and information…”


In our case, there were librarian-designate who have the will but were not supported by the local administrators

“…They can work with teachers to further one's professional growth. They can act as team "teachers" who lend support in teaching and instruction. Librarians can model the reading habit to children and guide teens on making decisions on simple to complex school projects. Librarians, just like teachers, can effect and affect change as he/she preserves the heritage and legacies of a culture and a nation…”

Maybe, if the higher DepEd authorities will realize the importance of a full- time librarian, public schools can certainly help school children develop the love of books and reading at an early age. I think the Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc. (PASLI) can help on this matter. Submit a proposal to the DepEd. I don’t know, it’s just my idea.

We already started the ocular visit in every school to check the status of their library. The loaning of books to the schools through their librarian-designate is now an ongoing activity. There are so many plans that I need to do both for the library hub and for the school libraries. Maybe one of these days, we can invite you to conduct seminars for our teachers and school librarians. Thank you ma’am for spending your time...

I will reply to Alvin in the next couple of days. I have invited a guest blogger as well to lend encouragement and inspiration to Arvin. Keep visiting!

Dear Librarian: Reply on Baking at the National Library

This month's Dear Librarian guest blogger is Ms. Anne Rosette G. Crelencia of the National Library of the Philippines (NLP). Ms. Crelencia is the section head of the NLP's Rarebooks and Manuscript Collection. Since NLP is an institutional member of the PBBY, Ms. Crelencia is the institution's representative to the PBBY board. She lends her opinion for this month's Dear Librarian post.

TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD
Anne Rosette G. Crelencia

Whenever I get orders from my superiors to write something, be it answers to research queries and requests, project proposals, business letters, and articles for the newsletters, most frequently those are accomplished in no time. But this time it’s different. Weeks passed by quickly without writing an answer to the challenge posted for our organization.

I am tasked to write an answer to a very big challenge posted not only for the managers of the National Library of the Philippines but also to the latest leaders in the government who are to run the country in the following six years. I have managed to resolve complaints and requests about our library’s services and collections from clients through e-mail and phone calls, but to manage a challenge as big as acquiring or renovating or transferring the current National Library of the Philippines building to a one is something else.

The thing is, I had a hard time identifying if it is really the building that calls for change just so we can say that our library is no decade behind the Library of Alexandria or is it just the way the structure is being handled. I mean, even a nipa hut has lots of possibilities to be something else other than being the plain and simple shelter for s small family. I believe change is never confined to physical developments but it’s about setting priorities.

With the very little budget allotted for our national library and the public libraries attached to it, it is tough to prioritize the architecture of libraries than the acquisition of good quality materials for library patrons’ use. However, this does not mean that initiative towards development of architectural structure of libraries in the country should be hindered by the lack of budget. A good proposal coupled with diligent plan of action to implement development might do the talking. That always depend on the priorities set by leaders in government, I guess.

I have seen beautiful and sophisticated libraries in other countries such as Singapore and Germany. We are no doubt too much behind them, but then again, that does not mean these countries are not experiencing difficulties in terms of working conditions and library collections and services just because they have the most sophisticated or modern buildings and resources. They do have their own dilemma just like us.

What exactly am I saying? I would like to believe proposals for a new library building has been initiated several times by the present and past library managers, only that nothing yet happened. But despite government’s inattentiveness to the requests, the National Library of the Philippines continued to persevere in performing its role in the society. It is challenging to meet the changing needs of library users in this age of technological advancement with very ample budget, but the staff who dedicated their craft and even lives in the name of service to the public is more valuable than any amount of money for the improvement of the library is available.

Perhaps a little more effort to open the eyes of our leaders in government on the value of books and libraries in the country is needed to be established first before anything else. I am dreaming of a national library flooded by people not because of the great architecture but because it is filled with resources where vast amount of knowledge and information can be acquired any time.

Tomorrow, June 30, 2010, we will officially have the new President of the Republic of the Philippines. Just as the whole nation anticipates for a great change in the current status of the society, I am as well crossing my fingers that somehow the President will make a difference in the field of libraries and education in the country.

For now, as I cannot just wait for the president to act on our needs as a government, education, culture and research institute, I will continue to do the best I can to serve the public with utmost diligence and integrity even if the fading architecture and facilities of the building remained unnoticed. National Library of the Philippines will be the priority in time…

Dear Librarian: SLIA's REPLY for Baking at the National Library

Here is my reply for Barefoot Baklesa's lament on the state of the country's biblioteque. I will make this short and sweet.

One can't change a system that has been damaged and neglected over the decades. The state of art and culture, and yes, education and library system included, in this country is in a dismal condition. We can cry and bewail to the heavens; gnash our teeth and pull our hair. At the end of the day, it remains as is.

What one can do, despite this, is to continue working on ways to uplift the dismal status of arts, culture, education and library system in the country.

The duly elected President of the Philippines will be inaugurated on Wednesday, 30 June 2011. I like to believe that he won by a stroke of great hope set upon him by many of us. His ascension to the presidency is influenced by a choice of character over competence. We all need to dig deep into our own character and find strength there in order to continue pushing for the advocacy we support in -- arts, culture, education, socio-civic development, library system in the country, etc.

Dear Librarian: Baking At The National Library

This month's Dear Librarian feature is a blog post from Barefoot Baklesa. He does not need any advice, but his blog post on the state of the National Library of the Philippines is worthy of discussion. Here is an excerpt from his blog post ( which can be read below). The full article is linked here.

As I went into the reading rooms, and through the stacks to look for what I needed, I could not help but stare at the state that place was in. The place was clean as libraries go, but the disrepair, the poorly maintained stacks, and the general atmosphere of the place akin to that of a backwater town that government funding forgot.

As I walked those halls, It did not seem to me that this was the place that held almost everything about the world since the first movable type. What is this place to be for some impressionable youth seeking to fuel himself in the arts and sciences? One could argue that what really matters is what is inside those books and not the place that hold them. But if the place lacks the very books that can take them onto this journey -No, that the one that sends Bastian into Fantasia but you get my drift- then what?

BUT IS NOT THE STATE OF A COUNTRY’S BIBLIOTEQUE A REFLECTION OF WHAT IT IS?

Is this neglect associated with the priorities of every government that came and went? In the middle of my research I composed a text message that I sent to my mentors in the hopes that they may at least help me make sense of the experience.

“Sitting here at the National Library, a week after elections and just before the new come to take office, I wonder what will a new president really do for the Arts? To be specific, what does it matter to my art now that the people seem to have found hope and change in a man who is also of the old order?”

And this was the most disturbing reply

“Anak, ano ba naman ang alam niya sa Sining natin? The Arts have always been the least of any leader’s priorities since I can’t remember. If anything, the Arts to him may be just like tonight’s latest “gossip” that would be replaced with another juicier one by tomorrow. Palibhasa gossip rin lang naman ang alam ng kapatid niyan and I’m afraid they may play the Arts card when it is to their advantage like a badly acted teleserye”

And there I was, sitting on one of the wooden tables at the end of the Filipiniana section telling myself once again, that a place such as this should be the beacon for those wide-eyed youth seeking to be inspired, seeking to understand the world, and be fueled to contribute to the Sciences and most especially the Arts. No matter how disheartening that text message was.

Watch out for my reply and a guest blogger's response in the next few days. I have invited a librarian from the National Library of the Philippines to do so.

Dear Librarian: Making The Right Decision

As I have mentioned in a previous post, Dear Librarian will be a new feature of this blog. In time for the blog's 5th blogversary, the first letter sender is featured bellow. The translation follows after. My response and a guest blogger's will be posted in the next few days.

Dear Ms. Zarah,

I came upon your blog via my friend. LIS major sya at malapit na syang grumaduate. 3rd year iregular sya pero, mukhang sa 2011, may diploma na sya. As for me, 3 taon ng freshman. Terrible, I know. Ewan ko ba, lito talaga ako since kumuha ako ng Psych. Tapos, lumipat ako sa Educ. Then, nagtransfer ako sa Tourism. Ngayon, di pa rin ako satisfied.

Worried na ang parents ko, pati na ang friend ko na LIS major. Kaya naman, super help sya sa akin na magtransfer sa LIS. Maganda naman ang mga grades ko. Pero, problem ko ang pagmeet ng deadlines. Nakakawili kase ang FB at internet. Working student din ako sa isang outsourcing project ng kapatid ko. Alam ko na mahalaga ang isang degree, pero, confused ako kung lilipat ba ako sa LIS dept. ng university o titgil na lang sa pag-aaral. Mukhang happy ang friend ko sa LIS course nya. At sa dating ng blog mo, panalo! Parang happy ka din maging librarian.

Bigyan mo naman ako ng payo o clue kung ang LIS nga ay para sa akin.

Salamat and more power to your blog!

Confused Freshman

Translation:

Dear Miss Zarah,

I came upon your blog via my friend who is a LIS (Library and Information Science) major. My friend will soon graduate from college. She's in junior year, irregular, but it seems that she will finish by 2011. As for me, I have been a freshman for three years now. Terrible, I know. I don't really know what college course to take since I started Psychology. Then I transferred to Education. Now I am taking Tourism.

My parents are very worried as well as my friend. That's why she's convincing me and helping me transfer to LIS. My grades are good. But I'm very bad at meeting deadlines. I'm an netizen and a frequent FB user. I also sideline for my sibling who runs outsourcing projects. I know a college degree is very important but I'm confused whether to transfer in LIS or give up college entirely. My friend is happy taking up LIS and judging from your blog posts, it seems that you are satisfied at being a librarian.

Kindly give me an advice if LIS is really the course for me.

Thank you and more power to your blog!

Confused Freshman