Books and Coffee at the Quezon City Public Library

During my term break from the Academy, I managed to conduct two workshops for librarians. One was for the librarians of the Quezon City Public Library (QCPL) and the other was at Southville International Schools and Colleges' Effective Librarianship at Work.

For this post, I am going to concentrate on telling you about the workshop I did with the QCPL librarians.

I conducted a basic bibliotherapy workshop with them since they were keen on helping out of school youths in Quezon City. The QCPL main library is supervising 19 Barangay Reading Centers and each has a staff assigned to run programs and services for children, teens, adults and senior citizens. What I did was to give them a 101 Bibliotherapy session. It was a touching moment. The morning was filled with sharing of insights and ideas on how they can put together a homegrown Bibliotherapy program. The QCPL librarians were all engaged.

I was further impressed when they served us coffee from the Library Cafe. Yes, the QCPL has a cafe inside the library. The Iriga Public Library has a coffee shop too. I visited Iriga a long, long time ago and I am mot sure if the coffee shop is still there. Nonetheless, this coffee shop is a sign that more and more, librarians and libraries are beginning to embed itself in the community.

QCPL also had a reading superhero in the persona of Heneral Basa. Their librarians conduct outreach programs in Quezon City and in different provinces. They donate books and help communities establish reading centers. If you have old books, I recommend you donate it to the QCPL! They will surely know what to do with them.

Before I left for home, the QCPL librarians gave me and Darrel Marco (he was with me that day!) a glimpse of their future! They showed us their new building being built with in the compound of the Quezon City Hall complex.

Congratulations on this good news, QCPL! May your example bring inspiration to many!

The 80th National Book Week at the National Library of the Philippines

 Last Monday, November 24, 2014, was the awarding and opening ceremonies of the 80th National Book Week at the National Library of the Philippines. Tradition dictates that winners of varied contests leading to the National Book Week be present for this purpose. I saw students from public and private schools when I came in that morning. Sadly, I missed the keynote speech of Ms. Ani Almario, RAP President and PBBY Gen. Sec.

On the one hand, I finally met Heneral Basa!

He read aloud stories from books he brought with him and encouraged kids to keep on reading books in their school and public libraries. Heneral Basa visits barangay reading centers in Quezon City and reads aloud to kids.

After the awarding ceremony, I had my talk about the books I have written and how the back stories of each book shaped my writing process. I did a five minute writing/storytelling activity where in two students and one teacher from Paco Catholic School volunteered to share their stories from the writing prompt I showed them.

Steph Bravo, Budjette Tan and Jonathan Ranola were speakers as well. Congratulations to the PLAI headed by Beth Peralejo, and to Jude Gorospe, Chair of this year's National Book Week festivities.

Ang Mensahe ni Heneral Basa

Nagkita kami ni Heneral Basa sa pagbubukas ng 80th National Book Week noong Lunes, Nobyembre 24, 2014 sa National Library of the Philippines. Ito ang mensahe niya sa mga bata at pati na rin sa mga nakatatanda na may kakayahang magbasa ng aklat para sa mga bata:

Para sa akin, napakahalaga ng pagbabasa sapagkat ito ang mas nagbubukas sa isip sa mga bagong karanasan at impormasyon. Mas personal din ang pagbabasa at may mas pangmatagalan na epekto. Mas malaki ang lamang ng pagbabasa kaysa sa internet at TV, mas malalim ba. 

Sa aking pananaw din, mas nagiging malikhain din at nagkakaroon ng mahabang pasensiya ang tao kapag nagbabasa. May naacquire ka na magagandang paguugali kapag ikaw ay nagbababasa. Nababawasan ang niya, mas nagiging expressive at nahihikayat na magbigay ng opinyon sa mga bagay bagay.

Maraming salamat sa mensahe mo,  Heneral Basa! More power!