The Beacon Academy is an ALA Big Sister Library Partner School

Mr. John Hickok of the American Library Association (ALA) and the California State University, Fullerton paid the Beacon Academy a visit last Tuesday, October 18, 2022. He presented and discussed with Mrs. Zarah Gagatiga, BA’s Teacher Librarian the ALA Big Sister Library Project among school libraries in the ASEAN. The Beacon Academy is an identified partner school. The project kicks off in January 2023 via online platforms.

Partner school libraries in the ALA Big Sister Library Project will be involved in the following activities:

·     *   receive descriptions of their sister libraries' best practices

·      * receive photo profiles of each other’s' libraries

·     *  enjoy librarian-to-librarian communication for idea-sharing 

·       * be introduced to the ALA Sister Library program for later (possible) partnering with US libraries

This project supports friendship, idea sharing, and communication only.

For more information on the project, visit the website: https://libraryguides.fullerton.edu/aseansisterlibraries

Game Changers in Philippine Librarianship

It is in October when the Rizal Library conducts its international conference. I have participated in this academic and scholarly endeavor countless times and I have always felt welcomed by the library community there. Each visit, be it for work, professional or personal matter, feels like a day of hanging out with my favorite cousin. On its 8th International Conference, I was there once again as a social guest by John Hickok of the American Library Association. He attended the conference as a paper presenter.

His paper was about Filipino Librarian Game Changers and I was one of the featured personalities in his paper. I still have to read his paper but in an email, he told me that my blog and the writing I do inspires and motivates librarians. How and why, I really have no idea. Maybe this is what I need to do next. As far as my blogging is concerned, I mean. 

I have been blogging since 2005. The blog is turning 15 years old in April 2020. So, yeah. It is about time to seriously do some analytical and metrics. We will see.

Apart from myself, Mr. Hickok featured Dr. Vernon Totanes and Mr. Troy “Kapitan Basa” Lacsamana in his paper presentation. We had our picture taken at the colorful and very literary staircase of the Rizal Library.

Thank you John, and here’s hoping we will see each other again soon!