Live Blogging: Madame Digna Aquino, Library Hub Coordinator

Retirement for Madame Digna Aquino was the next step after years of teaching in basic education. Destiny has other plans though. She was assigned as coordinator of the Pasig Library Hub just when she was about to throw in the towel. She was hesitant, of course. She's a teacher, not a librarian. What does she know of library management, cataloging and the technical job of a librarian? A true public servant, she accepted the job despite her fears. With enough courage, a set of leadership skills and "abilidad", she was able to seek support from the local government unit and make the Pasig Library Hub the exemplar for DepEd's project on literacy development.



I was amazed at her sprite and spunk. She has indeed made the library hub in Pasig City a living library. By developing linkages and networking, she was able to make things happen -- storytelling sessions and contests abound, donations for library furniture and library manpower came her way, political and administrative support were never wanting. The result was the participation of library clients, students, teachers and parents in making the library hub a busy center of reading and literacy activities.

Now, as participants break for lunch, I turn to the processing of Madame Digna Aquino's input. Later, they will share and articulate answers to questions I wanted them to reflect on. Speaking for myself, I could only wish for the ideal. How great it would be if all librarians innately posses the leadership skills or are trained to become leaders in their field! Impossible I know. But thanks to all the Digna Aquinos out there for showing us that dreams can be actualized. Librarian or not, we all can learn from her experience and example.

Live Blogging: Klasrum Adarna - Library Hub Improvement

Adarna House celebrates its thirtieth year of being the Filipino's child's provider of his/her first books. In line with this, they have planned more projects to help the public educational system of the country. It's extending its reach and digging deep into its resources to give back and continuously make a difference.

One of these projects is the Klasrum Adarna Library Improvement Training Workshop. The DepEd Officers of the Library Hub in the National Capitol Region has graciously and willingly agreed to the partnership. From this workshop, teachers, librarians and library hub coordinators are expected to come up with exciting and enticing activities to make the lib hub in their school alive and kicking.

A few weeks back, I set up a working outline for today's workshop. On the last minute, I changed it entirely because I realized that I need to meet the lib hub personnel of each school where they are currently at. Back to the basics. The previous outline is something I can articulate with the lib hub administrators. For today's participants, I'm giving then a KISS - Keep It Sweet and Simple.

Topics for discussion this morning will include the following: Reading and the Library, Roles of Libraries and Librarians, Models of Library Operations, Activities to Promote Books, Reading and the Library. In the afternoon, we will have a workshop on concerete activities that can be done.

Ms. Digna Aquino of the Pasig Library Hub and Mr. Troy Lacsamana of the Quezon City Public Library will be providing real life success stories of library activities they've done for their library clients.

Hub a Library

PBBY board member, Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz wrote an update on the Library Hub's progress in the country. It's published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last Sept. 14, 2007. What delighted me of the news is the imminent training of librarians who will be in charge of the hub.

"Beverly Gonda, Library Hub Project Officer says in her latest update that a teacher training for the 35 Hubs has been completed and work has begun on the next set of Hubs. They are now preparing for the training of the librarians who will actually manage the daily operations of the Hubs all over the country."

Finally, training for librarians for the hubs. DepEd can learn a lot from the experiences of Riko Vinluan who has been quite successful in the Library Hub of the Naga City Public Library.

One Day In Naga

My workshop at the Naga City Public Library last August 27, 2007 was attended by 50 participants from the district. Most of them are teachers in the content area who were given library duties to man the school library. They were expected to multitask and accomplish dual roles, that of a teacher and a school librarian.

The seminar-workshop began with basic school library services. Call it School Library Management 101 for those who were plucked out of their teaching positions to become vanguards of the school library. Useful and practical topics like resource sharing, networking, fund raising, gaining support from administration, parents and the community were also discussed. Issues on manpower, lack of support and high expectations inevitably surfaced, so I tried my best to be encouraging enough. After all, the concerns they enumerated are things I experience too. Money for books and library up keeping will always be problems, but it can be solved through an empowered and well supported library staff.

I met Riko Vinluan, finally, in the flesh. I've met him online and last Monday of that August was our actual "Eye Ball". He is a resourceful and dynamic librarian. He organized the Naga School Librarians Association right after the session. They were able to identify workable action plans for their school libraries. Reading campaigns, networking and articulation of needs to supervisors are some of the few strategies they've identified so far.

Through PBBY and the local government of Naga City, I was witness to the famous Library Hub of the district. Riko has actually taken responsibility on the circulation of books to different hubs. Using the Naga City Library Book Mobile, books for the schools are placed in bins. These bins are given to the school for a time and are returned to the hub for replenishment and book repair. It's a structure that works for them.

I have said it once and I will say it again, if there is no librarian or library personnel for the hubs who can do the monitoring and supervision on the route of books and schools, all resources and efforts may go to waste. Plus, there are reading and library programs that need to be done for the hubs to truly come alive. Entrust such programs and activities to teachers? Their first duty is to teach. The presence of people from the library sector is crucial.

In this case, it appears that provision and access for books are the main agenda. It is a good start, but the recipients of the hub's services have a  huge challenge to face - how to continue this working structure or system so that it has an impact on the children's lives.