DOST - PLAI Webinar: Pursuing Persephone: School Library Advocacies That Keep Me Alive

 DOST – PLAI Webinar 2021

November 8, 2021 / 2.30-3.00 PM / Plenary Session 1

Resource Speaker: Zarah C. Gagatiga

Zarah Gagatiga is a school librarian, author of children’s books, storyteller, and literacy coach. She is the PRO of the Philippine Association of School Librarians (PASLI). She is recognized by peers in the school library profession for her contributions to the growth of children’s literature in the country.

Zarah is currently developing modules and toolkits on the conduct of online book clubs, bibliotherapy sessions, and webinars and talks on the restorative values of stories through storytelling for children and young people.

 

TOPIC

Pursuing Persephone: School Library Advocacies That Keep Me Alive

ABSTRACT

The essay discusses children’s literature, bibliotherapy and peace education as advocacies that the writer has been pursuing for more than a decade. Contextualized in the school library experience, examples and stories of activities and programs on the above advocacies are pieced together. Collaboration and community involvement are given emphasis as key factors that drive the success of advocacy campaigns.

Keywords: advocacy, children’s literature, bibliotherapy, peace education, school library, collaboration, community development

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zarah Gagatiga

09209672882

http://lovealibrarian.blogspot.com

@thecoffeegoddess  (Twitter) / @authorZarahG815 (FB)  / @zarah815 (IG)

zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com

National Book Week 2018 Contests and Competitions

The Philippines celebrates two library and bookish events this month namely, the National Book Week (NBW) headed by the Philippine Librarians Association Inc (PLAI) and the Library and Information Services (LIS) Month as organized by the National Library of the Philippines (NLP). Yes, it is a very busy month for Filipino Librarians since all regional librarians association, public libraries, school and academic libraries are bent on organizing events, activities and projects on the occassions mentioned above.

It doesn’t end there.

The PLAI Congress is scheduled on November 20-23, 2018. If Filipino librarians are not affected by the senate’s decision to repeal the Continuing Professional Development Law, expect the attendance to double up from last year’s 900 plus participants. As dictated by tradition, a PLAI assembly usually takes place on November 30 as culminating event.

These celebrations are peppered with contests and competitions in between the days and weeks of stress and excitement. The PLAI, for one, has put together several contests for young people to partake in. This year’s NBW Chair, Darrel Marco, led the NBW committee in organizing an essay contest, a graphic novel contest, a poster making contest and a Readers Theatre contest. These competitions are meant to develop skills in the communication arts, visual arts and the sciences. This year’s theme, Connected Actions, Collective Vision: Libraries Transforming Lives, is the focal point to which the entries in the essay, graphic novel and poster contests are based upon.

Apparently, I was invited as judge of the essay writing competition. This is my first time to judge in the contest. Having been invited as judge in previous storytelling competitions of the NBW, I know what to expect. I have written in the blog my insights and previous experiences as judge in the NBW contests so, expect that I will do the same for this year. That’s one post I hope you will be waiting for in the next few days because the entries in the essay contests are evidences of the country’s collective thought process, pedagogy and teaching practices in literacy skills development, as well as, the untapped potential of librarians as agent of change, collaboration and community building.

Judges of all three contests, essay, graphic novel and poster making gather for a photo op. 

As the judging of the three contests was done simultaneously, we noticed patterns and similarities that bothered and moved us to think of doing more for the book industry and the LIS profession.

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.

National Book Week 2014

As part of the activities for the Library and Information Services Month and the National Book Week, the Philippine Librarians Association, in partnership with the National Library of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts held a poster making contest that was opened to college students nation wide.

This year's winner was Michael Angelo Hernandez, BS Civil Engineering student from the University of Nueva Caceres- College of Engineering, Naga City, Camarines Sur. The image significantly depicts the NBW 2014 theme: Philippine Libraries: Future Possibilities.  As per tradition, the winning poster will grace the cover of the National Book Week Souvenir Program.

 

 

Noteworthy Forum and Lecture at the MIBF 2014

http://ncrplai.wix.com/plai-ncr#!forum-on-asean-2015/crww

PLA's Call for Action: One Million and Counting Books for Libraries Victims of Calamities

 

Source: http://plai.org.ph/index.php/news/28-news/23-call-action

Storytelling Contest at the NLP

The Philippine Librarians Association is gearing up for the celebration of National Library and Information Services Month in November. Its officers and committee members are all a-buzz, moving about and around on activities that will culminate on November 25-30, 2013. One of these activities is the annual Storytelling Contest for Kids. Marion Jude Gorospe, the librarian in charge for the storytelling activity, invited me to judge the contest.

It was a joy to watch grade school students do a book based telling of MJ Tumamac's Ngumiti si Andoy. More than winning the prize and award, it is the performance itself that counts. To stand in front of an audience and read aloud a story with emotions and movements is a brave thing to do. Despite my misgivings on judging storytelling contests, this particular contest made me eat my words. Again. But, I still believe that we should do more storytelling festivals, presentations and performances because, really, the story is the star of the session.

From L-R: Ann Dominique Noda of Hizon Elementary School; Aimeline Jean Garcia of Hulo Elementary School; Gerri Eunice Tubio of Santulan Elementary School; and Princess Kyla Balidiso of Ilugin Elementary School.

The contest was held at the Children's Library section of the National Library of the Philippines. Librarian in charge is Melai Ramirez, my co-judge along with Prof. Badong Biglaen of Miriam College. The Children's Library looked spacious, more inviting with its decorations and newly acquired books on display. It's well lighted too. What an improvement! Here's hoping that more kids would go to the NLP.

PLAI Announcements

Thanks to David Cabanero, PLAI PRO, for sending these useful links! Now that the PLAI Congress is just around the corner, it would be great if we could all pitch in, lend a hand a do our bit to spread the news.

To download the National Book Week Poster, please open this: NBW Poster

For the PLAI Congress 2011 invitation, please download from this: PLAI Congress invite

For the PLAI Congress 2011 program, please download this: PLAI Congress Program

All interested librarians who would like to attend the "Librarians Day, please check this: Librarian's Day

To join the PLAI Facebook, this is the FB site:PLAI Facebook Site

To be updated with the PLAI activities, check this out: PLAI Blog

To know more about PLAI, please visit us at: PLAI Website

PLAI National Congress 2011: Libraries for Progress

PLAI Reaches In

I was at the The National Library (TNL) the other day for some book week concerns and PBBY business. What made the visit extra special though was the effort of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI) to "reach in" members who were affected by Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma). A couple of days before, Madame Susan Pador of the Ateneo Rizal Library sent me an email about a gift which PLAI has prepared for me. Who would not feel special with such an email? Apparently, Ms. Pador heads the Outreach Committee of of the PLAI.

There were around twenty people in the PLAI Office. The officers of PLAI even prepared snacks for us, Ondoy and Pepeng survivors and sure enough, stories of the great floods filled the room. One TNL staff could not help but mention how, in this time of loss I could still manage to smile. I'm alive and so are my loved ones. Friends have been very supportive with their prayers, donations of cash and kind, and all the help they can give our way. The communities we belong to were selfless in hearing us out and asking how we can be assisted in the recovery and rebuilding process. Our Ondoy ordeal made me see the best in people and the Filipino in particular. There are so many reasons to keep a smile. I'd like to think that the TNL staff meant it as a compliment.

In behalf of my husband and two kids, we thank the PLAI for their donation and financial assistance. The joy of giving was very palpable in the faces of the PLAI Officers that day. I could only accept this act of generosity with gratitude and humility.

Mabuhay ang PLAI!

CPE Hulabaloo

The updated CPE (Continuing Professional Education) Program for librarians was discussed and presented by Madame Susima Gonzales last May 11, 2009 at the PASLI (Philippine Association of Librarians Inc.) National Seminar in Teachers' Camp, Baguio City.

It caused quite a stir.

For one, the participants were a mix of teacher-librarians, librarians with license and those without. Two, there were a good number of school librarians present at the seminar who were newly graduates while a big chunk of the crowd belong to the senior category. Their reactions were a cacophony of questions, comments and reclaims.

I am sure that PASLI's intentions to have Madame Gonzales present the updated CPE were well meant. But no one could have prepared the listeners from the shock of hearing this news. The CPE program contains very high standards of competence, which, to me, is necessary for any licensed professional. There are so many issues and problems facing the Filipino school librarian today that to be burdened with 60 CPE units to complete in three years time is simply a needle on the camel's back.

The PLAI and the BFL (Board For Librarians), along with the associations of Filipino Librarians in the country MUST do a lot of "change-crisis management" in the way new paradigms are being presented to members of the profession to fully understand and appreciate the updated CPE.

I will post some suggestions in the near future on ways to ease up the tension caused by the new CPE Program. For now, I need to go to a radio station in Ortigas for a live interview. I will be live blogging the segment, so keep posted!

Making an Impact Through Blogging

I'm still fresh from the wake of the UP FLIPP event last Monday. There are just somethings you cannot shrug off easily. In fact, my talk moved me to search for more blogs by Filipino Librarians. I found several good ones which I will link and feature in the coming days.

For today, here are two bogs by Pinoy librarians from Region 2- Cagayan Valley, my father's homeland. I still dream to touch base with librarians there.

The St. Paul University Philippines World Bank Knowledge Development Centeris a proactive and dynamic reosurce center committed to creating, sharing and applying knowledge for development.

The PLAI-CavRLC- The Cagayan Valley Region Librarians Council (CaVRLC)is a regional council of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI) composed of librarians and information professionals in Region II. Membership is open to all licensed/registered librarians from Region 02, which covers the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

I wish these blogs wonderful blogging days! They may get their share of trolls and controversies through blogging, as all bloggers experience, but such challenges strengthen the stamina for blogging. Mabuhay ang Pinoy Blograrians!

PLAI Lecture Series

The Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. in cooperation with the Philippine Group of Law Librarians and the PLAI National Capital Region Librarians Council will hold a lecture series on November 4, 11, 18, 25, and 28, 2008, 8:00 – 12:00 at the National Library of the Philippines Auditorium, T. M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila. The lecture series is offered to celebrate this year's Library and Information Services Month and the National Book Week.

Topics of the lectures and respective lecturers are:

November 4: Lecture on Property Accountability
Mr. Sofronio B. Ursal
Former Commissioner, Commission on Audit

November 11: Lecture on Wellness and Spiritual
Empowerment
Dr. Andre San Agustin
Holistic Development Program, Davao City

November 18: Lecture on Ethical Accountability
of Librarians
Ms. Corazon M. Nera
Chair, Board For Librarians

November 25: Lecture on Professional and Employment
Accountability of Librarians
Ms. Susima L. Gonzales
President, Philippine Librarians
Association, Inc.

November 28: Lecture on The Filipino Librarian: Today and
Tomorrow
Dr. Alan De Guzman
University of Santos Tomas

A fee of Php 200 for each of the lectures will be charged to participants to cover snacks and certificate of attendance. Package
is Php 700..00 which will allow the participant to attend 4 lectures, specifically on November 4, 11, 18, and 25. The last lecture
(November 28) will be held during the National Book Week Fellowship Luncheon. This is free for those who are attending the fellowship
luncheon.

For further inquiries, please contact the following: Susima Gonzales, 5259401, Rodolfo Tarlit, 9818500 loc. 2859, email:
tarlytup@yahoo. com.ph; Lily Echiverri, lily.echiverri@ gmail.com, 9292180; 92055145 loc. 301; Jo Ladlad, ladladj@dlsu. edu.ph, 5244611-
21 loc. 602/265; Fe Abelardo, feabelardo@yahoo. com, 5250926; Belen Vibar, belen@uap.edu. ph, 6370912 to 26 loc. 229; Emma Rey, 9315966,
email: emmamrey@yahoo. com; Nora Rey, 8189836, email: nora_rey@cvclaw. com; Julia Romano, 9207475, email: lolitromano@ yahoo.com.

PLAI Matters

The Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. has a new set of Board of Trustess. If you are a Filipino Librarian who is an active member of the profession, you'd read familiar and respected names from the profession. Below is the PLAI NCR Council members.

Congratulations to the Board and to the Council!

PLAI NATIONAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 2007-2008
EXECUTIVE BOARD

President -------------------- Susima Gonzales, NCR

Vice Pres. ------------------- Thelma Kim, CAR

Secretary -------------------- Shirley Nava, NCR

Treasurer--------------------- Zoraida Bartolome, Region 3

Asst. Treasurer------------- Fe Abelardo, NCR

Auditor ----------------------- Belen M. Vibar, NCR

PRO --------------------------- Marilou Tadlip, Region 7

TRUSTEES:
Myrna Acedera, Region 10
Rosemarie Ante, Region 5
Salvacion Arlante, NCR
Jane Bebeng, Region 4
Marianita Dablio, ARMM
Hinnie Gonzales, Region 6
Rebecca Napiere, Region 8
Rosario Ruiz, Region 12
Illuminada Yap. Region 11

PLAI-NCR COUNCIL, 2007

Chairman ------------- Lilia F. Echiverri
Vice Chairman ------ Belen M. Vibar
Secretary -------------- Jocelyn Ladlad
Treasurer -------------- Fe Abelardo
PRO --------------------- Nora Claravall
Directors: -------------- Salvacion Arlante
Rodolfo Tarlit