At the 22nd Grand Assembly and Induction of Officers of PNULISAA

I am mighty proud of the officers of PNULISAA, past and present! Look at where the alumni association is now. Like all organizations, it is not free of flaws. It has its share of ups and downs, failures and triumphs but 22 years after, we are still here carrying the torch. Keeping it alight and ablaze well into the next generations of LIS graduates of PNU.

Who would have thought that the “kuwentuhan” we had all those years ago of building a community of LIS alumni would come to this - a vibrant and hopeful community of librarians, archivists, media specialists, teachers, professors and information professionals. I am humbled to be this year’s inducting officer and appreciative of the honor and respect received from my peers and colleagues today.

I raise my glass to Ate Nora Conti (+) whose leadership and mentorship steered us, the founding officers of PNULISAA, into the right direction during the alumni association’s early years. We will continue to make our Inang Guro proud!

We Never Walk Alone: Mentoring in Action

 

WeNeverWalkAlone_PNULISAA by zarah gagatiga

Webinar Type Session at PNULISAA Conference 2016

Here is a video I used as an introduction to my webinar during the PNULISSA Conference 2016.

The PPT I made that has a recording of my voice to narrate each slide is in the linkStriking the Balance Both the video and PPT were used yesterday for my session in the PNULISAA Conference. An online chat over at Hangouts to accommodate questions followed afterwards.

I thank the officers of PNULISAA for making this webinar possible. Tomorrow, I will post a "big reveal" as to why I opted for this format for my session.

Striking the Balance: The Changing Landscape of Collection Development

Filipino Librarians: The BSE Library Science Majors of PNU Batch 1994 (Part 1)

I graduated with a bachelors degree in Secondary Education at the Philippine Normal University in 1994. I majored in Library Science and picked as many English courses as my electives. Thanks to the big change. 

It was in the first semester of my sophomore year when the big change happened. From a state college, PNC transformed into a state university. I didn't feel and witness any educational reform or changes within the university except for a slight increase in tuition and matriculation fees. I remember paying 500 Php for my tuition and matriculation fees during the second semester that year until the scholarship came in junior year. Other than this, it was the individual enlistment ala-UP that was the most memorable.  

We are missing nine classmates here: Andrea Arcilla De Guzman, Helen Aripol Advincula, Galddys Addatu Florendo, Rowena Domingo, Myraflor Mayo Velasquez, Elvira de Luna Regio, Abigail Calinisan, Lourdes Barros and Nelson Immaculata 

I had classes with my co-majors and got mixed with other education majors in my batch. Needless to say, the BSE Library Science majors of my batch remained a tight group and we got to know other education majors in the batch. Class discussions on the GE subjects were more exciting. Major subjects were intense and focused. I had time for curricular activities and college organizations. I had a love life.

What didn't change was the way our LS professors taught us. They were punctual and persevering; patient and committed. Despite budget cuts and limited resources, they tried and strived to give their best. 

Early on we all knew our LS group was a minority. But, we also knew that a job awaited us after graduation. I am proud to say that my batch had two honor students and all fifteen of us have kept jobs to this day.

May nagbago ba?

When six of us met for a mini-reunion, it was just like college. Some things never change. People don't really change. I have not seen my batch mates in years. But when we met last week, time and distance didn't matter. It was like we have seen each other the previous week!

Amabel Sibug is our moral compass. She is based in Jordan, working in the Pontifical Library there, and thanks to social media, she manages to keep in touch. As a Teresiana, we get to be prayed over by her every night. No wonder we all turned up well despite ourselves. Loy Danila, our class cum laude, has been steady and stable all these years. She is working in the records department of one of the top companies in Makati. Malou Banlaygas remains to be a student of life. After years of working in a university library, she is still learning so much about life and love. 

Maji Dizon Dalisay, after her stint as university librarian in one of the top universities in Pampanga decided to become a full time mom. She is raising three lovely daughters and keeping home with her husband. That's a full time job to reckon. The choice of family life is worth it. Mean Jimenez Salvador is now pursuing a PhD and is continuing what her artist husband, Lirio Salvador, has started, a museum and art center in Cavite.

A journey is more meaningful with friends whom you can walk beside with.

As for me, well, here I am. Still telling stories.

Our mini-reunion was punctuated with a trekking expedition to Banal na Bundok, near the foot of Mt. Arayat. I don't know about them, but to me, it was an experience of going full circle. Was it only yesterday when we journeyed together in PNU? What were our battles then? How did college change us? How has life treated us? How did we respond? What are we now? Who are we? Who am I among my peers and friends?

I am proud to have walked with these wonderful people in my younger years. Now that we have achieved a little bit of something for ourselves, not just the job or the degree, but the knowledge that there exists goodness in the universe, I can say that I have never been alone. I have always belonged.

I went home that night feeling so blessed. I have nothing else to give the profession who made me who I am today but myself.

Throwback Thursday: PNULISSA Officers 2001

Can you spot me in this black and white scanned photo?

The Johanna Tacus Interview

Johanna Tacus, PNU alumna and top 7 in the recent board exam for librarians, opens up her heart and mind through this interview. She was PNU LISSAA's first scholar. 

a. What made you decide to take BS LIS in college?

My aunt is the chief librarian in our high school, and when she saw that I was an active member of the Book Lovers’ Club, she suggested that I take LIS, since I love books, and she also explained the many opportunities I can have after graduation. I also felt that this was the path that God wanted me to take, after prayerful consideration of all the courses that I was interested in.

b. Please provide me with a background of your current work.

I am currently unemployed, haha! I have applied at some libraries, and while waiting for their calls, I am volunteering to help put up the library in our church (St. Stephen’s Parish), which is easy to say but hard to do! There are so many books, and the theology ones are hard to catalog. By God’s strength, I hope to finish this soon and open the library to the members.

c. What is the most memorable experience you had in PNU taking up BS LIS?

I’d say it was our classes in cataloging, when we were tasked to make a scrapbook of catalog cards of different kinds of books. My classmates and I were comparing each other’s cards and laughing at how much red ballpen marks we got! Our professor (Prof. Marasigan) was laughing along with us too, but he encouraged us that we would get it after more practice. I remember the time he was teasing my classmate about her margins – sobrang laki ng spacing, puwedeng dumaan ang airplane dito oh!. The class was also sharing (really corny) jokes with him, but times like that are the moments that I enjoyed with my classmates.

d. Who are your librarian heroes? Or for this matter, any professional you idolize and hold with deep respect.

I would say that it’s Andrew Carnegie. I admire him because he became great even though he did not have proper schooling, he just learned by himself through reading books. (That is the kind of results that I want to achieve in our libraries: people becoming knowledgeable through the library collection.) Later on in life, he built up several public libraries and idealized that free libraries should be open to the public.

e. What does it mean for you to pass the licensure exams for LIS professionals and making it to the Top 10?

For me, this is another evidence of the grace of God, because I could not have done it without Him, and also, everyone close to me prayed about it (which I am very thankful for!) The very number which I placed in, 7, is a significant number in the Bible because it indicates wholeness. I am made whole because of God. That is enough for me to believe that this was His doing, and not my efforts. It also reassures me that I am capable, as the verse goes, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

f. Where do you see yourself specializing in - school, public, academic or corporate, law or medical, research or international librarianship?

I would love to stay in a school library, teaching reading and literacy to the kids. I would like to encourage them to have a habit of reading, show them that it’s fun to read and how important it is to be able to learn a lot through the library. But if not in the school, I would also be interested in medical or research, as it can contribute to all of our well-being if we are more informed and updated.

 g. What book have you read that has made a big mark in your life? A book that challenged your world view or changed your paradigm in life.

One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney. It’s a historical novel of Queen Esther from the Bible, and her life story is about how God has a plan for each of our lives, that He can turn what we call a tragedy into something great.

It is an honor to be included in your blog, thank you so much for this opportunity.

Make Your (Alma) Mater Proud

I lifted this out from Roderick Ramos' email. Roderick is currently the Vice President of the Philippine Normal University Library & Information Science Alumni Association (PNULISAA). It's been visible these days in the circle of library science events and happenings. Thanks to the untiring efforts of Roderick Ramos!

If you're a PNU LS or LIS alumnus, give back some love! Doesn't have to be enormous. A little goes a long way!

Ann is 3rd year 17 year-old LIS student this year. She said that she’s thankful that she can study and truly grateful for this scholarship. “With your help, I will finish college and in turn, help my family too. I promised myself that I will do my best. ”

“I believe in the Association’s noble objectives in realizing my dream to elevate the status and image of the profession by recruiting the best potential librarians imbued with good work values and high ethical standards.” From: PRC BFL Corazon Nera

PILLARS OF THIS YEARS’ SCHOLARSHIP OF PNU-LISAA, Inc.

Cayaban, Celedonia R. (DLSU,CSB)
Estigoy, Consuelo (ELJMC)
Ladlad, Jocelyn (DLSU)
Limpin, Placida Socorro (Australia)
Montejo, Estela (ADMU)
Nera, Corazon (PRC)

Pay Your Membership Now!

TOGETHER WE WILL ACHIEVE MORE! PNU-LISAA, Inc, a caring alumni group, calls on your support to help achieve goals, of providing each and everyone wonderful experiences of professional growth, lifelong learning, camaraderie and fellowship.

GIVE TO PNU-LISAA, INC.

Renew your membership now: fill up an application form, pay only P150.00 to any of our officers and ask for an official receipt, or, send your fees through
Banco de Oro with Savings Account Number 470378972 under the Account Name: Philippine Normal University Library and Information Science Alumni Assn. (PNU-LISAA), Inc. and keep a copy of the deposit slip for the release of the OR.

If you want to share a gift, you can speak and discuss this with our advisers:
Mrs. Evelyn P. Nabus, , and Prof. Ruben P. Marasigan at
302-7717. Thank you for your support.

Forthcoming activity of the Association is a forum with a general assembly in December. For inquiries including membership, e-mail ramospnulisaa@yahoo.com, text @ 09187318010 or leave a message @ 302-7717.