Librarians Leading & Collaborating for a Reading Culture

My two sessions on the importance of Reading in a Digital World ended this afternoon. The participants had a workshop on the IFLA Internet Manifesto right after lunch. They read through the document and discussed programs and services in the library that they've been implementing. These had to be in congruent to the manifesto. The output of each group was given back to Ms. Evelyn Nabus and Mrs. Susima Gonzales. It will be part of the feedback document that PLAI will send to IFLA.



There was a good number of male librarians in the audience. I particularly asked them to report for the group. What's noticeable though was the different stages and levels of library needs and problems that participants brought up in the open. Some librarians are still in conceptualization stage of adapting Internet services. Most have set up Internet stations in their libraries. The expected issues on budget and staffing, constraints in time and support from the administration cropped up. To this, I had to segue to optimism and leadership skills. Problems will remain problems unless acted upon.



There are also non-librarians in the group who were assigned library duties. Sir Egay Castillo of Cebu is one. He's very willing to learn on the job though. His enthusiasm is contagious! Here's wishing him all the luck he needs in running the public library in Cebu.



Will be posting more photos and some output from the groups during the first session.

Live Blogging: Librarians Leading & Collaborating for a Reading Culture

Vigan is beautiful. The sky is gray, but Hotel Salcedo is an impressive venue for the conference sponsored by the Philippine Public Librarians League, Inc.

It's Day 2 of the conference and I will be discussing reading and its importance in the digital age. I will also be presenting and workshopping the IFLA Internet Manifesto. The wifi is working well at the second floor and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the same in the conference hall. I will depend heavily on online resources for my presentation apart from the PowerPoint I've prepared. Atty. Andrea Pasion-Flores of the National Book Development Board, will also be in the conference to speak about the status of reading in the country.

Will continue posting for updates.

Workshops! Wheeee!

A week before Ondoy, I was in Baguio with the Philippine Public Librarians League, Inc. (PPLLI). There I gave a seminar-workshop on Children's and Young Adult Library Services. Our public librarians are carrying on despite limitations in funding and resources. It was inevitable to talk about the limitations but thanks to public librarians who've shown tenacity and leadership in the face of adversaries. They were able to inspire others with projects that they were able to implement.

What struck me from their sharing was their focused and practical approach to planning and implementing programs and services for children. It's a one-day-at-a-time technique for them. Coming from the big school set up, this was all something new to me. In the big school we plan in years --three years to five years planning with in between assessment and evaluation.

Yesterday, I was with the PLAI-STRLC for a seminar-workshop on bloggig. They are a social and congenial bunch of librarians, I tell you. Plus, I find the council's networking skills effective and efficient. From stories shared in the long table, the officers boasted of a well represented council. They only need to search and spot for a librarian from Romblon to fully complete the roster.

Their output on blog evaluation, they reviewed Von's blog and their council's, was inspiring since they're positive to explore blogging to render an improved reader's services in their own libraries.

And now, here I am at Phoenix Educational Systems, Inc. wrapping up a workshop entitled, I'm A Librarian. Hear me ROAR! Will blog about it next!