AKLATAN KO’Y KANLUNGAN: Fostering inclusive, diverse and safe spaces in school libraries (2 of 2)

Taking off where we last had a review of the slide presentations on the Aklatan Ko'y Kanlungan is this rubric. May this be your guide and tool to evaluate programs and services that foster and promote inclusive, diverse and safe spaces in school libraries. 

Rubric for Evaluating Safe Space, Inclusive, and Diverse Library Programs and Services 

1. Collection Diversity

Excellent (4 points): The library's collection is highly diverse, representing a wide range of cultures, perspectives, and experiences across various formats (books, ebooks, audiobooks, films, etc.). It includes materials from diverse ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations, actively promoting inclusivity. 

Good (3 points): The collection is fairly diverse, with a noticeable representation of different cultures and perspectives, although there may be some gaps in coverage or depth. 

Fair (2 points): The collection shows some effort towards diversity but lacks sufficient representation across all dimensions. There are notable gaps that limit inclusivity. 

Poor (1 point): The collection is limited in diversity, with minimal representation of cultures, perspectives, and experiences beyond mainstream offerings. 

 2. Multilingual Resources 

Excellent (4 points): The library provides extensive resources in multiple languages, including books, newspapers, magazines, and online materials, effectively meeting diverse language needs within the community. 

Good (3 points): There are substantial multilingual resources available, although there may be some gaps in specific languages or types of materials. 

Fair (2 points): The library offers limited multilingual resources, addressing only basic language needs of the community. 

Poor (1 point): Multilingual resources are severely lacking, failing to meet diverse language needs effectively. 

3. Programming 

Excellent (4 points): The library organizes a robust calendar of events, workshops, and activities that celebrate various cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Programs are well-attended and engage a broad cross-section of the community. 

Good (3 points): Programming includes a variety of events that promote cultural diversity and inclusion, although there may be room for improvement in audience reach or thematic breadth. 

Fair (2 points): The library offers some programming related to multiculturalism and diversity but lacks consistency or depth in engagement. 

Poor (1 point): Programming related to diversity and inclusion is minimal or absent, reflecting a lack of effort in fostering cultural awareness and understanding. 

 4. Accessibility 

Excellent (4 points): The library is fully accessible to people with disabilities, with comprehensive facilities such as ramps, elevators, designated parking, and appropriate signage. Materials are available in various accessible formats. 

Good (3 points): Accessibility features are generally well-implemented, though there may be minor gaps or occasional maintenance issues. 

Fair (2 points): The library has some accessibility features but lacks consistency or completeness in implementation. 

1-5 points: Poor - The library's efforts in creating a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment are minimal or ineffective, requiring substantial changes to meet community needs. This rubric provides a structured approach to assessing how well a library integrates principles of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility into its programs and services, ultimately aiming to create a welcoming space for all patrons. 

 Note: This rubric is created with the assistance of AI.

AKLATAN KO’Y KANLUNGAN: Fostering inclusive, diverse and safe spaces in school libraries (1 of 2)

It's been a month since I talked about the Aklatan Koy'y Kanlungan (AKK)Campaign at the PASLI National Conference in Saint Louis University, Baguio. It is always good to look back and chart progress, or the lack of it. So, I'm posting the slides that show principles and aspects of inclusive, diverse and safe school libraries. 

These principles bleed into the AKK Campaign. 

 You can approach the planning and design of services and programs by considering these aspects: 

 1. Collection diversity: Ensure that the library's collection represents a wide range of cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Include books, ebooks, audiobooks, films, and other media from different ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. 

 2. Multilingual resources: Have materials available in different languages to cater to the diverse language needs of the community. Offer books, newspapers, magazines, and online resources in multiple languages. 

 3. Programming: Organize events, workshops, and activities that celebrate different cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Collaborate with local community groups to encourage participation and representation from diverse backgrounds. Cover topics like multicultural literature, equity, and social justice. 

 4. Accessibility: Make sure the library is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Provide ramps, elevators, designated parking spaces, and adequate signage. Additionally, offer materials in formats suitable for different needs, such as large-print books, audiobooks, and digital text-to-speech options. 

 5. Staff training: Provide training for library staff to be aware of and sensitive to issues of diversity and inclusion. Educate them on unconscious biases, cultural competency, and respectful communication to ensure a welcoming environment for all library users. 

 6. Outreach: Actively engage with diverse communities through targeted outreach efforts. Attend community events, partner with local organizations, and use various communication channels to promote library services and programs to underrepresented populations. 

 7. Feedback and evaluation: Regularly seek input from library users to identify areas for improvement and measure the success of diversity and inclusion initiatives. Conduct surveys, focus groups, or gather feedback through comment cards to understand community needs and preferences better.

AKK Campaign Guide_2023 by zarah gagatiga

The 42nd National Conference of PASLI: “IntenZfied School Libraries: Fostering Diversity and Inclusivity”

 

PASLICon2024_Program_rev1 by zarah gagatiga

PASLI Statement: School Libraries Are Essential

This is the draft statement of the Philippine Association of School Librarians on the relevance of school libraries and the valuable role of school librarians especially in the time of pandemic.

As school leaders, teachers and parents prepare for the opening of school year 2020-2021 under the circumstances surrounding the country and the world, webinars and varied literature and media that lend advise, guides, protocols and support for the transition to Blended Learning are in abundance. The DepEd has identified different ways for which learning can be delivered in this time of COVID-19 namely, Home Based Learning, Online Learning, Flexible Learning or a combination of all three into a Blended Learning approach. Whichever the parent or the school chose to facilitate the continuity of learning, school librarians play a relevant role in this experience of continued growth and development of children, the parents who care for them and the professionals who teach and mentor. It is at this time of crisis and unprecedented challenges when the expertise of school librarians is essentially needed by learning communities.

The Philippine Association of School Librarians (PASLI) holds the position by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) that the school library provides information and ideas that are fundamental to functioning successfully in today's information and knowledge-based society. The school library equips students with life-long learning skills and develops the imagination, enabling them to live as responsible citizens (School Library Manifesto 2006). The association further believes that, being licensed professionals, school librarians are the qualified personnel to actualize the ideals stated above by the IFLA as mandated by law under the Philippine Librarianship Act of 2004 also known as RA 9246. Furthermore, the School Library Guidelines of the Department of Education (2011) stipulates the specific duties, financial support and requirements in resource, media and collection development for school libraries that school librarians are bound to adopt and adapt as dictated by the context of their learning communities. 

PASLI advocates and asserts these identities of the school library.

• The school library is an institution of human rights, specifically, children’s rights.
• The school library is an agency of lifelong learning.
• The school library is a learning commons for the growth and development of human capital.
• The school library is an essential social infrastructure, but in the “new normal” it has demonstrated that social infrastructure extends to online social infrastructure as well.
• The school library bridges the digital divide.
• The school library is a safe space.
• The school library promotes inclusivity and diversity.
• The school library recognizes mutliculturalism and multimodal learning.
• The library is a universal classroom with resources and programs online to support K-12 education, distance learning, workforce skills, and much more.

School librarians assume varied roles such as a manager of information systems and structures of thinking, a reading and literacy advocate, a teacher and mentor, a counselor, a confidant to colleagues and a community developer. These identities and roles are espoused and endorsed by PASLI so that school librarians have an anchor of principles when designing and implementing programs and services in the new normal. It is highly recommended for school librarians to communicate this position, the identities and roles presented in this statement to school leaders, teachers, parents and partners in the formation and learning of children and young people.

References

The School Library in Teaching and Learning for All. IFLA 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2020 https://archive.ifla.org/VII/s11/pubs/manifest.htm

The Philippine Librarianship Act of 2004 RA 9246 . The LawPhil Porject. Arellano Law Foundation. 2020 Retrieved June 10, 2020 https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2004/ra_9246_2004.html

Retrieved from Planning for Libraries Communications during COVID-19 https://www.tsl.texas.gov/sites/default/files/public/tslac/ld/workshops/webinars/COVID/TSLAC_COVID_Communications_for_Libraries_Resource.pdf

Prepared by PASLI Officers 2019-2021 / Version 1

June 17, 2020 

Open for Learning: On PAASCU Visits and Accreditation

The PAASCU Team who was invited at Manresa School

 Last February 6-7, 2017, I was part of the PAASCU accrediting team that was invited by Manresa School to evaluate their self-survey and analysis in the aims of improving their school's academic pursuits and students services. I was there to look into the school's report on their Instructional Media Center, find out the extent of implementation of the previous PAASCU team's recommendations, and discover new things about school librarianship in general as well as specific best features of the school library being accredited.

The Manresa School Library in the grade school unit has an impressive space and physical design of its reading areas and storytelling rooms. The library staff are very welcoming and their commitment to providing the best school library services to students and faculty is evident in their reading campaigns and promotions. The school, in general, has a vibrant student body and a teaching force that is young and eager to learn.

While many see the visit as an ascension of gods and goddesses, we, the accrediting team emphasize in every interview the role we play in the whole exercise. We are colleagues excited to be engaged in the validation of best practices, We are partners in conversations with educators, just like us, who strive to be better at this craft we call teaching. After every PAASCU visit, I always have "take-aways". Here is a link where I write about Insights from a PAASCU Visit in De La Salle Zobel.

This time, I left Manresa School with these questions in my mind: How can school librarians support the reading development of students transitioning from K-3 to middle grades? How can school librarians firm up his and her role in the teaching and learning processes of a school community?

These two questions are not unique from my PAASCU experience in Manresa School. Somewhere, sometime, an answer to these questions can be found. For now, I am keeping tab of these thoughts.

Is your school library "open for learning"?

I have written about my experiences in previous PAASCU accreditations. Working in a big school previously, PAASCU visits are big events, indeed! How everyone in the community prepares for it!  Death by PAASCU is a humorous take on the PAASCU preparations. PAASCU work is not a one year deal. The recommendations to work on are starting points for conversations, reflections and the identification of courses of actions that should not be seen as a way to please PAASCU. But a plan to inform one's self and the school community that it is fulfilling its mission and goals.

I now think of the relevance of PAASCU visits. For one, it is service. We get very little but the joy of learning from one another. Back in 2009, I have received the Fr. James Meany Award for my involvement as accreditor since 2003. I have been called to participate in the evaluation of PAASCU forms and systems. In 2008, the PAASCU office called for a Consultation and Revision of the GS Resurvey Form. We have been using the revised form since then.

In the field of education, a system of assessment and evaluation among peers is a healthy exercise towards a learning community's path to growth and development.

We never stop learning. It is a lifelong process. PAASCU always teaches me that and reminds me that I need to hold my truth lightly in my hands because, wisdom and knowledge do not spring from one source alone.

AKLATAN 2015 Workshop

PPT: Philippine School Libraries Today Bridging Gaps! Crossing the Divide!

My PPT for the workshop today. Thank you to the DepEd Library Hub people; To Myra Ortega and Elinor Hemedes; Troy Lacsamana of the Quezon City Public Library; The Quezon Province Library Hub; Neni Sta. Romana Cruz of the NBDB; and to friends in the profession who provided inspiration and information!

School Librarians as Literacy Leaders: Abstract

This is the abstract of my paper that got accepted in the 6th Rizal Library International Conference.

Dr. Ed Fermin on Role of Information Specialist

And so the PASLI Forum ended at past 12:00 noon with Dr. Edison Fermin's lecture on the role of the Information Specialist in the K-12 curriculum. He was such an engaging speaker. He exuded confidence the moment he took the mic. Stand and deliver, he did! He's a seasoned resource speaker as evidenced in his PowerPoint presentation and delivery.

As I listened to him, I thought, "You have to be really smart to get his jokes. You need to be a good sport to access his humor, secure enough at yourself that you can laugh at the truths he uncovered about traditional librarian image." Not many school administrators support their school librarians the way Dr. Fermin does. He should be invited to many seminars and fora for school librarians and administrators.

In his lecture, he simply posed three questions:

a. Who may be considered as information specialist?

b. Why is K-12 program worthy of the attention of information specialist?

c. How can the K-12 to program succeed with the help of info specialist?

He provided all the answers and participants were apt listeners. In a nutshell, Dr. Fermin emphasized the need for librarians to break out of the stereotypical roles and assume proactive roles that are tuned to the times, especially, in servicing digital natives of the 21st century. Information specialists (librarians, in traditional terminology) are very much needed in the K-12 curriculum because information to develop it is in their hands. The teaching of study skills identified from K-12 is no longer the sole responsibility of the teacher, but a shared learning experience that Information specialists and teachers design for students. Information specialists are called upon to be effective library managers, collaborators and communicators of information and knowledge, and instructional technologists.

This is not new stuff for me, but I need to be reminded once in a while since staying in the status quo cab be unhealthy. I liked the localized curriculum because I believe it is one strategy to achieve global mindedness. Overall, the forum was a success because it showed school librarians the scenario of the K-12 curriculum from the top. It will take a brilliant middle management to set strategies for its implementation in the ranks.

Congratulations to PASLI for a successful forum!

Live Blogging: PASLI Forum K-12 Curriculum

The PASLI Forum on K-12 Curriculum at Miriam College is well attended by school librarians from public and private schools. There are also a number of teachers from both sectors who found the forum helpful. Dr. Giron gave a brief but substantial presentation of the K-12 curriculum. Some highlights I took note of while listening to her talk:

Dr. Giron: the vision of K-12 curriculum is to produce holistically developed Filipinos who have 21st century skills and are prepared for higher education, middle-level skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Giron: The role of the school librarian permeates in all aspect of the Filipino graduate: IT and Media Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, Effective Communication Skills, Life and Career Skills.

Dr. Giron: The K-12 basic ed curriculum is enhanced following the spiral progression approach.

Dr. Giron: Kindergarten under K to 3 is adopting MTB - mother tongue-based multilingual education.

Implications of the K-12 curriculum to school librarians: librarians are expected to be the information specialist in the school; helping students navigate the information landscape.

Dr. Giron: Get ready with your LIBratory! Librarians MUST teach!

In light of the K-12 curriculum, school librarians MUST bridge the digital divide among students, teachers, administrators, and the learning community at large.

Dr. Giron: Consider new ways of promoting reading; seek your professional development that will help you grow even if your school doe snot provide for your expenses.

Dr. Giron: Help our K-12 Curriculum succeed!

Dr. Ed Fermin begins his talk on the Role of the Information Specialist in the K-12 Curriculum.

Live Blogging: IASL Regional Conference Flight to Bacolod

Joseph Marmol-Yap & Grace Bansig

I'm here now at PAL Terminal 2, waiting for boarding  to my flight to Bacolod. With me are other resource speakers of the conference: Eric Ramos and Joseph Marmol-Yap of DLSU Taft; DLS Zobel librarians, Grace Bansig, Darrel Marco and Rodora Espiritu, Venus Ibarra from St. Louis University and Joy Nera of Assumption College, SanLo.

It's going to be an exciting trip likewise, an interesting conference to be! We're catching up and each other's lives. It's a small industry, you see. Every body knows everybody and at this point, we're just having fun!

More live blogging post in the next three days.

PASLI Forum: The K-12 Curriculum and the School Library

This is the kind of initiative that elicits results, if not, discussion points that would stir Philippine school librarians into proactive thought and action. Hopefully.

Good job, Jude Gorospe and PASLI for carving a time and venue to talk about school libraries and K-12 Curriculum.

The Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc. (PASLI) wishes
to invite school administrators, school librarians and teachers in
charge of school libraries to the half-day forum on the theme: "The
Kto12 Curriculum and the School Library" on May 18, 2012 from 7:00am
to 12:00pm at Miriam College High School in Katipunan Road, Loyola
Heights, Quezon City.

Registration fee of Php500.00 covers forum kit, handouts, am snack,
lunch and access to the 2 sessions. Reservation is required to join
the forum. Only the first 100 reservations will be accommodated.

Topics:

Session 1: The Kto12 Curriculum Framework
by: Dr. Paraluman Giron, DepEd consultant for Kto12 Curriculum and
former director of DepEd Region 4A.

Session 2: The Role of the Information Specialist in the Kto12
Curriculum
by: Dr. Edizon A. Fermin, Miriam College High School Principal. He
has worked with national committees in preparation for Kto12
Curriculum.

Venting

Yes. I have been amiss in the blogosphere for days. I have been busy -- very busy. Suffice it to say that I have been getting a life that is removed from the virtual world. Or so I think. Hahaha. Who am I kidding?

Seriously now, I have been to a bit of an adventure. Well, it's more like a journey that is both internal and external. My visit to four schools in Tanauan, Batangas a few days back has affected me greatly on many levels. I'm still reeling from what I saw and witnessed there. Nothing earthshaking as compared to the quake and tsunami in Japan. But the experience was enough to break my heart over and over again.

Sugar cane field being prepared for planting season.

Among the four schools I visited, only two schools have identified a room that functions as a library. These reading rooms have textbooks, very old textbooks that date back to the 70's. All of the four schools have kindergarten classrooms where local picture books and storybooks are housed. The books stay there until it is worn out or yellow all over. The grade school classrooms do not have classroom libraries but shelves lined up with textbooks. In my conversation with teachers and head of schools, even the delivery of textbooks is a problem. For example, a district has ten schools and one thousand textbooks arrive. These instructional materials will be divided equally to the ten schools. On the average, each school has a population of two hundred. How many textbooks will each school have? Do the math for me please.

This book about Marcos is inside the reading room in one of the elementary schools I visited.

I did not dare ask obvious questions. I already know the answers. And I did not ask for the librarian. I know where the licensed librarians are.

I thought we had it tough and rough in the National Capitol Region when it comes to public school library development. I was wrong. It's worse in the rural area.

Library stack room. Indeed.

If it's any consolation, it is the resilience of the teachers, head of schools and district supervisors in the region that gives me hope. They battle it out everyday, every week, every month and every school year.  They muster whatever skill they have on sharing, building linkages and being resourceful so that the kids they teach would not be deprived of their right to education. They won't give up. Really. But they need all the help they can get.

I just could not give up on them.

School Library Development at the Grassroots

Sambat Trust, a UK Charity, has been involved in the development of school libraries in Tanauan, Batangas. Since 2007, it has successfully set up four libraries in the following schools: Sambat Elementary School, Talaga Elementary School, Santor Elementary School and Banadero Elementary School. Its current project is the development of the Wawa Elementary school library.

Alongside the renovation of the physical library, its collection of books for instruction and pleasure reading is in the works. To start off, a good set of Filipiniana books is in review for acquisition. For its general collection, the UK based charity is partnering with Scholastic Philippines to further beef up the school library's book collection. As a prelimenary step to this endeavor, a reader's needs survey is being formulated for teachers and students, the primary users of the school library.

Insite these efforts, donations are welcome! Reply to this post if interested or send an email via zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com.

Libraries, Librarians and Some Politics

I am running a four day web enhanced teaching seminar for Phoenix Educational Systems this week and it pleases me to see librarians from schools and public libraries in attendance.

I am seated beside Madame Teresita Osorio, Chief Librarian of the Pasig City Library and Discovery Centrum. Call it serendipitous since I meant to do storytelling sessions in the library's Children's Section.

Apart from connecting with "my kind", I got news from the Pasig librarians that Mayor Bobby Eusebio has been very busy building the barangays in Pasig. Madame Teresita Osorio actually came from judging a contest for model barangay libraries in the city. Some good news. A quick bat of an eyelash and soon it's 2010.

Best of SLIA 2006

This collection of posts in this blog from 2006 is long overdue. Finally I found the time to edit and post them up. Better last than never, so they say. On the other hand, I'm glad to discover that I have kept the focus of this blog's topics according to its original direction.

Library Activities
Learning Extended
Opened Doors
Graphic Novels In The School Library

PowerPoints: Literacy Development
Creating Classroom Libraries

Information Literacy (IL)
Updates on Information Literacy
Lesson Plan on IL
IL at the School Level
The Impetus for IL
IL Skills

Book reviews & Philippine Children’s Literature
Evaluating Folk Tales for Children
Eco-Environment Stories
The Librarian From Black Lagoon

Philippine School Libraries & Librarianship
Student Services vs. Academic Program
Perceptions, Philosophy and Paradigms
More on Philosophy & Paradigm
Helping Libraries
Boys In The Library
How Do I Destroy Thee?
My Librarian Heroes

IT Integration
Blogs As Teaching Tools
Full Paper: Blogs As Teaching Tools