Be Heard! Be a Blogger!

I will be giving a talk on blogs and blogging tomorrow at the University of Perpetual Help, Binan. I will use this video as one of my resources.

Meme: Liebster Award

I accept C8's nomination! 

Here are the questions she posted in her Reading Good Books, for this meme. 

1. If you are moving to a fictional world – either found in books or screen – where will you choose to settle and why?

Hogwarts. Hermione doesn't deserve a vulture like Madam Pince as librarian. Though JK Rowling expressed her reason why she made her an irritable character, I still think teens need a librarian who can work with them and meet their needs.

2. If you can change the ending of a particular book, which one is it and how will you change it?

Eleanor and Park. Well, I won't change the ending, but I'll have an epilogue for Eleanor and Park. Like, ten years after they parted ways (SPOILER!) they meet again and fall madly in love. But... I'm a true blue romantic so it won't be easy for Park, especially.

3. How long do you think you’ll last in The Hunger Games?

Hahaha! I will find a way to cheat my way out before the games even begin!

4. Browse your own blog.  Now, post a link to your favorite post that you wrote.

Hmm… this is tough. Pass. I will get back to this item.

5. Can you recommend other blogs – book-related or not – that I should be reading?

Oh dear. I have not been blog hopping in recent years. The Filipino bloggers I followed back in the early 2000s have all gave up on blogging and migrated to social media. Tsk. See how technology changes the web content creation game?

6. Have you purchased a book just because you saw your idol holding/reading it?  (I have. Many times.)

No. I get recommendations from friends, students, my kids and people in my reading circle.

7. You’re meeting your favorite celebrity.  Autograph or picture?  Pick just one, can’t be both.

Picture! I love selfies with popular peeps.

8. What is your fantasy dream cast for [insert book-to-movie here]?  (Even if a movie exists for that book already.)

I dream of seeing Cumberbatch and Martin do a movie version of Sherlock.

9. What is your stand in the ever-changing debate of… “the printed word vs digital books”?

It should be "the printed word AND digital books". The reading experience doesn't change. Comprehension is not affected by the format of technology used for reading. But, different cognitive functions come into play when our brains encounter print materials and digital books. Our brains need both and we need to seamlessly transition from one media to another. It's a matter of training the brain.

10. Name a book and/or movie that you and your mother both love.

ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Now this answer dates me.

11.  Why are you following/reading my blog?  For whatever reason, THANK YOU!

Because you tagged me! Thank you!

SLIA Hits Top 35 Yesterday!

SLIA's First Post for Each Month of 2013

Keeping up with a blogging tradition, here are my first post for each month of 2013 with the first sentence of every post.

January: Happy New Year

February: I am starting February with a featured author, Ms. Becky-Santos Gerodias.

March: My, how time flies.

April: PASLI Summer Conference 2013

May: After wrapping up A Tale of Two Dreams with Bernadette Solina Wolf and sending the revised book dummy back to the press, Jomike Tejido posted a spread of our book project, My Daddy, My One and Only!

June: The 30th National Children's Book Day

July: A CURIOUS BUFFET Ang I.N.K. Group Exhibit

August: I gave a "homework" to participants of the seminar-workshop on Information Literacy (IL) sponsored and hosted by MUNPARLAS last July 19, 2013.

September: Audrey Anday has been a librarian for fourteen years now.

October: In my visit to three public schools in Batangas last weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting two teachers who are in charge of the distribution of Library Hub books.

November: November is National Books and Library and Information Services Month.

December: During the NCBD, you both said that your parents allowed you to write (MJ) and draw (Dom) at home.

This was a meme I got tagged when I started this out a few years back. So, I am tagging three bloggers: Xi Zuq, Tarie Sabido and Honey de Peralta

Featured Filipino Librarians 2009 - 2012

Starting this year, I'll be featuring Filipino Librarians more consistently in this blog. In the past, I have written about Filipino Librarians, the work they do and the libraries they manage. The objective, at the time, was to promote librarianship and to break the traditional librarian stereotype. For 2013, readers of the blog will read about sixteen  dynamic and multi-faceted Filipino Librarians! I will not name them yet for I wish this to be a surprise.

Before I plunge into the project full steam, allow me to review the Filipino Librarians I've featured in the blog in the past three years ca. 2009 - 2012. Feel free to click the links and you will discover that librarians are far from the one dimensional stereotype that media and pop culture portray them to be.

Hermie Salazar, January 2009

Mercy Servida, August 2009

Lillian Liberty Elanzano-Ventura, November 2009

Cora Nera, February 2010

Romy Sebastian, August 2010

Mary Ann Jimenez-Salvador. April 2011

Jocelyn Ladlad, June 2011

Salvacion Dimzon, September 2011

Jude Gorospe, March 2012

Rosal Yniguez Bulaong

Apart from them, I invited many Filipino Librarians to share their reading list and library stories in previous blog projects. More of these links on fantastic Filipino Librarians in the coming weeks!

SLIA: First Monthly Post 2012

The blog in review of 2012: first post per month and the first sentence of the post. I posted a video in January, a poster in July and a photo in December so, no first sentences.

January - Libraries and Transliteracy

February - Break the Stereotype

Two posts from librarian friends made it to the blog last month in response to the Challenge of the Year: Break the Stereotype. Peachy Limpin and Ann Rosette Crelencia shared a piece of their mind on the topic.

March - World Read Aloud Day 2012

I read aloud to my kids when they were younger.

April - Libraries and Librarians Making an Impact

This is a carry over from my interview in the Mania Bulletin last 24 March 2012.

May - Tandem Telling: Juan Tamad and the Rice Pot

The Regional Conference on School Librarianship: Directions for the Future of School Libraries in Bacolod was, indeed, a memorable conference. 

June- Bibliotherapy @ the SAS Gurong Kaakbay Conference

It's Day 3 of the SAS Gurong Kaakbay Pilipinas Conference at the Science Education Complex, ADMU.

July - NCBD 2012 Poster

August - Call for Entries: Salanga Prize 2013

The 29th NCBD and the 2md Best Reads NCBA have been recently concluded. 

September - My Life as a Librarian

Finally. I am now able to answer the set of questions sent by Mr. Egipto of St. Louis University.

October - Librarians Role in Children's Library Services

I just came home from the National Library of the Philippines. 

November - Jose Aruego and Albert Gamos Tributes

Last September, the UP College of Education Reading Department, otherwise known as REGALE, conducted the annual MILES, Manhit Institute of Language Education Seminar series, in honor of Jose Aruego and Albert Gamos, two dearly departed Filipino illustrators for children. The tribute is in part of the Weavers of Magic forum of MILES.

December - Christmas Reading Table

Book Reviews in Review 2012

I promised to do more book reviews in 2012 for this blog. Apart from reviews, I'm including book recommendations in the list. As a year-ender the links list would, more or less, show how I fared.

The Best of Chico, Delamar and Gino Top Ten - Book 2

Graphic Novels Review

Teen Read Week

Kwentillon

Filipino Friday

Serendipity Market

The Best of Chico and Delamar Top Ten - Book 1

Books to Movies Adaptation

It looks like I need to do more book reviews for 2013.

SLIA: First Monthly Posts

In keeping with a blogging tradition, here are monthly first posts from December 2011 to January 2011, along with first lines from each post.

December 2011 - Reading List for Teens: Just today I finished putting together a list of recommended reads for teens.

November 2011 - Picture Book Month: Picture books are for all ages!

October 2011 - 19th Children's Month @ the NLP - Photos from the Opening Ceremonies of the 19th Children's Month at the National Library of the Philippines.

September 2011 KISS Bookreview - I have been reading.

August 2011 Books for My Birtrhday - August is my birthday month.

July 2011 Lolo Jose: Nagbabasa, Binabasa - It is July and the PBBY will spearhead the celebration of National Children's Book Day on 19 July 2011.

June 2011 Filipino Librarian: Jocelyn Ladlad - While in Baguio for a conference last month, I was billeted in a cottage located at Teachers Camp.

May 2011 Repairing and Restoring the Noli and the El Fili - The Germans! They are here!

April 2011 Tales From the 7,000 Isles Book Cover

March 2011 On the Wings of Literacy - Been riding on the wings of literacy the past few weeks and here are some pics to share with you!

February 2011 Loving Books and Libraries in the Time of ICT - January is done.

January 2011 The Games We Play: RPG Metanoia Movie Review - You know you've seen a good movie when you talk about it with great interest hours after having watched it.

Some Blogging Success

Just a note to share with my readers.

This September, the blog has been presented with opportunities for growth and networking. Neal-Schuman sent a press release of a new book on 21st Century Literacy which found its way in the blog. Artspace of New Haven Connecticut has invited me to contribute in an online exhibit on personal libraries and top shelf reads. More on that in the coming months. Yeng Remulla, writer of Productive Pinoy has sent me a copy of his book for review. I am reading it at the moment and, of course, will blog about it before the month ends.

Lastly, the blog got another paid link ad. Check the Network and Connection feature at the left and there you'll find the link!

Some indicators of blogging success. I'm one little happy blograrian these days!

Filipino Friday: The Pinoy Book Reader

August 26 - How hard or easy is it to be a book lover in the Philippines? What are some of your frustrations as a Filipino reader (e.g. availability of books)? What are positive aspects of being a reader based in the Philippines (e.g. book prices are lower here than they are abroad)?

As far as my experience goes, access and availability of books has always been easy for me because I work in a library and I have good connections in the publishing industry. The nature of my work has allowed me easier access to books I want to read in print and online formats.

What I am frustrated about is the divide that exist between those who have access to and those who do not have access to books and reading materials. It seems, in this day and age, despite the advances in technology, reading and materials are available only to those who can afford it. Perhaps, it is time, with the ReaderCon marching around the corner, to consider translating a hobby into an advocacy.

I love books and reading so much that I would like to share this love to others. And this love stretches outside my family home and the reading communities I belong to. By actively participating in projects that foster the love of reading and the establishment of school libraries and literacy centers, my frustration turns to satisfaction. A Pinoy Book Reader can make a bit of a difference.

Filipino Friday Meme Topics

So that I will always remember.

The topics are:

August 12 - Introduction. Tell us everything that we need to know about you as a Filipino reader. You can talk about the genres that you read, your favorite authors, your comfort reads and your best books of 2011. You can also include links of where other readers can find you online: blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.

August 19 - How did you become a reader? What factors influenced you to take up reading as a hobby and why do you enjoy it so much?

August 26 - How hard or easy is it to be a book lover in the Philippines? What are some of your frustrations as a Filipino reader (e.g. availability of books)? What are positive aspects of being a reader based in the Philippines (e.g. book prices are lower here than they are abroad)?

September 2 - Do you read Filipino literature? If yes, what are some books by Filipino authors that you can recommend to fellow readers?

September 9 - What do you hope will happen in the Filipino ReaderCon? What are you expecting from the event?

Visit the website. Click the link!

SLIA 2010: Year End Round Up of Blog Posts

Keeping up with a blogging tradition at every year's end, here are the first post from December to January 2010 and the first sentence on each.

December - Book Week and Library and Information Services Month came to pass.

November - November is here.

October Wordless post

September - Our letter sender for this month's Dear Librarian post came from Augie Ebreo of the University of Batangas.

August  - Paolo Chikiamco, writer and blogger, is posting a series of my interview via his blog, Rocket Kapre.

July - Posted a video of Noel Cabangon singing Ako'y Isang Mabuting Pilipino

May  - In the afternoon of April 29, 2010, Dir. David and I went on a city tour of Puerto Princesa.

April - I got a wonderful email from Peter Tobey of Salem Press.

March - I had the wonderful experience of presenting to a group of scientists and science educators an overview of Philippine Children's Literature.

February - Paper Tigers is in the process of selecting books for children that will be donated to places around the world where the need is great.

January - 2009 was a breakthrough year for me as a blogger.

What Does a Librarian Make?

For the first time, a Filipino author remembers with fondness a librarian who was influential, in part, for shaping her world to the wonder of words. Candy Gourlay writes about Ms. Evelyn Diaz, her grade school librarian in relation to her being nominated a Carnegie Medal.

Head on to Candy Gourlay's blog, read her post on her favorite librarian and win a prize along the way.

Blog Discoveries

Delighted to discover the blogs of The Busy Librarian and I am Demigod Librarian.

Click the links and find out for yourself why it is such a delight to read them!

PBBY Blog

Yup.

Finally.

PBBY blogs.

SLIA's Reply to Public School Librarian In Koronadal City

Madame Fe Angela Verzosa gave a verbose but inspiring message to our letter sender, Arvin Tejada of Koronadal City. Allow me to say my piece as another Dear Librarian series draws to a close. I'm a believer of sweet and short things, so here goes --

Dear Arvin,

Thanks for reading my blog. I'm motivated to continue blogging every time I get feedback like yours. It's amazing how this medium can bridge distances and fill gaps. On top of this, blogs and the act of blogging has allowed us to inspire each other.

And that's my reply to you -- keep inspiring people and keep your self inspired. I have seen many young librarians lose steam on the job. I myself experienced burn out sometime ago. It's a natural cycle, I suppose. But when you know your passion it becomes your mission. In the end you will realize that life has rewarded you because you followed your heart desire.

Good luck to you and to the endeavors you've planned with your colleagues. As you said in Facebook, it's for the love of the hub!

Best,

Ms. Zarah

Link Love

Found out something simply great today! The post on an Information Literacy class I did a few years back got linked in Schoollibs.

I suddenly longed to work in a school library again.

Hi-FIVE!

It's my blog's birthday!

And it's five years old, not six as posted last week. Thanks to Von Totanes who has a better sense of time.

On it's fifth year, SLIA will feature and re-feature more interesting articles and blog posts in this side of the blogosphere. There's even a contest for avid readers and the curious first timer. So drop me a comment or an email for your questions.

CONTEST: Picture! Picture!

Photo of the Month




Contest Guidelines:

1. A picture is featured in the blog once a month.
2. Write an essay about the picture of the month.
3. The essay must not exceed one thousand words.
4. The essay will be judged using the following criteria: Content (30%) Composition (30%) Creativity (25%) Originality (15%)
5. Submit the essay via this email address: zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com every 15th of the Month.
6. Winners will be announced every 30th of the month in this blog.

* For the month of April, deadline for submissions is on May 15, 2010. Announcement of winners is on May 30, 2010. Join now and happy writing!

Happy 5th Anniversary to SLIA

School Librarian In Action (SLIA) will celebrate it's 5th blog anniversary on April 19, 2010. The date being its birth in the blogosphere. On this note, I have the following blog activities and series of posts lined up in celebration of the blog's anniversary.

Picture! Picture! is a wordless post on topics that SLIA is known for and more. A picture paints a thousand words, so they say. What will make this exciting is that, it is open for readers to interpret and to write about. Guidelines will follow! And yes, dear readers, there will be prizes!

Yan Ang Pinay! will be re-resurrected as well as its banners and logos. In its original intent, Yan Ang Pinay will feature Filipino women who excel in their field of expertise and discipline. The characteristics of Pinays in Philippine Children's Literature will also regain a regular posting.

There will be an advice column entitled Dear Librarian beginning next week. Over the years, I would receive email messages asking for opinion and advice. It's about time I do something about it in light of Web 2.0 and knowledge management. What's more, I will invite colleagues from the profession who can offer their opinion and advice on the issue or topic discussed.

We'll see how far these blog activities will go. But for now, I thank you all who have supported my blog and are continuously doing so! Special mention goes to Von Totanes of Filipino Librarian. If not for his influence and inspiration, I would not have dared to venture into the blogosphere.