International Book Giving Day 2019

Today at work, I did two things that gave me genuine happiness — one, we sent out pop cakes to teachers with recommended books to borrow and read and two, we received visitors from Keys, a progressive school in Mandaluyong.

As a reading and book campaign promo, the pop cakes plus recommended read give away turned out pretty good. Of our fifty faculty members, half responded to our invitation to borrow a book I picked for them. I had a blast observing and taking in their social ques. Most of them were up for the challenge. It is enough for me to see them appreciate our gesture. It is already an accomplishment to have them step in the library to borrow and read books.

By mid-morning, expected visitors from Keys arrived and we spent the rest of the day conversing about the Diploma Program. Teachers Al and Van are both librarians. They are preparing for IB certification. The visit gave them ideas on where to start building the library collection in congruence to the IB certification requirements.

Before they left, I gave them a copy of my book, My Daddy, My One and Only! What a way to celebrate the day of love and International Book Giving Day!

3x3: Ann Grace Bansig’s Top 3 Best Reads of 2018

Reading has been one of my stress relievers. I am glad that our library has a good collection. So, I am going to share with you the most delightful books that I have read for 2018. 

Here are my Top 3 best reads for 2018:

Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – Recommended by a good friend, this book is about two young men, Ari and Dante, discovering their true self. What I like most about this book was the support, love and acceptance of Ari’s parents. I wish many books of this kind be published in the future as it shows an understanding of the LGBT community. 

The Inexplicable logic of my life by Benjamin Alire Sanez – I enjoyed the story of Ari and Dante so I looked up for the author’s other works and found this book in our library collection. It’s about Sal and his struggles when senior high started. It was a good read as you will also get to know his amazing dad, grandmother and friends Sam and Fito. 

The Origin by Dan Brown – This book will take you to the modern Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao with Robert Langdon, the famous Harvard professor of symbology. This is about a ‘revelation’ of the discovery of Langdon’s former student that will change the science forever and will shake the foundation of the Catholic religion. If you have read other Dan Brown’s works, then you will surely delight on this page-turner and heart-stopping book. 

Ann Grace Bansig is currently the Audio-Visual Librarian at De La Salle Santiago Zobel School. She likes writing papers about children’s books and also an enthusiast traveler, storyteller and community volunteer.

3x3 is a series of blog posts that features three books each with a review of three sentences long. For the month of January, the blog is featuring Filipino Librarians and their top 3 best reads of 2018. Read the first post here.

3x3: Johann Frederick Cabbab’s Top 3 Best Reads of 2018

Three komiks... Three continuing series... Three sentences... I'd like to feature three I picked up during Komikons and Komikets. 

SAGALA #1

Tori Tadiar's work won for Best Komiks during the Komiket Awards in 2017. Rightfully deserved since it's Filipiniana fantasy at its finest. There's plenty of maidens, baro't sayas, ternos, gunslinging, martial action, Guardia Civil, and other historical and cultural references to go around in this alternate world set during the Spanish Colonial period. 

The Hotdog Prince volume 1

Francis "Kong" Martelino masterfully weaves a tale about a guy who loses his nose, mushrooms, Maria Ozawa, stepping on dog poop, and a giant anthrophmorphic meat sausage aptly named "The Hotdog Prince". I never knew you could use rubber slippers and backscratchers like that for immortal combat. Not for the easily offended and squeamish, though.

Carnal: Banahaw

Bambi Eloriaga-Amago, Olan Amago and BK Peña come up with a work that creepingly resonates with Philippine myths and monsters. Banahaw, a rockstar, and Cristobal, a man of the cloth, are brothers intertwined in a narrative where there's this slow and certain uneasiness with a damning realization that, yes, something outworldly is going to happen at some point in time. Waiting for the next installment Carnal: Cristobal.

Johann Frederick "Igor" Cabbab is a librarian, archivist and full time faculty member of the UP School of Library and Information Studies. He was managing editor, writer and graphic artist for several anime, children and young adult publications prior to rejoining the academe in 2007. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in Information Science (DLitt et Phil) via distance mode at the University of South Africa (Universiteit van Suid-Afrika). He is old.

3x3 is a series of blog posts that features three books each with a review of three sentences long. For the month of January, the blog is featuring Filipino Librarians and their top 3 best reads of 2018. Read the first post here.

3x3: Joseph Marmol Yap’s Top 3 Best Reads of 2018

Librarians are expected to read. We may be too busy running a library, but one way to escape reality is by reading. 

Before the two movies came out, I grabbed a copy of the books and read them. 

1. Love, Simon - A story of a closeted young man who found himself comfortably talking to a stranger in an online world thru email because they have the same situation. Eventually, he fell in love with Blue, his 'email-pal'. The story gave hope to teens in accepting who they really are.

2. Crazy Rich Asians - This is a love story between an Asian couple who are bound to conquer an American lifestyle. It depicts how Chinese families value their wealth and luxurious life. The Chinese familial culture is highlighted in this book.

Finally, when the John Newbery Medal was awarded to Erin Kelly in 2018, I was curious and found out we have a copy of her book in the library. 

3. Hello, Universe - Is a story of a young boy with a Filipino background. The story infuses Filipino folktales as told by the grandmother. It's a children's novel that tackles bullying and friendship. 

So here it goes, my three book recommendations from 2018. You may have missed the movies, but you can always find a copy of the book in your local bookstore or library.

Joseph Yap, is a Pinoy librarian currently based in Kazakhstan. He is one of the reference librarians of Nazarbayev University Library.

He is the Secretary of the Special Librarians Association, Asia Chapter.

3x3 is a series of blog posts that features three books each with a review of three sentences long. For the month of January, the blog is featuring Filipino Librarians and their top 3 best reads of 2018.
Read the first post here.

3 X 3: Recommended Reads of 2018 by Filipino Librarians

At the first week  of January, CNN Philippines featured the top books of 2018. I do not question the list, nor the readers who recommended them. But, I noticed that there were no librarians in the roster. Of course, I find the list really helpful. In fact, I checked which books are already in our library shelves.

Then again. Then again. There were no librarians who put out, on social media, his or her top reads of 2018.

So, let me start compiling a list of top 3 reads by Filipino Librarians in the blog and this will be followed by guest bloggers, all are Filipino Librarians who will share with us their top 3 reads.

Here is mine. All Young Adult novels!

1. Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton - A fitting end to the Rebel of the Sands series, the book is a storytelling gem. I love the story arc of Amani, the series' irrepressible female lead. There are girls in this series who kicked ass.

2. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman - This is the first book I read in 2018 that swings from dystopian to utopian ideas latched on religion, philosophy, science and technology. It is a YA novel but eerily prophetic of how humanity may turn out to be as it engages and interacts with technology. One of the lasting questions I have after reading the novel is, can artificial intelligence evolve into a god?

3. Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir - Book 3 in a four part series, it has more action and back story of the villains rather than character development of its heroes. Tahir is consistent though, so book 4 should end with a bang. Like Hero at the Fall, there are plenty of strong women characters in this installment, especially mothers that readers will love and hate.

So, there you go. Three books that has a review of only three sentences. 3 X 3 by Filipino Librarians!