Librarians, Netflix and the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society

When I posted a SOS for viewing of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in Netflix, I got several replies to access the movie from friends, mostly librarians. The sources they recommended and the ways on how to access the movie were varied! 

I wonder if they have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. How relevant it is in this day and age. If I were a Library and Information Science (LIS) professor, the book version, though a work of fiction, would be one of my required readings. There are plenty of LIS insights we can get from the movie, as well as the book, that can bridge the concepts we learn in the practice of the profession. Well, in the first place, the author, Mary Ann Shaffer, was a librarian.

The war we are up against is as menacing as WWII. I hope we all know the significant role of librarians, writers, book makers, publishers, readers and book lovers in the revival of hope and in the restoration of a damaged humanity. Books have the power to bring people together. And reading, for all its worth, can heal us from our hurts and woundedness. Stories amplify the very reason we are alive!

Mike Newell, the director of the movie, did an amazing job at putting together a cast of characters whose stories filled the gaps in Juliet's life. Lily James as Juliet is arresting and charming at the same time. And Matthew Goode, who looks and sounds like a young Jeremy Irons, is the perfect loyal gay friend we all have! If you haven’t seen the movie yet, go watch! 

Book Review: Being Chief And Confidently Able With A Heart

Being Chief & Confidently Able With A Heart

By Roderick Baturi Ramos

Self Published Ebook, 2017

I received a free copy of Roderick “Eric” Ramos’ ebook, Being Chief & Confidently Able With A Heart for an honest review. Here are my thoughts.

1. The intent of the ebook is laudable as it chronicles the journey of a Filipino librarian and his milieu. I think we need to hear more voices and a variety of perspectives from Library and Information Science (LIS) practitoners so we can have a grasp of the authentic events and movements in the profession.

2. The ebook’s content was taken from the author’s blog. As to purpsose, he achieved two things: to blog and to have its content published in an ebook format. Here we see how one medium can be transformed into another. The contents remain the same but looking at the medium on how information was communicated changes the way readers can understand Mr. Ramos’ message to the world. It helped that he started with a study and analysis of his blog’s content and readership.

3. The content and materials are relevant to its intended readers who are LIS Professionals. For the newbie, it offers a glimpse of what the LIS workplace and landscape look like. For the seasoned LIS professional, it will push and move him or her to get a closer look at existing practices on library management, technology use in the library, human relations and dynamics in the workplace and the LIS curriculum. One of my questions on this matter is, how does it prepare LIS students for real life productive work? 

4. Given these good points, what I found challenging to me, as a reader, is the use of language by the author. I found the syntax and sentence structure difficult to understand. It still needs editing and revision. Should Mr. Ramos take on thos recommendation, his book can be a “paper” that may qualify for a national or international conference.

Rating: 3/5 bookmarks

LibTalk 2017: Reading as Socio-Cultural Equalizer

And here is another screen capture/recording of my presentation on Reading as Socio-Cultural Equalizer. The app I used for this capture is Screencastify which is downloadable as a Chrome extension. A videocam can be embedded in the screen so the audience can see the speaker when they watch the presentation.

Workshops with Teachers and Librarians: Philippine Lit Fest, TeacherTraining Institute & AKLATAN 2015

Trash or Treasure: Turn these trash into teaching treasures!

I had the wonderful opportunity of working with teachers and librarians over the past months and recent weeks. My workshops with them were all about storytelling, books and reading, creative thinking and the use of technology for teaching and learning. Why I am still doing this after a decade or so affirms how important literacy development is in this day and age. I learn a lot from these workshops. I do design the modules I conduct and deliver, but the interaction I get from participants fuels me to further create.

Knowledge shared is knowledge gained.

In the Philippine Literary Festival, I was amazed at how thirsty we all are for authentic and genuine human connections. Stories and storytelling can quench that thirst. Weaving tales and stories is magical. In the Weavers of Magic workshop, we reaffirmed our commitment to pursue the magical path through the process of creating children's literature for young readers today. In the training I had with public school teachers of Estancia and Carles, Iloilo, we discovered how materials in our immediate environment can be used as instructional materials. What we deem as trash can actually be a treasure trove of instructional materials. All we really need is to look at our deepest needs and desires to surface the imaginative power that has been hidden with in ourselves for so long. After all, creativity is a natural talent. How it is nurtured is another story though.

Teachers read children's books. My favorite part of the workshop.

In the AKLATAN 2015 Conference of the PLAI - CLRLC, I realized that we all need to go back to books. Back to Books. Back to Basics. To fully understand why we are librarians, we need to take a closer look at why books, as a technology, is still around in this age of the digital divide. How does a technology, like the book, can magically bridge gaps, make connections and celebrate the human spirit in the age of smartphones and social media? Why do we need to talk about reading in the era of ASEAN Integration and how do books play a part in learning how to read? These thoughts came to mind as I conduct my workshop with the librarians of Central Luzon. While they make their own books, I reflect on the work that Filipino Librarians are challenged to do.

The work is plentiful but the workers are too few. I only know of one thing -- we shouldn't stop learning. And as we learn, we need to reflect on our actions; on our insights; on the next step of the journey.

Social Media Perks: Followers & Gift Cards

One way to know that blogging works for you and that your blog has a good following is when you get blog exchange promos.

Grammarly did just that with this blog. I wrote a review of Fangirl and got an Amazon Gift Card. I spent it for a copy of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Collected Stories. I ordered the book last March 31st and received it last Monday, May 5.

Collected Stories came right in time for an in Memoriam reading from one of the great magic realists of this day and age.

Moving to another social media-file sharing platform, Slide Share, I had a pleasant surprise when I learned that Joyce Valenza started following my slides.

JOYCE VALENZA.

Joyce. Valenza. is. following. me.

I am still freaking out!!!

Filipino Librarian: Karryl Kim Sagun

For this month of June, Karryl Kim Sagun shares with us her LIS journey. She is a librarian at the Rizal Library and has been practicing the profession for nearly three years now. In that short span of time, Ms. Sagun has been invited to speak at national and international LIS conferences. She graduated BLIS from UP Diliman and holds a Master in Technology Management.

 

a. What's your lib story? Describe how you made the choice of majoring in LIS and what was college life like for you as a LIS major. You can cite challenging stories and success stories while studying the course.

People often mistook me as a shiftee when I was a college freshman (how dare they, I was only fifteen then!), but LIS was my first choice when I took the UPCAT. I am one of those pure-bred LIS majors in our community.

It was my Dad who convinced me to take the course, perhaps he thought that I am fit to be a librarian as he observed me, as early as sixth grade, put my own version of accession numbers on my Archie comics before I “loan them out” to my friends (and yes, I also gave them library cards and issued due dates). My high school friends thought otherwise, though. They said I’ll be one heck of a crazy librarian, should I really end up being one. But hey, look at me! As prim and proper as a librarian should be! HAHAHA!

Success stories? I guess finding a mentor in the School of Library and Information Studies helped me a lot. I love my profs, but it was Atty. Vyva Aguirre (who was Dean at that time) who I consider as my mentor in SLIS. She gave me really good advice (especially during thesis writing).

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of being an LIS major is explaining to people what LIS is. Back then, it wasn’t as popular, and the course is also enjoying a better reputation today than it did when I was a student. It didn’t help that my lola (grandmotehr) thought I would die a spinster because of pursuing LIS! Nanghinayang siguro siya sa genes namin! Hahaha!

b. What has been the greatest challenge you've faced so far as a licensed and working librarian? Why do you say it's a challenge?

Well, being a licensed and working librarian years after graduation! When I started working for Ateneo in 2010, it was my first time to really practice the profession. I finished BLIS in 2007, and I used to work as a copyright associate in a fashion publishing company, and then a sales coordinator for medical books. In Ateneo, I had to conduct marketing activities to promote the different sections of the library. Mrs. Lourdes David, who was Director of the Rizal Library then, had to have me rotated in all the sections of the Rizal Library in the course of two months, including technical services—and my, my, to say that my cataloguing skills have gotten really rusty would be an understatement. 

c. What is your area of expertise in LIS?

Marketing. I don’t think I’m as good in any other aspect of LIS, really. Although I’m really enjoying reference work, as I have recently been tasked to be part of the reference team in Rizal Lib. 

d. What do you think are the requirements and preparations necessary for becoming a LIS professional?

Service orientation, attention to detail, and a little bit of crazy. Having a mentor wouldn’t hurt, either. 

e. What rewards have you reaped from being a LIS professional?

Erm, doughnuts, cupcakes, and cups of coffee from happy customers! Haha! Hmm, on a more serious note, I have experienced things I don’t think I would have experienced should I have chosen a different field. The best ones would be being presented with opportunities for travel and research, and gaining a lot of awesome friends along the way. 

Love and Filipino Librarians

In February 2011, the blog had eight Filipino librarians write about their loves: books, reading, the profession in general, the career choice they made, librarians who inspired them to be. Here are the eight who dared bare their loves and "lovers" to the blogosphere.
 
Dean Igor Cabbab wrote a poem in Filipino on staying in love. He has kissed his bachelor days goodbye by marrying librarian and educator Iyra Buenrostro.

Darrel Marco was at the IFLA World Conference in Helinski last year. I have a feeling this Filipino Librarian will definitely stay on.

Fe Angela Verzosa climbed a mountain to celebrate her appointment as director of DLSU Taft Library. Spunky!

Peachy Limpinis the first president of PNULISSAA, the alumni association of PNU LIS. She's one good writer. I miss reading her blog entries.

Ann Grace Bansig had the opportunity to study in Belgium a few years ago. She came back to work in a school library at DLSZ. Together with Darrel Marco, they presented a paper on DLSZ Library's Book Mobile Project at Helinski last year.

Audrey Anday is back from her two year sojourn in Europe I still have to meet her for coffee to catch up on life and librarianship. More of her adventures in Europe in future posts.

Angelic Bautista is a school librarian who is very much proud of her chosen profession.

Micaella Gonzales reviewed a book affirming that librarians are readers, indeed!

This review is made in preparation for the monthly Filipino Librarian series of 2013.

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!

Ask a Librarian Video

Here's a neat library marketing video. I love the background music. 

Yan Ang Pinay: Lara Saguisag

Posting this for three reasons: 1. Ms. Lara Saguisag is Filipina. 2. Her research is about children and comic strips. 3. A librarian from the Library of Congress, Martha Kennedy, helped Ms. Saguisag finish her research.

Day 1 of the TK Park Conference on Reading

 Day 1 of the TK Park Conference started with a keynote speech and welcome address of Dr. Tatsanai Wongpisetkul and Mr. Songsak Premsuk, Chair of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development in Thailand (OKMD). The OKMD is the governing department of TK Park. As explained by Dr. Wongpisetkul, TK Park is not a library, but a prototype knowledge management center for regional TK Parks in the regions of Thailand. As of to date, there are six TK Parks in the country and monitoring is only one aspect of TK Park's job. The staff of TK Park undergo constant research and development to improve the creation of knowledge and services it provides the public. For five years, it has been an uphill climb for them.

The medium of instruction in the conference are Thai and English. We were all given translators we attached on our ears to listen to the English translations for Thai speeches. This was the same for Thais who needed to hear our English speeches in their mother tongue. All in all, there were five speakers: myself, Zu Mohsen (Singapore), Shu Binti Haji (Malaysia), Sothik Hok (Cambodia) and Chan-soo Ahn (Korea). Except for Mr. Ahn, we four have delivered our paper and project presentations today.

I was the first to speak on the Role of School Libraries and Librarians in the Digital Age. I had the audience listen up the moment I showed a photo of my first library card and the story behind it. It has never failed me, that story. I then moved on to the flow of my presentation and in one hour, I was done. Thai Radio requested for an interview to which I graciously obliged.


The presentations that followed were library and reading projects in Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia.

In Singapore, the National Library has a project called Born to Read, Read to Bond. This is a project that provides parents with Reading Kits and equip them with skills in reading to their children through talks and workshops. Malaysia has a similar project known as Every Baby a Book. What makes this different is the production of one specific cloth book and parents' guide in using the book for their baby. Since then, many parents in Penang, Malaysia availed of library cards. Indeed the love of reading begins at home and parents are the first to model the reading habit. A nation of readers begin in the family, the smallest unit of society. I am amazed and impressed at the daring and passionate ways in which the public librarians in Malaysia and Singapore spearhead the reading culture in the family through a library program.

In Cambodia, a non-government organization called SIPAR (accronym in Cambodian) sets up libraries in schools and in prisons. Sothik Hok presented the history and context of this project as well as ties with Room to Read, another NGO devoted to reading development in children. School library development is a strategy to help Cambodians reestablish their sense of self and well-being after the war. The motto in which SIPAR leaves by is this: "When people don't reach for books, we must make the books reach people". Their project will be awarded a grant by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Sothik Hok is bound for London in August to receive the award during the IBBY Conference there.

Tomorrow will be Day 2 of the conference where three more papers are up for presentations. In the afternoon, I will join a panel to discuss these questions: What would be the characteristics of children for ASEAN future? How can we build them? Do they think children in ASEAN countries today are smarter (because they grow up in the digital age)? Do you have any concern that the reading is on the decline among children because of the Internet - Wikipedia, Google etc.?

Drop by the blog and read up on updates from the TK Park Conference on Reading 2012.

Challenge of the Year: Break the Stereotype (1 of 2)

I discovered this cute figurine of a nut personifying a librarian. Inscribed below are qualities describing a librarian: Proud to be a public serving, friendly, book stamping, well read, softly spoken LIBRARIAN.

If I had it my way, I would change book stamping to book loving.

Nothing wrong with stamping books, and I would do circulation work when the staff is out or on leave. But it's a stereotype that persists. The danger is that, stereotyping results to the delimitation of one's potentials.

It is the start of another year. While we're at it, it is but timely to reflect on the work we do in the library and the community we serve. Instead of resolutions, I'm posting, and posing, a challenge to break stereotypes. Some questions to consider:

a. How do I feel about librarian stereotyping?
b. Does this exist in my work place? If yes, in what forms? If no, why?
c. Why do librarian stereotypes exist?
d. How can librarians break stereotypes?

Answers to this questions next week!

Librarians for Preschool & Primary Grades

I found this great link in the Scholastic website that is useful when introducing the work librarians do to younger children. It shows that librarians work with people and assists them in their use of books and the internet. Story time is given importance as well as the feedback which librarians need from readers and users of the library. It goes to show that readers services does not end at the circulation table.

Early on, children can be introduced to the roles that librarians play in the learning community. This would aid in strengthening their concept of books, reading and literacy and that, a librarian is in the middle acting as conduit, support agent and teacher. This builds up to developing a library culture in the long run.

Readers services is a marathon. Starting it young and following through the higher grades, moving up to high school and then college is a long haul. This is the essence of children's library services - to address their literacy and reading needs as early as possible.

Librarian as Calendar Model

Dear me... I just have to post this!

Von Totanes just landed on a calendar, Men of the Stacks along with eleven male librarians or guys who work in the LIS profession! Von is calendar boy for June 2012. Ikaw na, Von!

See the full gallery here.

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!

Neil Gaiman: Libraries Are the Future

November is here.

I am inundated with workshops and talks on storytelling, bibliotherapy, books, reading, why libraries and the printed word are still important in this day and age, and blogging. Not that I'm complaining, but it's another busy month.

So, for the first post of November, being Library and Information Services month, here's a link on Neil Gaiman's acceptance speech on winning the 2010 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway award. His book, The Graveyard Book, was conferred winner as well.

He drums up the importance of libraries in his speech. In the end, he shares his sentiments at the closure of many libraries worldwide due to budget cuts.

Job Opennig: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

From Ms. Karol Ilagan of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) --

The PCIJ, a nonprofit media agency that specializes in investigative
reporting, is looking for a librarian who can manage and maintain its
resource center. Applicants must have a degree in library science,
relevant experience and an interest in current affairs. The position
has a particular emphasis on database management as well.

Interested applicants may send their resumes to kmilagan@pcij.org. Or, call
410-4769 for more information.

Librarians in Literature: Here Lies the Librarian

Once in a while I stumble upon a book with librarian characters that veer off the stereotype.

Oh, you know what I'm talking about! Most of the time, librarians are portrayed as boring and the job (we do) is far from exciting and essential. The Vilma Santos movie, In My Life, is one example. Santos' turn into a librarian was fueled by miseries that life had dumped upon her. From an exuberant PE teacher, she became the unglamorous librarian who resists change. Through this characterization, the librarian's role as enabler and agent of change dissipates. The librarian's indispensable contribution to literacy development and enlightenment is extinguished.

It must be an artistic bent on Olivia Lamasan’s part to use the job of a librarian as metaphor for Santos’ character’s surrender from the zest of living. It would have been better if Santos’ character discovered healing and a zen like approach to life’s many whippings through the books a librarian reads every so often in the library. Or, the routine and systematic work that librarians do would have offered her (Santos’ character) safety and refuge from the unpredictable dictates of fate. Next to the church, the library is a sanctuary for the lost and the confused. Sadly, Lamasan does not know her Library and Information Science. Her writers should have at least did a bit of research.

History and literature has many exciting librarians to be proud of! Such is the case in Richard Peck's Here Lies the Librarian.

In the young adult novel, Peck presented not one, but five librarians. Four lively, spirited, head strong, young and RICH library science students and one dead public librarian. Such contrast! Peck buries Electra Dietz, public librarian of Hoosier County, for good reasons. She doesn't like children and arranges the books on the shelf according to its sizes. On the other hand, the four library science students of Brent University possess the qualities and characteristics of the ideal librarian.

Irene Ridpath, leader of the pack, is confident, outspoken and fearless. Boy, do we need librarians like her. Grace Stutz, poised and pretty, daughter of an automobile scion is well organized. She loves working with and for children too. Lodelia Fulwider is proud of her academic preparation. She knows how expensive library resources are so she values preservation and conservation. Geraldine Harrison is the group’s technology and innovations expert. Note that these young women carry one or two endearing qualities of a librarian. Peck did not lump them all in one person.

He also knows how costly libraries are so he made the librarians rich not only in the pockets but in their hearts as well. The six hundred dollars annual salary was shared among the four. The job entails a lot of heart and a fullness of spirit. What a positive portrayal of the stereotyped librarian! Idols to emulate, right?

The characters are all works of fiction, products of the imagination. In general, they are reflections and representations of our beliefs and who we want to be. We’re not sure how the young reader will turn out to be when he or she reads the novel. One consolation is that, after closing the book’s they may hold on to hope. That the future may be strange and unfamiliar, but with role models to look up to, real or imagined, facing up to life’s challenges is a part of living it to the fullest.

The Library Blog Awards

I got this wonderful email from Peter Tobey of Salem Press --

Congratulations. Your blog has been nominated for a Library Blog Award by readers of it. You should be thrilled so many think so much of what you have to say. You are among a number of nominees that our judges will consider. Best of luck to you. We hope that our awards will publicize the most interesting, entertaining and provocative library blogs out there. For more on these awards, please go to Salem Press".

Easter brings good news, indeed! Thank you for the readers who nominated my blog. It is enough to keep me writing, posting, ruminating and sharing information relevant to librarians in the Philippines and the world!

Patron Saint of Libraries & Librarians

St. Jerome, pray for us!