The Museo Pambata Mobile Library

The MP Mobile Library is at rest in the museum grounds.

A Mobile Library is one example of inclusive programming. Most public libraries carry on programs like this to reach areas and communities where books are scarce and access to information is poor. The Museo Pambata, a non-government foundation, has been running a mobile library since 1995.

Charlot Cachuela, MP's librarian and resident storyteller tells us more about the mobile library's history, activities and future projects.

How did the mobile library begin?

The Mobile Library had its beginning in 1995, shortly after the opening of Museo Pambata. In fulfillment of the museum’s thrust to promote literacy, staff members and volunteers regularly visited underserved areas in Manila aboard a Tamaraw FX carrying 50 books and a simple sign that read "Museo Pambata Mobile Library". From then on, the advocacy program continues to serve to Filipino children especially when it finally had a real mobile library van.
What are its programs, schedule of visits to communities and activities?

The main goal of the project is to provide reading materials to children who doesn't have an access to books and from there encourage them to read. Thus we do, storytelling enhanced with arts and crafts. There is also an allotted time for reading the books. Different workshops, such as storytelling, creative facilitation and establishing reading centers are among the activities being provided to the volunteers and community leaders who are interested with the project. The mobile library visits communities every Saturday but can have activities on a weekdays during school breaks.

Charlot telling a story to kids in Museo Pambata

Why is it still operational? Name factors that have been helpful for you and the MP mobile library to function?

Through all the support from the people who believe in the project, whether they are sponsors, volunteers, community leaders, parents and friends, the mobile library van still rolling its wheels. The project will continuously serve the children as long as needed. The organization seeks funds to keep it moving. Collaborating with interested local government units and schools also make to the project sustain.

What are the future plans or activities of the MP Mobile Library?

One of our dreams is to make a smaller mobile library van which can go along narrow streets of Manila. We cannot bring the big bus into smaller communities because of its size plus its old already, serving us for 14 years. A new look, a new vehicle in the future to reach more children.

Visit the Museo Pambata website and FB Page for updates on activities and projects for kids and children's rights advocate.

Review: Book Donation Campaign

Kristle Mae Cavero, a senior from the College of Saint Benilde asked me to look at her media project. It is a multimedia production on book donations and a campaign for support. The production can be viewed through in the Bookmarked.ph website and their growing community of book lovers and donors of books has a Facebook Page.

This is the link, https://web.facebook.com/bookmarkedphofficial/ so check it out.

It is a well thought out media production and the website is neatly designed. Trust Wordpress to help any blogger and web developer to achieve the sleek, smooth and professional look. Hands down, the technology works as medium of communication.

As for the content, I gave Ms. Cavero these comments.

It lacked information on specific reading demographics. While there was an attempt to relay the message of book matching and context based book donation, this was done in sweeping strokes. The Philippine literacy landscape is varied, multilingual and regional. A reading center or school in an urban community has different needs compared to centers and libraries in rural and indigenous communities. The community's needs to be addressed when donating books. 

A book is a technology. For many, formal instruction on its use and purpose is necessary to appreciate reading books. The same can be said in learning to read. Reading development begins in the access of books, but to sustain its continued growth and development formal teaching and pedagogy can contribute to the success of reading skills acquisition as well as lifelong learning.

Book lovers donate books because they have discovered the benefits and many advantages of reading and learning from the experience of opening the pages of a printed book. But, there are communities where, book and reading culture are not of their experience. Bring them books, but teach them first, how to read and how to understand the book as a technology.

Panayam ng mga Mag-aaral ng Raya School tungkol sa Sambat Trust UK

Ang mga mag-aaral ng Raya School na sina Diego Montenejo at Pepe Domingo ay nagpadala ng mga tanong ukol sa adbokasiya ng Sambat Trust UK. Gusto nilang malaman kung ano ang mga ginagawa ng charity para sa mga taga Tanauan, Batangas. Narito ang transcript ng panayam.

1.Sino ang nagsimula ng Sambat Trust at bakit niya binuo ito?

Si G. Anthony Mariano ang nagsimula ng Sambat Trust. Gusto niyang makatulong sa mga kababayan niyang taga Tanauan sa pamamagitan ng scholarship program at pagpapatayo ng mga aklatan sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Filipino British is G. Mariano. Lumaki siya sa London. Ang kanyang mga magulang ay tubong Tanauan, Batangas.

2. Gaano kalaki ang epekto ninyo sa buhay ng mga bata?

Nakakapagbigay ng inspirasyon sa mga bata ang library project ng Sambat Trust. Pag may aklatan sila sa paaralan, nagiging masipag sila sa pag-aaral.

3. Ano ang plano ninyo sa hinaharap para sa mga bata?

Gusto kong magkaroon pa ng maraming aklatan sa Tanauan at sana, makapag basa pa ng mas madalas ang mga bata.

4. Gaano karaming bata ang pumupunta sa mga library ninyo?

Sa report ng Trapiche Elementary School, lahat ng mag-aaral nila ay nakakapunta sa aklatan dahil may schedule sila ng pag bisita sa aklatan. Subalit, wala pa kaming balita sa apat pang paaralan na binigyan namin ng aklatan.

5. Anong klaseng mga libro ang pinapabasa ninyo sa mga bata?

Mga aklat na limbag ng lokal na publishers ang nasa mga aklatan na project ng Sambat Trust. May foreign books rin pero, iilan lamang. Madalas ay sa Adarna House kami bumibili ng mga aklat.

6. Ano ang mga librong palaging binabasa o paborito ng mga bata?

Mga picture books at illustrated story books. Walang pinakasikat na aklat pero, gustong gusto nila ang mga aklat na may drawing.

7. Bakit ninyo ginagawa ang adbokasiyang ito? 

Mahilig aking magbasa at may kakayanan akong tumulong sa pagbuo ng aklatan. Bilang isang Filipino, ito na ang magagawa ko para sa bayan. Naniniwala rin ako na edukasyon ang makakapagbigay ng kalayaan mula sa kahirapan sa mga kababayan nating mahihirap. Dapat Silang turuan Kung paano magbasa at mag isip. Sa scholarship program at school library project namin ito magafawa.

8. Ano ang inyong paboritong bahagi o aspekto sa trabaho ninyo?

Masaya ako pag may nabubuo kaming aklatan at pag nalalaman  ko na may mga batang natututong magbasa dahil may aklatan silang pinuputahan. Bukod sa silid aralan, ang aklatan ay isang lugar kung saan makakapag isip ng malaya ang isang batang natututong magbasa.

A Book Exchange Project by Papemelroti

This book shelf stands outside the Papemelroti store at the Korben Place. The main building is at the corner of Chino Roces and Sct. Tobias in Quezon City. It's my favorite gift shop because the art and crafts products the store sells is very Filipino. There's a homey and rustic appeal to everything they sell there: from stationery to little cute figurines; wood crafts, paper crafts, house decors and, a recent addition, accessories!

I was in the neighborhood last week and before heading home down south, I dropped by the store to pick up a Nativity set and wall clock. What welcomed me by the entrance door was this handsome bookshelf.

I love the shelf! I wish I can have one at home.

But the idea behind the shelf thrills me even more. What kind of store owners would think of putting up a book exchange library project but those who run Papemelroti? Indeed, their creativity is not limited to arts and crafts, design and managing a store. It extends to an advocacy that these young store owners and artists feel passionate about: books and reading!

Their Leave A Book Take A Book project welcomes customers and buyers to leave a book they've read and take one in exchange. It is so cool!

Filipino Friday: On to ReaderCon!

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

First of all, as reader, literacy advocate and President of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, I wish the organizers of the Filipino ReaderCon a successful convention. As a reader I am happy to find readers who, like me, are still in love with the written word. As literacy advocate and PBBY President, I hope that the efforts and ideals of the organizers won't go to waste; that this ReaderCon won't turn into a one hit wonder. In my years in the industry and in the advocacy of literacy, I have seen many literacy campaigns and initiatives fizzle out. Some crashed and burned and a few died a natural death.

I have great expectations on the ReaderCon but not on the event itself. I would like to see the aftermath. I expect to see greater influence of readers affecting and effecting others who need conversion. If not this, then greater effort on the readers part to turn their love, their passion, into a mission. Celebrating reading is wonderful. Making a non-reader read or providing reading materials to those in need of it the most is another. But yes. The advocacy begins with a recognition that reading must be highlighted and celebrated among those who've discovered it's magic and power so that they could, hopefully, share this discovery to others.

May the ReaderCon be an event that would narrow the great divide between those who have books and those who have no books at all. May it be a celebration of reading, not so much as a privilege but as a right for all. May it continue to have sponsors who, acting collectively with the organizers of the ReaderCon, set up another convention next year for readers of all ages.

Bumasa at lumaya!