Why We Need The (Public) Library

A Lament on Our Public Library System

Neni Sta. Roman-Cruz, writes about her public library experience and laments the state of Philippine public library system in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Here's an excerpt --

I do feel deprived that no public library in the country has made a difference in my life, again stressing the fact that the world of books is not within everyone’s reach. If we go by official statistics, there are thousands of public libraries—I fervently hope they are touching the lives of readers, as I only know of the more progressive ones in Quezon City and Davao City. And I would be so happy to be proven wrong in my thinking, in my information, in what I am gladly willing to concede as irresponsible and rash observations. Let them be deemed false and misleading, please.

I have to admit that there are libraries in Metro Manila which have been so hospitable to research and learning—the Lopez Memorial Museum and Library in Pasig with the peerless Mercy Servida; the Rizal Library on the Ateneo campus in Loyola; and the Filipiniana section of the National Library. But where to go when one wants to read for the sheer delight of it? Sadly in Manila, it has been the bookstores where one has to make a purchase.

 Her article, National Book Week: Celebration or Lamentation, was posted on November 13, 2010 in the commentary page of the Inquirer.

Storytelling In Baguio City Public Library

Some photos from my storytelling in Baguio City. Thanks to Mrs. Fe Requilman of the Baguio City Public Library, I had a wonderful time telling stories to their day care kids. There happened to be 120 day care centers in Baguio City. Only 80 centers participated so the 40 centers are up for schedule next year.

It was my first visit at the Baguio City Public Library, a three story edifice that houses two million print collections, thesis and dissertations from the CAR region, with WIFI connection, a cozy space for children and eight licensed librarians. Suffice it to say that the librarians have the support of the LGU - from moral to financial aspects. Kudos to the public librarians of the Baguio City Public Library!

Araw ng Pagbasa (Reading Day) 2009

The Quezon City Public Library (QCPL) system kicked off the celebration of National Book Week with a Reading Day - Araw ng Pagbasa in its selected branches last November 23, 2009. The event was a week long celebration of books, reading, children and senior citizens regaling the young listeners with stories read aloud.



Having conducted a storytelling workshop for the QCPL and the Federation of Senior Citizens Quezon City Chapter on November 20, 2009, lolos and lolas (grandfathers and grandmothers) volunteered to share their time and talent in storytelling in selected QCPL branches the weekend after. Photos of lolos and lolas who voluntered can be viewed here.

I am pleased to see how they took storytelling like fish to water. During the workshop, the lolos and lolas were avid listeners. They enjoyed participating in the workshop activities as well. As far as library services go, this initiative by the QCPL is a stone that hit not one, nor two or three birds - but four!

One, storytelling, especially the read aloud technique, is highlighted as an effective vehicle to motivate children to read. Two, storytelling in the library promotes the books and services it offers to children. Three, the activity was a library service geared towards senior citizens of the community too. And lastly, the whole event emphasized the important role that librarians play in community building. The QCPL librarians have the funding and the support of their local government units. By organizing events and library services such as this, they have shown leadership and dynamism necessary to accomplish roles and responsibilities of the public library to its patrons.

Congratulations to the QCPL librarians and more power!

The Lola Basyang Tradition Lives On

In the Philippines, Lola Basyang is already a metaphor for storytelling. Popularized by Severino Reyes in the 50's as a syndicated radio program and a series of story books that carry a variety of stories from local tales and borrowed lore, it lives on in modern retellings and TV shows.

The Quezon City Public Library (QCPL) joins in the bandwagon as it pushes the campaign for library use through storytelling via the help of its senior citizens. Coordinating with the Federation of Senior Citizen Association of the Philippines QC chapter, QCPL, will be running storytelling sessions by resident lolos and lolas (grandparents) in all its branches.

On November 20, 2009, I will be joining them, sixty volunteers all for a whole day workshop on the art and therapeutic claims of storytelling. I've trained children, college students, parents, teachers and librarians on storytelling but facilitating a workshop for senior citizens as storytellers is a first.

I will definitely post a follow up entry!

Workshops! Wheeee!

A week before Ondoy, I was in Baguio with the Philippine Public Librarians League, Inc. (PPLLI). There I gave a seminar-workshop on Children's and Young Adult Library Services. Our public librarians are carrying on despite limitations in funding and resources. It was inevitable to talk about the limitations but thanks to public librarians who've shown tenacity and leadership in the face of adversaries. They were able to inspire others with projects that they were able to implement.

What struck me from their sharing was their focused and practical approach to planning and implementing programs and services for children. It's a one-day-at-a-time technique for them. Coming from the big school set up, this was all something new to me. In the big school we plan in years --three years to five years planning with in between assessment and evaluation.

Yesterday, I was with the PLAI-STRLC for a seminar-workshop on bloggig. They are a social and congenial bunch of librarians, I tell you. Plus, I find the council's networking skills effective and efficient. From stories shared in the long table, the officers boasted of a well represented council. They only need to search and spot for a librarian from Romblon to fully complete the roster.

Their output on blog evaluation, they reviewed Von's blog and their council's, was inspiring since they're positive to explore blogging to render an improved reader's services in their own libraries.

And now, here I am at Phoenix Educational Systems, Inc. wrapping up a workshop entitled, I'm A Librarian. Hear me ROAR! Will blog about it next!

Public Library Blogs

I'm squeezing this in before packing my stuff for the Philippine Public Librarians League, Inc. (PPLLI) Baguio conference. This is an exciting discovery that must be blogged about.

I was impressed by the Quezon City Public Library's (QCPL) blog and website. I just found out this morning in my last attempt to source out websites for my talk tomorrow. Their blog presents a good image of their library. It even has a working OPAC running via OpenBiblio. What's more, their library blog covers a good range of reader's services for children and teens. Plus, there are several branches with WiFi connection! What a perfect example for my talk tomorrow on the use of web technology for the delivery of reader's services!

I hope to meet a librarian from QCPL to know more about their automation process and other projects. I am continuously on the look out for such initiatives so I can feature them in this blog. Will blog about Baguio and the PPLI conference soon!

The Iriga City Public Library

I found out about the Iriga City Public Library via this link. Good news indeed! A well applauded initiative. This means, people in Iriga have access to books and reading materials.

The photo of the library looks impressive. In the article, support form the LGU is evident. While the physical facilities and materials were described as important elements of the library, there was no mention of the librarian in charge of the library. Here's hoping that the Iriga City Publc Library has a competent and licensed librarian.

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.

The Pride of Pasig: The Pasig City Library & Discovery Centrum

I finally had the chance of visiting the Pasig City Library and Discovery Centrum. In previous posts, I have written about the Pasig City's library and its evolution. Click the highlighted words for the photo essay. The link about the city library winning the Most Outstanding City Library of 2008 is likewise highlighted for your reading pleasure.

To share with you the discoveries I made during my visit yesterday, February 9, 2009, scroll down and begin the short tour with me.

At the entrance, I immediately saw a spacious and well lighted reading area. To my left was the multi-media room where a TV is put up for viewing purposes. The multi-media room's seating arrangement was designed like a mini-auditorium. According to the librarian-in-charge, Mrs. Delia Barreno, viewings of films, movies and the like take place on scheduled visits.

I brought my daughter, Zoe, with me that day when I visited the new city library. Taught in school how to behave in the library, she was quiet but very attentive.

Here she stands behind the mock kitchen. There is a play room, a make-believe area for younger children who prefer exploring and manipulating toys and the simulated world of grown ups. Apart from a kitchen, a garage is available for those who would like to tinker with cars and automobiles. At the center of the play area, a circular table with building blocks is open for children's use.

Indeed, the Pasig City Library has come a along way since the time of Madame Pilar Perez. It is very different from the library I used to visit as a grade school student of Pateros Catholic School. That was back in the 80's when silence and soft movements were the observed decorum in libraries. Today, as in most modern libraries, functional noise and interactivity are the accepted trends and norms.

So I was not surprised to see a group of students from the nearby Pasig City Elementary School reading aloud to younger kids. There were two of them holding a big book - Si Kas ang Barumbadong Bus, by Rene Villanueva. I could not help myself but volunteer to tell stories this coming summer.

Ms. Delia was delighted. She told me that the students who volunteered to tell stories were her regular patrons. She had actually set up tasks for them to do. True enough, they kept books in place and arranged the small chairs and tables after the storytelling session. They even helped the library staff in shelving the books used by the younger children.

Quite noticeable were the Pinocchio dolls on the shelves. These reading Pinocchio dolls were donated by the city mayor, Bobby Eusebio and his wife, both architects by profession who had their hands on the plan and the design of the new city library.

Ms. Delia shared with me so many stories of how "their" library grew; her day to day adventures as children's librarian; and the activities they do for the children. But that would be for the next posts. I will reserve the best stories for last, of course.

On our way out, Ms. Delia escorted us to where Zoe left her bag. A pigeon hole for bags of students and children is set outside.

Here you see my daughter, Zoe getting her bag at the end of our visit to the Pasig City Library and Discovery Centrum. She met new friends, Ms. Delia was one of them and a girl named Mailin who is in 5th grade. A library is growing in Pasig City and along with it is the possibility to hope that Pasig City's youth can develop a love for books and reading.

From Pasig City Library to Pasig City Discovery Centrum

This is the banner that hangs above the entrance gate of the Pasig City Discovery Centrum. It was awarded Most Outstanding City Library. By whom, I still have to know.

The banner has caught my eye since two months ago. It was only last December 23, 2008 when I had the time to take a photo of the banner. The library, at that time, was to close for the day thus, my next visit has to be scheduled. I wrote a post about the city library with photos and you can view them by clicking this link to the Pasig City Library post.

Now, I know New Year is just days away and I don't want to stir any intrigues but, according to a link in the Filipino Librarian, it's the Marikina City Library that was ajudged as the best there is in Metro Manila. Apparently, the link works but there's no write up about it.

The question is, who awarded the Pasig City Library as the most outstanding and the Marikina City Library as the best in the metro? I also wonder what criteria were used. If you have news about such things, please reply via "comment" or my email add (zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com). Such news deserve a buzz in the blogosophere

The Pasig City Library

It was last year when I met public librarians from the Pasig City Library. I had a seminar-workshop for the Filipinas Heritage Library and the National Book Development Board in June 2007 and it was for public librarians.

I promised myself that I will visit the new library. I pass by the building every morning when I go to work. The good thing about it is that, the public library is just beside the Pasig Central Elementary Scool. This means that the city government considered the location of the library as a means for easy access to children who are learning to read. It turns out that it was being renovated. It will not open until May 2008 which means, I will have to wait three more months to check it out with my kids.

The public library in Pasig City was a popular students' destination in the 80's and early 90's. Through the leadership of the great Pilar Perez, the public library in Pasig became a research and learning center for chidlren and teens. I remember my teachers in Pateros Catholic School encouragng us to go and do our research there. I did use the resources of the Pasig City Library once or twice, but I never saw or met Pilar Perez. She will remain in my memory though as one librarian leader in the field of Children's and Young Adult Library Services.

The public library, at that time, was used to be housed in the villa very near the Pasig Cathedral. That villa is now the city's museum. But, before that, a strange looking warehouse along A. Mabini St. carries a sign that reads " Rizal Provincial ---ary". We can only speculate if it was indeed the first location of the Pasig City Library.

Hub a Library

PBBY board member, Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz wrote an update on the Library Hub's progress in the country. It's published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last Sept. 14, 2007. What delighted me of the news is the imminent training of librarians who will be in charge of the hub.

"Beverly Gonda, Library Hub Project Officer says in her latest update that a teacher training for the 35 Hubs has been completed and work has begun on the next set of Hubs. They are now preparing for the training of the librarians who will actually manage the daily operations of the Hubs all over the country."

Finally, training for librarians for the hubs. DepEd can learn a lot from the experiences of Riko Vinluan who has been quite successful in the Library Hub of the Naga City Public Library.