My BTS Inspired Reading List for 2025

 

2023 Book List Update

 

BA In-service: Reading List Rocks!

Who else finds reading lists exciting? If you do start one for your learning community! In ours, we value the creation and curation of reading lists most especially of books and resources found in our library's collection.

Last week, as our school community prepared for the opening of classes, I presented the new library OPAC to the faculty. Powered by Koha and supported by Tulong Aklatan, the OPAC has a clean design making the navigation easier for users to search, locate and access information on sources. One of the features of the Koha-BALibOPAC is the "Your List" that allows readers to make one - and more! After creating an account, teachers explored the new OPAC and created reading lists. 

Here is the line up of reading lists made public on our OPAC.

Teachers creating reading lists for their classes have many advantages.

1. Library resources are being promoted to readers which are the students.

2. The reading list reflects the course work or the unit of the subject for a given semester. This serves as reference to students who need guidance in their reading and study of the topics in the unit at hand.

3. Reading lists makes us see connections and integration of concepts accross subject areas.

4. This is a validation of  how the library collection, resources and instructional materials acquired by the library supports the curricular offering.

5. Creating a reading list is a strategy to manage knowledge. Knowledge is fluid, dynamic and constantly challenged by truths and changing beliefs.

I am such a library nerd!

BA Library OPAC-Koha: How to Create a Reading List

 One of the contents of our new Users Guide for our OPAC which is powered by Koha, is the steps in creating a Reading List.

#milclicks Reading List: Media Literacy and Media Education

My participation in the MIL MOOC of UNESCO and Athabasca University prompts me to read further on Media Literacy. The unit where Media Literacy is discussed has clear definitions of the concept but I feel I need to brush up on my knowledge on media education. 

I am sharing resources on media education and Media Literacy that I found online.

The Center for Media Literacy has a list of readings about Media Literacy beginning from its basic definition to curricular programs and best practices gathered from media educators and practitioners. Articles and reports, case studies and lesson plans are included in the  list as well. What I am keen on reading is the framework for teaching Media Literacy in the digital age.

Media Smarts is Canada's center for the teaching of Media Literacy. It has resources for teachers in integrating Media Literacy with Media Education. There is a section for parents where tips and strategies in raising kids in the digital age are collated and put together. It has book recommendations and reviews of websites to help parents understand media better. The section on Research is also a treasure trove of readings on media use and digital citizenship.

Lastly, the  UNESCO Media Education Kit provides teachers, parents and media practitioners with lesson plans, activities and programming strategies for the instruction of media education. The kit is a PDF and can be downloadable for free.

To become media literate, one needs to be educated about media and the technology used to make it. 

Meme: 10 Books That Have Stayed With Me

This one is for Kate Osias and Car Fernando.

I have been challenged to list 10 books that have stayed with me in some way, and tag people to do the same. Rules: Don't take more than a few minutes and do not think too hard. They don't have to be the "right" books or great works of literature, just the ones that have affected you in some ways. [Then tag 10 friends, including me, so I can see your list.]

1. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

2. A Fish Out of Water by Robert Palmer

3. The Big Book of Dinosaurs

4. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

5. The Outsiders by SE Hinton

6. PS I Love You by Barbara Conklin

7. Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

8. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien

9. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

10. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I am tagging anyone who wishes to do the meme. Happy reading!

And today is the first day of the Manila International Book Fair!

From RAP Prezi to PBBY Chair

I got this email from Prof. Melissa Orencia, current President of the Reading Association of the Philippines.

Dear Zarah,

Greetings from the Reading Association of the Philippines!  

We would like to ask your assistance to provide us with a list of "must-read" tradebooks for Filipino children from K-12 both local and international. We would like to recommend these to public and privates schools that are setting up libraries. 

I whipped up a list of around twenty titles. I hope to send some more titles to her this month. Below is the recommended titles I put together for her request.

Recommended booksfork 12-1 from Zarah Gagatiga