The Binan City Museum and Studies Centre

The last time I visited the Binan Public Library was in 2015. It was housed in the old municipal hall where it shares space with the museum. What change can seven years make! 

The public library is now called a study centre. 

I was at the Binan City Museum and Studies Centre last Monday, November 21 for a visit on its exhibition of books and historical manuscripts. The edifice in itself is an artifact; a heritage site! Across from it is the Alberto Mansion. Another heritage site.

Housed in the historic municipal hall of Spanish design and architecture, the museum and studies centre is a place that must be visited by every Binanense. Local knowledge and its documentation must have a physical space of remembrance and restoration.  

 Sharing these photos from my visit.

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Slide Deck: Day 1 It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Slide Deck: Day 2 It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Takeaways from a Custodian of the Book Nook Project

KWL: It Takes a Village to Build A Book Nook

 

Priming Activity: It Takes A Village to Build a Book Nook

This activity is to prime participants to the workshop tomorrow. We will begin with a discussion on books and libraries.

It Takes a Village to Build a Book Nook

Team Kwekkwek 2022

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Mga Katanungan sa Paglikha ng Aklat Pambata

1. Ms Mailin at Ms Zarah, ano ang inspirasyon sa istilo ng pagsulat mo?

2. Paano ayusin ang pagsulat mo kung mas kalat?

3. Yung mga kuwentong sinulat mo na parang alamat, paano ka nag-isip nito? Halimbawa sa kuwentong "How the Moon and Stars Came to Be" paano ka nag-isip na yung necklace ay naging mga bituin.

4. Ano ang una sa paggawa ng kuwento? Yung guhit o yung sulat?

5. Ano ang iyong mga inspirasyon sa pagsusulat? Nagsusulat ka ba at pagkatapos ay paikliin ang iyong mga talata o naisulat na ito na pinaikli?

6. Ano ang pinakamahirap na bahagi sa pagsulat ng kwento? At saan mo nakukuha ang mga ideya ng kwento?

7. Paano gawin organizado ang kwento na gusto no sumulat?

8. Paano mo magsulat ng kwento kung wala kang ideya kung anong gusto mo sumulat?

9. Bakit gusto (mo) ang kuwento ng "Ang Leon at Ang Daga", para sa mga bata? Ano ang mensahe na nasa kuwento, na gusto mo kumalat?

10. Sino ang target audience para sa iyong mga kwento?

11. Paano mo iniisip ang mga ideya? Gaano katagal bago magsulat ng kwento

Guhit at Kuwento: Pagsasanay sa Pagguhit at Pagsulat ng mga Kuwentong Pambata

 

Library and Information Science Month: Author Visit

 

Author Visit: Ms. ZarahG by ZarahG

Mga Katanungan ng Mga Batang Paslit

Ang mga piling mag-aaral ng UP Integrated School na nasa ikalawang baitang ay may mga katanungan tungkol sa aking buhay manunulat. Abangan ang mga sagot.

1) Hi Teacher Zarah! Paano po namin kayo maiinspire na magsulat ng marami pang kuwento? 

2) Hello Teacher Zarah! Gaano katagal mong naisulat ang isang kuwento? Sa iyong mga kuwento, alin ang mas mabilis mong naisulat? Alin ang pinakamatagal mong naisulat? 

3) What's your favorite thing about being a writer?

4) Teacher Zarah, anong paborito n'yo pong gawin kapag walang pasok?

5) Kailan po kayo nagsusulat ng mga kuwento?

6) Bakit po kuwentong pambata ang naisip mong isulat? Sino po ang inspirasyon mo sa pagsusulat ng kuwento?

7) Ilan na po ang nagawa ninyong libro at may tumutulong ba sa'yo gumawa ng libro? 

8) Hi Teacher Zarah! Ano ang paborito mong basahing libro?

Freedom of Information Summit 2022

32nd LIS Month: "𝐌𝐠𝐚 𝐀𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧: 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐥".

Holding On to Hope and Optimism at the 10th International Conference on Children's and Young Adults' Librarianship

The 10th International Conference on Children's and Young Adults' Librarianship (ICCYAL) closed out with the awarding of the Children's Librarian of the Year Award and The Outstanding Children's and Young Adult Library Services. Congratulations to Mr. Troy Lacsamana for being conferred as the Children's Librarian of the Year and to the Imus Public Library and Laguna Provincial Library for conducting services of the outstanding qualities for children and young adults.

These are wonderful news to usher in November being Library and Information Services Month. As the ICCYAL celebrated the past, present and future of Philippine Children's and Young Adult Librarianship the work for school librarians and public librarians serving children and young people is cut out for us. As one of the speakers, I am honored to have lent a report on the status of children's and young adult librarianship.  Conducted online, the recorded video can be watched via the National Library's Facebook Page. If you missed it, just click the link and catch up on all the fun.

So. My general takeaway is this: 

The Philippines is lacking on many things that will catapult public and school libraries to reach its potentials but it is not wanting in human resources. Storytelling, a phenomenon that is replete with the richness of human capacity building, has become a force used by many librarians and libraries to reach young people and open up access to the literature that is created for them. This is good. Very, very good.

But, we need to move past storytelling as a performative act. Storytelling has to move away from the teller towards the listener being able to partake in the experience of telling the story, before, during and after the telling. Young people must be engaged in this experience. If we can't develop the tech or run short of bringing it to our libraries, we can enable young people to be agents and advocates of themselves through storytelling.

More on this in future post.

For now, let us celebrate the winners of the awards and be positive in keeping our services for young people alive and kicking whatever the odds are.

Ghost: An Intergenerational Review

On Hallow's Eve, we decided to watch Ghost, the 1990 smash hit movie that defined my generation. A genXer, I was proud telling my kids about it. How it spawned the pixie haircut among girls my age because Demi Moore looked so androgynously charming. The soundtrack and the movie theme song marked an era too. Even the visual effects and the chemistry of the cast were points I bragged to my kids since it was perfect. 

I punctuated my story boasting of the Oscars that the movie snagged that year -- a Best Supporting Actress trophy for Whoopi Goldberg and a scriptwriting award for Bruce Joel Rubin.

While my children, ages 25 and 21 years old went "awww" and "oooh" at the romantic scenes, cringed at the right parts of the movie and laughed their hearts out at Whoopi Goldberg, the ending left them underwhelmed. 

Here is why.

Nico has this to say about the movie (25 years old). It was pretty good. Though it would have left an impact in me if it ended with an epilogue. Sam got his ending. But I want to know what happened to Molly and Oda Mae. It isn't just Sam's story. He is the "ghost" but, he haunted Molly and Oda Mae. What of Molly's grief and Oda Mae's new found skills?

And to this, Zoe, added. That movie is male-centric. Women characters were seen from the male gaze. Ugh. The gender politics (eyes rolling)! Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg are strong actors, visually and talent wise they deserve better than merely foils to Sam's character development. It does mark your generation, mom.

I couldn't agree more. 

Kuwentong Bangtan: To Let Go is to Grow

I am HopeMon biased but tears well up in my eyes each time The Astronaut is streamed on in my Bangtan playlist. It has been days and I do not know when the crying will end.

I have long accepted the reality of Bangtan's conscription. It plays a big part in their life journey. They have been singing and telling ARMY about it since Map of the Soul era. The entire album, MVs and online concert are replete with subtle signs and subtexts. What brings me to tears is Kim Seokjin's manner of saying goodbye and the way he professed his love for ARMY. It is one for the books. Speak of grand gestures, and his leave taking tops my list.

The Astronaut made me feel loved and seen. It is Seokjin telling me, I matter. You are ARMY, and I love you. No one can romance and love a fandom the way Bangtan can.

There will be six more leave takings to look forward to. More crying and more tears - and laughter. I subject myself to this catharsis because, painful as it is, Seokjin's goodbye is tender, and sweet and hopeful since it is a promise of growth and development. Such is the story of Bangtan. Such is the story of life and death that ushers a new beginning.

This life-death-life continuum is spread out in the entire Bangtan discography and their collective works. Listen to Proof, the anthology album. Look back on the MVs of Spring Day, BST, Save Me, Run and even PTD. Rewatch Run BTS Episodes 152 and 153 where they wrote poems. There lies the cycle of endings and beginnings. And in between, there is joy, friendship, so much love, the grit to take life by the horns, the courage to face one's demons, to find oneself and to speak of the truths that cut across boundaries.

In the MV of The Astronaut, we see Seokjin venturing into the life-death cycle once again. On the surface, he is saying goodbye because of military service. But he is also saying goodbye to the idol/artist pesona and welcoming the life of any normal South Korean guy called to serve his country and the world. This is painful. This is beautiful. This is change. This is Chapter 2.

If anything, I hold on to these powerful images in the MV. Seokjin's smile. Seojkin in the midst of nothingness. Seokjin, teaching the little girl how to bike on her own. To let go is to grow.

Thank you, Seokjin! Thank you Bangtan! Thank you, Bang PD!

Books, Bangtan and ARMY Life

 

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Jimtober with Titas of BTS

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Kuwentong Bangtan: The Astronaut

The Astronaut has landed!

I was excited for this song and for Jin who is off to military service in a few months. But I didn’t think The Astronaut is the song I needed.

Coldplay + Kim Seokjin + Lumpens = MGA HALIMAW SA GALING

In the video, The Astronaut chose to stay. Here is Jin on the back of a pickup truck going back to a place he’s called home. It does have a special meaning for ARMYs. Nag live pa siya kagabi. We get a clearer picture of their predicament where military enlistment is concerned.

On a personal level, it hits me differently. While the song is a sweet goodbye and a tender reassurance from Jin, it moved me to ask these question: What informs my choice to stay or to come back for someone or for something? Who will I turn my back on for someone else or for what? What is worth fighting for that I can afford to miss the next ship out? Who has been my Astronaut all these years? Have I been this kind of Astronaut for people I love and care for?

Thank you Kim Seokjin for once again moving me to reflect on questions that matter. Thank you for choosing ARMYs.

I am just a fan. But what did I do to deserve you, Bangtan?