Tandem Telling: Juan Tamad and The Rice Pot

The Regional Conference on School Librarianship: Directions for the Future of School Libraries in Bacolod was, indeed, a memorable conference. I had a great time with friends, old and new, from the profession. Presenting a paper and a workshop was a good breather for me now that I keep a full time job.

When school librarians go out of their schools to see the bigger learning community, horizons are broadened and linkages are fortified. This help in establishing professional learning

network (PLN) that is essential for continuing professional education. In an industry that changes so fast, thanks to technology, a support system via PLN is a compass for the school librarian who navigates a library in a sea of constant influx. PLNs also offer collaborative opportunities to further strengthen programs and services.

The thing with collaboration is that, it can be done in many ways from the simplest to the most complex of tasks. Take for example the storytelling workshop I had in the conference.

In my storytelling workshop, I took the opportunity to tandem tell with another librarian who hails from Bacolod. Mr. Melquiades "Milky" Alipo-on graciously said yes and together we told the story of Juan Tamad and the Rice Pot. This folk tale is from Batangas and is found in the collection Tales From the 7,000 Isles (de Las Casas and Gagatiga, 2011). Batangas is a province in the Southern Tagalog Region of the Philippines. The tandem telling was impromptu. Milky Alipo-on translated into Hiligaynon the Tagalog version I told. And he was awesome! He even sang a lullaby in his mother tongue, the Dandansoy, to add in the story a Negrense flavor. A link of a video clip can be viewed here.

In light of this experience, I could not help but think about the issue on developing resources and materials on the mother tongue. Language is learned orally. To listen and to speak the language leads one into acquiring and learning from it and about it. I will make it a point to always include a tandem telling using the mother tongue in all my workshops.

Now I have to thank Margaret Read McDonald, Dr. Wagupta Tosaa of Thailand for demonstrating this technique way back in 2002  at the Singapore Storytelling Carnival; and to EthnoTec for performing in tandem at the 1st Manila International Storytelling Festival. It was inspirational to watch you all, fantastic storytellers! My gratitude goes out as well to Dean Dina Ocampo of the UP Diliman, College of Education for giving me the opportunity to run a storytelling workshop during the Mother Tongue Instruction Institute in 2009 where in I asked participants to do tandem telling of their favorite folk tale in Filipino and their mother tongue. Such experiences would not have led me to continue on experimenting ways to use tandem telling.

If we all work together and collaborate, surely, we are effectively using our time and putting our talents into good use.

The 1st Klasrum Adarna ECE Conference

Highlights from the IASL Regional Conference in Bacolod

And so, the IASL Regional Conference in Bacolod folded up. Congratulations to the Rizal Library! Kudos to its director, Dir. Lou David and her team of librarians who made the conference possible: Karryl Sagun, Shielski Montenegro, Fernan Dizon and Waldette Cueto. Three cheers for PASLI, PRISAAP-Bacolod and IASL for a successful collaboration!

I have to say, I enjoyed the conference very much. I made new friends and strengthened old ties with friends from the profession I have known since my younger years in the industry. The three day experience gave me a lot to think about on Philippine school librarianship as well.

L-R Mel Alipo-on, library director of Olivares College, Joseph Marmol-Yap of DLSU Taft, Darell Marco of DLS Zobel and the Karryl Kim Sagun of the Rizal Library present their paper at the IASL Regional Conference

1) There are many young school librarians out there who made their presence felt in the conference. Joseph Marmol-Yap, Darrel Marco, Ann Grace Bansig, Venus Ibarra, Karryl Kim Sagun and Ronald Cabunagan presented interesting papers that speak of new paradigms in school librarianship. This is a hopeful sign.

2) The voice of experience was equally heard. Joy Nera, Mel Alipo-on, Roderick Ramos, Fernan Dizon, Madame Elizabeth Peralejo and Dir. Lou David shared projects, initiatives and best practices in the school library of their affiliations. This mix of the new, the fresh and the seasoned is a promising potential on professional collaboration among school librarians in the Philippines.

3) The majority of speakers came from local schools but the variety of paper topics presented is an indicator of where Philippine school librarianship is at the moment. Indeed, school librarians from the big private schools presented studies and best practices. Representatives from the public school sector were amiss though. It is a good thing that PASLI president, Jude Gorospe, was at the conference. A big challenge is on his shoulders. But, with help from the private sector, like those who presented papers, public school libraries may be able to rise and shine from issues and problems that beset them. We need to work together to develop more libraries especially when it's been identified in research and practice that libraries contribute to student learning and achievement.

Tales From the 7,000 Isles by Dianne de Las Casas and Zarah Gagatiga  was exhibited and sold at the IASL Regional Conference. Thanks to Enoy Ferriol of Scholastic and the Rizal Library for making this possible.

4) The presence of foreign delegates, Prof. Brendan Luyt and Lucia Dhamayanti provided similarities of beliefs in making the library a cool learning space, and bigger challenges for the future. It was Prof. Luyt's presentation that affected me the most. He spoke of going beyond Information Literacy seeing that information and knowledge are dynamic entities. True. For if we look at information and knowledge as static, then we begin to deteriorate. Knowledge creation and information seeking are proactive processes that lead to lifelong learning.

IASL President, Dr. Diljit Singh asks: What is the future of school libraries?

5) Speaking of lifelong learning, Prof Diljit Singh, IASL President, asked questions on how this can be developed in the light of a future that's fast paced and ever changing. He emphasized the necessity to begin with one's self.

6) On a personal level, my attendance to the IASL Conference inspired me to continue growing in the profession. It afforded me to reflect on what I am doing right now as a school librarian, storyteller, PBBY president and literacy advocate for a number of non-government organizations which I support. My head is still brimming with so much information that I still have to process each one at a time. And, with the mission I have set out to accomplish these tasks and advocacy, the hand will do the work of thy will.

Cheers to Philippine school librarianship! Looking forward to the next IASL Conference!

Live Blogging: Diljit Singh, IASL President Gives a Closing Keynote

Diljit Singh, IASL President gives a closing keynote speech at the IASL Regional Conference. Some of the talking points I picked up from his speech --

* What is the future like?

* Go beyond the 3Rs. There's the 4Cs: Creativity. Collaboration. Communication. Critical Thinking.

* Move beyond Information Literacy.

* We need to be aware how we inculcate lifelong learning in children, teens and adults.

* As a school librarian, you can provide services that technological devices could not. What services does your library provide for students to learn better?

* Believe in yourself. Set a vision. Reach your goal.

Live Blogging: Day 2 Session 2-4 @ the IASL Regional Conference

Very interesting and thought provoking paper presentations since after the morning break.

Dir. Lou David shared the outreach activity of the Rizal Library in Nueva Ecija which is the building of the St. Ignatius Library. It involved the participation of local government officers, DepEd officials and members of the barangay. Next was Prof. Brendan Luyt of Nanyang University, Singapore. He challenged the credibility of Wikipedia and looked at factors why users of information of this generation have poor referencing skills. One of the reasons he enumerated that hit me straight on the face is the commodification of information. He ended his presentation by challenging librarians to go beyond the teaching of Information Literacy and focus more on teaching students the ways of knowing, epistemology, language, knowledge creation and the examination of the dynamism of information.

Ann Grace Bansig shared the reading survey she did at the DLSZ Library while Roderick Ramos of DLS Taft presented the relevance of the teaching identity of librarians.

Live Blogging: Day 2 of the IASL Regional Conference

Day 2 of the IASL Regional Conference started early.

First up was Karryl Sagun of the Rizal Library. She presented a case study on the jargon and terms librarians use in the work place which she called LIBRARIANISH. The words librarians use to communicate with clients may hamper understanding and appreciation on the benefits of library services. What I found interesting in her study was the use of social media to get feedback and information on how library users at the Ateneo de Manila University respond to the library in general.

Darrel Marco of De La Salle Zobel gave an entertaining and insightful presentation on their school library's book mobile project. Many public school children enjoyed the books and the activities they provide. That's information and access for all in action!

Right now, Joseph Marmol-Yap of De La Salle Taft, discuss ways and means to creatively stretch the library budget. He provides creative ways to recycle and reuse collection, both print and online resources.

Live Blogging: Day 1 of the IASL Regional Conference

 Day 1 of the IASL Regional Conference commences.

Opening ceremonies ended with welcome addresses of organizers: Dir. Lou David of the Rizal Library; Pastor Ezekiel Guanzon of the PRISAAP, Bacolod City; Jude Gorospe of PASLI; and Dr. Diljit Singh of the University of Malaya and the IASL.

Enoy Ferriol of Scholastic gave a short spiel as sponsor and shared with the participants the many freebies and perks available for participants.

There are sixteen speakers and presenters in all, majority are Filipino librarians from Manila and the regions. Topics are grouped according the following topics for Day 1: Reading and the School Library; Storytelling workshop; Library Space and Planning and Teacher Librarian Partnerships.

Book exhibits are displayed outside the conference hall. At the Scholastic booth, copies of Tales of the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories are displayed.

In my workshop after lunch, I will be doing two storytelling demos from the anthology. My co-author, Dianne de Las Casas may not be here, but I keep her presence by adopting and adapting storytelling strategies learned from her.

I miss you, Dianne!

The Colors and Flavors of Bacolod

We arrived in Bacolod at 3PM. Except for the air turbulence, it was an uneventful trip. Not that I am wishing for delays or disasters. The weather was good and everyone was in high spirits. After gathering our bags, we all headed down to Bacolod Pavilion Hotel, registered and took a rest before hitting the town for some sight seeing. The itinerary was The Ruins, dinner and a walk back to the hotel.

The Rizal Library librarians, Karryl Sagun and Shielski Montenegro, efficiently attended to our needs and joined us for a late afternoon trip to The Ruins.

I have read and heard good things about the The Ruins in Bacolod so, it was in my To See list. Well, indeed, it was what I expected it to be, a haunting beauty. After a series of picture taking at the The Ruins, we headed to Aida's for dinner. The chicken inasal was divine! We ate using our hands for there were no silver ware set on the table. The experience of eating chicken inasal sans fork, knife and spoon was satisfying! Fresh oysters were served on the side.

This maskara is one of the many decorations at Aida's. The Masskara Festival is celebrated every October in Bacolod. The colorful accessories, beads and blings, as well as the maskara itself, are intriguing elements I plan to use for a future storytelling gig.

This maskara has become a cultural icon of Bacolod.

In the 1980s, Negros was affected by the depletion of the sugar industry and a tragic sea accident, the sinking of the ship Don Juan, that killed nearly 700 Negrenses and Bacolodnons. As a strategy to cope and pull through tough times, the local government unit took the opportunity to use the city's monicker, City of Smiles, into an art form that depict smiling faces on masks.  Thus, the MassKara Festival was born. Since then, it has become a tourism strategy that uniquely identifies Bacolod from the rest of the Visayan islands.

Mass means multitude. Kara is Spanish for face. A multitude of smiling faces. That's Bacolod! That's the Philippines!

Live Blogging: IASL Regional Conference Flight to Bacolod

Joseph Marmol-Yap & Grace Bansig

I'm here now at PAL Terminal 2, waiting for boarding  to my flight to Bacolod. With me are other resource speakers of the conference: Eric Ramos and Joseph Marmol-Yap of DLSU Taft; DLS Zobel librarians, Grace Bansig, Darrel Marco and Rodora Espiritu, Venus Ibarra from St. Louis University and Joy Nera of Assumption College, SanLo.

It's going to be an exciting trip likewise, an interesting conference to be! We're catching up and each other's lives. It's a small industry, you see. Every body knows everybody and at this point, we're just having fun!

More live blogging post in the next three days.

Regional Conference on School Librarianship, Bacolod City

The Regional Conference on School Librarianship by the IASL, Rizal Library, PASLI and PRISAAP will commence tomorrow, 26 April 2012 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. As I have posted in the blog, I am part of the roster of resource speakers who will present and do a workshop. I will be presenting a web 2.0 technology application in library services and will do a storytelling workshop in the afternoon.

Looking at the program, the conference promises to be an interesting avenue for professional networking and improvement of competencies in librarianship. Below is a copy of the full program.



Thank you to Ms. Karryl Sagun for sharing this document. I will be blogging the conference on site as I have done in previous conferences before.

Eight Insights on Blogging

So what have I taken from blogging after eight years? What benefits have the blog and blogging given me as a librarian and as a netizen? What learning experiences have I derived from blogging? These are some questions I played around in my mind in the wake of the blog's eighth anniversary. I have identified eight answers --

1. Blogging is a big responsibility

2. A blog is an investment

3. Blog identity and credibility count

4. Content is KING

5. Blogs, when used properly, can be gateways to learning

6. Blogging can increase the blogger's professional network

7. Blogs can be used to raise funds and to pursue an advocacy

8. Blogs are nifty tools to self publishing

Each will be explained and expounded in the coming days!

Happy Earth Day!

Story Theater and Puppet Show Script: Father Rat Finds a Midwife

Father Rat Finds a Midwife
A Filipino Folk story
Taken from: Tales From the 7,000 Ilses: Filipino Folk Stories, ABC CLIO 2011
By Dianne de Las Casas & Zarah C. Gagatiga

Story Theater and Puppet Show Script*

Storyteller: Mother Rat was pregnant. She called for her husband. Father Rat came
running to her side.

Mother Rat: Get me a midwife! It’s going to be quadruplets!

Father Rat: What does a midwife look like?

Mother Rat: A midwife has a gentle face and a tender voice. She would not a hurt a mother like me.

Storyteller: Father Rat searched for a midwife. Down the road, he met Dog.

Dog: Mr. Rat, how may I help you?

Father Rat: I am looking for a midwife. My wife will give birth soon.

Dog: I may be able to help. Arf! Arf!

Storyteller: Mr. Rat listened to Dog and looked at his floppy ears and big nose. Father Rat knew Dog was not the midwife he was looking for. So, he ran down the road and in a corner, met Cow.

Cow: Mr. Rat, how may I help you?

Father Rat: I am looking for a midwife. My wife will give birth soon.

Cow: I may be able to help. Mooo! Mooo!

Storyteller: Mr. Rat listened at Cow’s deep bellowing voice and looked at his horns and huge belly. Father Rat knew Cow was not the midwife he was looking for. So, he ran down the road and in a corner, met Cat.

Cat: Mr. Rat, how may I help you?

Mr. Rat: I am looking for a midwife. My wife will give birth soon.

Cat: I may be able to help. Meow! Meow!

Storyteller: Mr. Rat listened at Cat’s tender mewing. She had a gentle smile in her face and Father Rat knew Cat was the midwife he was looking for. So, he brought Cat to Mother Rat. She was a gentle and tender midwife indeed. She helped her give birth to four little baby rats.

Cat: Go get me some water, Mr. Rat. The little rats need some washing.

Storyteller: Father Rat did what he was told but when he came back, his wife and four babies were gone. There was only the faint smell of a well-fed Cat. Since then, cats and rats have become mortal enemies.

*This storytelling script for story theater and puppetry is inspired by storytelling performances of Dianne de Las Casas

Sambat Trust's Giveacar Video

Like the video in You Tube and you become a part of Sambat Trust's literacy projects and reading advocacy in Tanauan, Batangas. It is as simple as that!



But you can also make book donations for its school library project and volunteer as tutors for its scholars. Reply to this post or send me an email via zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com.

SLIA: Going Great @ 8!

Today marks the eighth year anniversary of the blog. School Librarian In Action was born in 2005. To this day, I thank Von Totanes, the blog's "ninong" (godfather), for egging me to step out of the dark and explore the blogosphere. It has been a wild and successful ride. For the next few days, until the month ends, I will be posting eight blogging milestones of School Librarian In Action.

And while I go back to memory lane, brushing off online dusts from the blog's archive, I found an article written by Ronald Lim about my blogging exploits way back in 2006. Here is the link of the full article, Meet the Blograrian, which was featured in Manila Bulletin on 1 October 2006.

I remember being interviewed by Ronald Lim after my talk on blogging for librarians at the Manila International Book Fair. I was, at the time, blogging for over a year and the experience was exhilerating, like I was on uppers. Now I can say that, way back in 2006, I was professionally hungry. In the article, I was quoted as saying --

"I wanted a venue for my voice to be heard. I wanted to communicate with other people," she explains. "Librarianship is a very lonely and routinary profession. I’m not satisfied with my interaction with my fellow teachers and students. I wanted to have a wider reach."

Blogging has been, and still is, giving me opportunities to grow professionally and personally. I will expound on this in another post. But, as Mr. Lim wrote in the article --

Gagatiga says that maintaining her blog has empowered her like never before. When before she couldn’t understand how to manipulate HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) — the codes needed to manipulate and maintain a website and a blog — she has now steadily increased her knowledge, and through her blog, has been able to reach people willing to teach her.

I have reached out to many and developed a professional network and online presence that would have been impossible if I stayed an anonymous blogger.

Lastly, I learned how to manage my time for blogging as well. Indeed, time and technology can be managed. Being constantly online is pretty cool and yes, it connects me to the world but there's also a world I need to connect with first and foremost: my self's own world and my family's. I said in the article --

"When I was just starting out, I almost let my blog run my life," she explains. "If I didn’t have kids, I would have been addicted. Just after I’d post, I’d wait for comments to show up. And if I happen to post at school, by the time I’d arrive at home, I’ll connect to the internet and check the comments I have."

Now, I know better. I still blog and with eight years blogging experience, I can say I am blogger who has grown wiser.

How to Make Story Flashcards**

This is a companion to the Storytelling Guide: The Legend of the Cashew Nut.

Story: The Legend of the Cashew Nut

This activity may be done by the librarian/storyteller in a separate session before the actual storytelling encounter. If time is a constraint, the librarian/storyteller can make his or her own storytelling flashcards and use them for story time.

1. Materials: Oslo paper or white cartolina, pencils, crayons, story text of The Legend of the Cashew Nut

2. Procedures:

a. Number each paragraph 1-17
b. Cut the story into strips following the set below:
FC1 - Paragraphs 1-4
FC2 - Paragraphs 5-9
FC3 - Paragraphs 10-12
FC4 - Paragraph 13
FC5 - Paragraph 14
FC6 - Paragraphs 15-16
FC7 - Paragraph 17

c. Assign one oslo paper or white cartolina per flashcard set (FC1 to FC7)
d. Paste each strip at the back of the corresponding oslo paper or white cartolina.
e. Draw and illustrate the paragraphs' text. There are seven flashcards. A cover or title flashcard can be made. Don't forget to include your sources all the time!
f. When the flashcard is done and ready for use, always mention where you got the story from :-)

**Inspired by storytelling using Kamishibai of Dianne de Las Casas, Storytelling Workshop (2005)**

The Flipped Classroom

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media

Storytelling Guide: The Legend of the Cashew Nut

This storytelling guide is prepared for librarians and storytellers who will use the story The Legend of the Cashew Nut taken from the book, Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories by Dianne de Las Casas and Zarah Gagatiga.

Library Storytelling Guide for Legend of the Cashew Nut

I. Storytelling links: Science: Plants and the elements / Social Studies: Relationships; Philippine province: Palawan / Values Ed: patience and discernment

Suggested grade levels: Grades 3-5

Objective: Understand cause and effect relationships

Time and schedule: Two-three meetings with the librarian. First session is Pre-activity and storytelling proper. Second and third sessions are for Post-activity and class presentations.

II. Storytelling Technique

a. Pre-activity

- Librarian shows a pack of cashew nuts and a photo of a cashew tree and its fruits, and a map of Palawan, Philippines.

- Librarian explains that cashew trees abound in Palawan and its city, Puerto Princesa has an industry of planting and harvesting cashew trees and fruits. Palawan is popular for its tourism business but one of its many industries is the production of cashew nuts.

- Librarian introduces the story, The Legend of the Cashew Nut as a folk tale that explains the origin of the cashew fruit, how it looks like and why its seed is found outside its flesh.

b. Storytelling using Flashcards**

During storytelling questions:
- Why did the Cashew Seed wish to see the world outside its flesh?
- How did Mother Cashew Tree feel about Cashew Seed's transformation?
- Describe in a word or two the experience of Cashew Seed when it was outsideits flesh. Have you had an experience where in you felt happy at first and then sad the next?

c. Post-activity
- Librarian divides the big group in three small groups.
Different group activities:
Group 1 - Using the flashcards, retell in your own words the Legend of the Cashew Nut. You may need notes and writing materials. Be ready for a presentation to the class.
Group 2 - Cause and Effect: Make a table that identifies before and after experiences of Cashew Nut. What good things happened to Cashew Nut after his seed grew out of its flesh/fruit? Be ready for presentation in class.
Group 3 - Pick out your group's favorite part of the legend, preferably the one where you find a lot of excitement, and role play this part or scene in class.

**Instructions on making a storytelling flashcard will follow in the next blog post

2nd Gig Contest Winners Announced

From the FB wall of Genaro Gojo-Cruz --

Gig and the Amazing Sampaguita Foundation, Inc. (GASFI) is happy to announce that ten stories won the Gig Book Storywriting Contest. The authors will receive P20,0000.00 each, a winner’s certificate, and a chance for their story to be published as a full-color, fully-illustrated children’s book.

Arranged alphabetically by title, the winning stories are:

Hello, Tatay!
-----by Genaro R. Gojo Cruz
Ishmael And The Ocean
-----by Franklin P. Andaya
Junior's Diary
-----by Carlo Baltazar Ventura
My Dad And I Travel The World
-----by Francesca Cielo M. Ravanes
Postcards To Papa
-----by Raissa Claire R. Falgui
Postscript For Pio
-----by Mia Ayroso Buenaventura
The Stranger At My Door
-----by Gail Christiane Te
The Woman In Daddy's Wallet
-----by Fernando R. Gonzalez
What's Inside A Turtle's Shell?
-----by Raymond G. Falgui
When You Are Away
-----by Bella Charina Alexandra D. Mercado

GASFI, the contest sponsor, is a non-profit organization. Founded and headed by Marissa Oca Robles, GASFI is driven by three of Marissa’s passions: honoring the memory and youthful spirit of her son Gig, promoting the reading habit among children and their families, and serving the needs of Filipino seamen and their families.

The first has to do with turning the loss of a loved one into life-affirming action.

The second is about giving children and their families something that will always keep on giving: a life-long and shared love of reading. “Twenty Minutes At Bedtime” is not only GASFI’s slogan, it is also the minimum amount of time, Marissa believes, that parents should set aside everyday to read to their children.

The third means continuing and expanding the life-work of Marissa’s family, a hallmark of which is the Associated Marine Officers and Seaman’s Union of the Philippines (Amosup), the largest union of seafarers in the world founded and headed by her father, Captain Gregorio S. Oca.

Marissa plans to publish all ten winning stories as full color illustrated children's books. This time, the books might turn out to be more thought provoking and meaningful for seafarer children and their families. In the previous year, the rules specified: “The theme must be something that seafarers’ families---especially children---can identify with. The story must . . . resonate well with children whose fathers are mostly away at sea.” This year, the rules also stated that “bonus points and a greater chance of winning will be given to positive, sensitive, and creatively child-appropriate stories that deal with difficult seafarer family issues like relatives, in-laws, neighbors, troubled teens, money management, parental infidelity, sibling rivalry, resentment, anger, alienation, abandonment, illness, and others.”

All in all, the storywriting contest received more than a hundred and fifty stories. The judges were Karina Africa Bolasco, children's book author and Publishing Manager of Anvil Publishing, Inc.; Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, children's author, book reviewer, educator, and Chairman of the National Book Development Board (NBDB); and Beaulah Pedregosa Taguiwalo, children's illustrator and Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

For inquiries about the Gig book project,
e-mail gigbookcontest@gmail.com
or visit http://gigbookcontest.blogspot.com/.

For inquiries about GASFI,
e-mail gigfoundation@gmail.com
or visit http://www.gasfi.com/

Webquest and Pathfinder: The Teenagers Guide to Meaningful Research

I'll be presenting a paper at the International Association of School Libraries (IASL) Regional Conference in Bacolod City on 26-27 April 2012. Here is the abstract

.

Abstract: School libraries play an important role in the development and facilitation of research skills. High school students who undergo research paper writing need to have companions and mentors as they complete the journey of accomplishing their first academic paper. While teacher experts and research advisers are automatic mentors for research, the school librarian is likewise, a reading and research companion of the teenager traversing for the first time the exciting road of scholarly research.

This paper explains the impetus and the creative process with which the school librarian has undergone in the design and preparation of an Information Literacy (Eisenberg & Berkowitz, 2000) Webquest for grade 11 students and a school library Pathfinder for grade 10 students of Beacon Academy, a Filipino high school offering the Middle Years Program (MYP) and the Diploma Program (DP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Using Wikispaces.org as platform for the webquest and the pathfinder, both are aimed at providing structure and meaning for grade 11 students preparing to write the Extend Essay and grade 10 students working on the Personal Project. Relevant to the webquest and pathfinder are factors that contribute to its implementation: administrative support, available technology and resources, web 2.0 know-how of the school librarian, use of the guided inquiry model (Kuhlthau, 1997) and, collaboration with teacher experts and mentors. The school librarian has identified evaluation tools like process journal of students, library work logs and reflection notes, and a rubric on the effectiveness of the webquest and pathfinder for students to answer or use.

Picture! Picture!

Filipino School Librarian: Rosal Yniguez Bulaong

The blog's featured Filipino School Librarian this month of April is retiree, Madame Rosal Yniguez Bulaong. She's been a librarian for nearly five decades and her septogenarian wisdom shines through this article she wrote for Inquirer's High Blood section on December 11, 1996. She was a high school librarian at the International School Manila (ISM) for 21 years and became consultant for the University of Asia and the Pacific. Prior to working at ISM and UAaP, she has 17 solid years of library experience in Maryknoll College (Miriam College) and a year at the UP Main Lib/MassCom Library.

In a time when computers and information technology were rocking the profession to experiment and innovate, Mrs. Bulaong and her colleagues at ISM rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Theirs was the first school in Manila to automate its library and implement ITC in the daily library routines and programs. Her trailblazing exploits in school librarianship is made colorful by a graduate thesis she wrote on school library instruction.

Mrs. Bulaong is a proud graduate of Library Science from the University of Sto. Tomas. She holds a Master in Library and Science at the University of the Philippines.

I have gone through so many uneventful birthdays but had long looked forward to my 60th not because it was inevitable but for the anxiety of what will preoccupy me after this, my last school year of being a licensed professional librarian at the International School Manila. For 39 years I have been blessed working in schools that provided excellent support to their libraries including Maryknoll College and the University of the Philippines. These places provided me with an extraordinary chance to put into practice my ideas and theories learned from library schools of the University of Santo Tomas and the University of the Philippines. Working in these libraries gave me access to a very considerable and exciting wealth of reading materials.

It was a great chance to select and buy books on topics and issues while they are still hot and timely . I have cataloged and browsed through works of philosophers, historians, scientists, artists, literary writers and sociologists. I have enjoyed reading biographical and informational books on geology, history and culture of countries, environmental and other social issues among others . I used to finish reading a romantic Gothic fiction of Victoria Holt and the juvenile writings of Judy Blume and sci-fi of Ray Bradbury before sleeping.How I wish I have a photographic mind, then I could literally be a walking encyclopedia!

What sort of reference questions do we receive? Where is the almanac or dictionary is not all there is to it. I have been asked to locate the map of the original esteros in Manila drawn by architect Burnham after whom the Baguio's Burnham Park was named. This was because a certain government agency was studying the flood control program of the former first lady. I was asked the name of the horse of a Roman emperor for a high school assignment. It’s a great feeling when a shy freshman comes back to say she enjoyed the novel I had given her to read. There have been thousands of questions asked, most of them repetitive, but I have continuously learned from these questions. I could always know how and where to locate most of the information needed if I did not have the answer right off.

But finding the information for each library user would be too tedious so we make sure that the students learned how to look for it themselves. We would show the class at the start of their research how they would locate materials for their topics. It could be a simple assignment on the ethnic music of their own countries or individual help on their research for an International Baccalaureate extended essay. Not being a teacher with a regular classroom setup, we only get to know the best and the worst users of the library. I am glad to see the student who would take piles of books to read for enjoyment. And we would try our hand on being counselors for those who prefer to enjoy the prime of their social lives in the library. I get to be friends of these young readers whom a Maryknoll Sister surmised would be " wives of leaders of the Philippine government and industry, if not the country’s leaders themselves".

A school librarian is not only a teacher but also a good manager. I will miss going through professional magazines and book catalogs to select the best titles to buy with more than a million-peso-budget for new books. And what about maintaining the good relationship among the staff ? There is the everyday problem of keeping the library spic and span and the whole operation efficient like sending an overdue notice to the wrong person and getting irate phone calls from parents. We must also be able to communicate to the administrators what good things we had been providing for our library clientele.

I have worked with top professional Filipino librarians and with six professional American librarians. Together we have maintained efficient staff services for libraries we can be proud of. Sharing my expertise with other professional librarians is also part of my memories. I considered them not as students but my colleagues with whom I share my latest experiences. Now they are part of the library leadership of this country. It was also a privilege and a fun activity to be part of the leadership of national library organizations. As it is often quoted in the teaching field we must "publish or perish". I did have a published article in a professional magazine and have edited a Philippine index to magazines.

When the technology leap happened, we were quickly at the forefront. I am part of a team which had its library among the first to be fully computerized. The computer never really scared me - but I must say I am always learning a new technique everyday. I must thank the school’s professional development program and its mission to make every faculty and staff member computer literate. Think about being one of the first in school - or in the Philippines?- to browse the World Wide Web! As librarian, I have ordered books on the Net and have professionally interacted with other librarians of the world. The Internet will now be a part of the resource to be investigated to answer reference queries.

Retirement is a welcome chance for me to wake up mornings and not deal with the traffic. I can again have the chance to attend mass every day. It should give me a chance to play with my grandchildren. There have been lots of things I had not really done for my family working all those years. It could also start for me another decade of exciting professional experience apart from my being a school librarian. How about being a consultant to those schools who would like to have their libraries fully computerized or selling books through the Internet? Or how about starting to learn how to play the piano or drive the family car? It will also be a big endeavor to learn how to swim!

But I will surely miss my library! I hope I have also convinced a good many of my readers that a librarian’s job does not begin and end with the stamping and checking out of books to patrons!

Libraries and Librarians Making an Impact

This is a carry over from my interview in the Mania Bulletin last 24 March 2012. The last question, how libraries are making an impact, culturally and professionally, in the community it serve has kept me thinking to this day. I felt my answer was "bitin".

Good thing I have this blog to, at least, catch up on some ideas. I mentioned three libraries in the article that people should see to understand the dynamic role libraries and librarians play in cultural and professional growth of the learning community. These three libraries are the Rizal Library of Ateneo de Manila, UP Diliman Main Library and the De La Salle System libraries.

I should have mentioned that the Rizal Library of Ateneo de Manila University accommodates fourth year high school students to do research using the library's vast collection, and that, since 2004 (I hope my memory serves me right), Rizal Library has been staging international conferences for librarians.

The UP Diliman librarians, on the other hand, are on-air every Wednesday to talk about books, reading and issues on librarianship and information services via LibRadio, UP Diliman's campus broadcasting network. This can be heard over local AM station. Gosh. I just could not recall the frequency. But I have links highlighted! So, click away!

The DLSU School Library system is very much involved in outreach programs providing access to books in barangays and near by communities. To be specific, DLS Zobel has been conducting and touring the Muntinlupa area for their book mobile activity. They target public schools in the barangays. Their librarians do storytelling activities and book activities to develop book consciousness. I think DLSU Lipa is doing the same.

With these activities, libraries and librarians are making an influence, if not an impact, in the development of a reading culture and in the continuous professional growth of the learning community.

Picture! Picture!: Blood and Flowers

Thank you, Penny Blubaugh!

Top Ten Books to Movies Adaptation (Part 1)

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins’ dystopian novel for young adults opened in local theaters last 21 March to the delight of many fans. I tried my best to collect titles representative of the different genres though most of the books in the list carry the same themes found in the The Hunger Games. Dystopian literature is the trend in reading and in publishing but If you have your own list, share it with us!

Let’s create a ripple effect!

Let’s READ!

1. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

The identity of a mysteriously burned man affected three people who were picking up pieces of their lives at the end of World War II. A nurse, a sapper and a thief form constructs of the English Patient. By doing so, it enabled them to fill in the gaps of their own emptiness.

2. Never Let You Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Three friends, cloned to be organ donors, grapple with the roles designed for them by science and society. If dystopian literature is your kind of reading material, include this book in your reading list this year!

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A lawyer defends a black man charged with rape. It’s a storyline that’s been used before but Harper Lee’s narrative style is a tactile experience.

4. The Reader by Bernard Schlink

Michael Berg, a young law student, witnesses the trial of his lover who took part in the burning of a church where 300 Jewish women died. A post-holocaust story that describes the painful process survivors go through years after the war.

5. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

A crime novel whose popularity was surpassed by its movie adaptation. The Godfather portrays Michael “Mikey” Corleone’s hesitance to accept the role bestowed upon him by his father as head of the family and its business, that is, running a criminal organization.

6. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

A fantasy novel set in graphic format, Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess team up to offer readers an escape from the mundane and non-magical world. Tristan Thorn entered the Wall as his father did seventeen years ago and he came out from the Wall a changed man.

7. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

An unauthorized biography of John Forbes Nash Jr., whose journey to professional success (Nobel Prize in Economics) was marred by his personal battle with schizophrenia.

8. Dracula by Bram Stoker

The seminal gothic novel that inspired artists to create versions of their own, Stoker’s Dracula captures the horror and mystery of the man from Transylvania in epistolary format.

Making it to the list are two Filipino novels --

9. Dekada ‘70 by Lualhati Bautista

A family drama set during the Martial Law years. Amanda Bartolome, a mother of five boys, experienced how her family went through changes in the face of social, political and ideological upheaval that shaped the decade.

10. Kangkong 1896 by Ceres Alabado

A historical fiction set in 1896 when Filipinos took up arms to fight for independence from Spain. Alabado narrates Plorante Acabo’s coming of age journey at the height of the revolution.

Librarian In the News: On the Digital Divide

And so the Manila Bulletin interview I had last February finally made it to print. Some friends sent a message via text congratulating me on the feature article. Many contacts in Facebook linked and shared the article on their wall.

Thank you very much.

I tried my best to answer all the questions as best as I could but going through the article several times over made me realize I have not answered some topics or issues sufficiently. For example, the question on digitization of books and how, if I were not a librarian, would I use the library. I did answer the question, but there's an implied thought to the question being this: Let’s pretend for a minute that you were involved in the world’s biggest book digitization effort. How do you personally use the library? How do you search for and access information in general? How do you read books?

This is what I would like to add: Book digitization is the trend, but using the library is still essential in this age of digitization because, libraries close in the gap of the digital divide. The digital divide is not on technology alone, but also on how these tools are used to make life better; to arrive at well informed opinions from the use of technology; and to comprehend the technological environment that surround us, deriving meaning and constructs of knowledge from it. For a country that is forever developing, functional libraries are crucial to develop thinking skills and self empowerment.

Google, Wikipedia, social networking sites are all cool stuff. I love technology and yes, I blog. But these tools, fancy and fast, as they seem to be can only be accessed by those who can afford to have an Internet connection at home or the budget to be called technologically advanced. The library has structures and systems that allow for an INFORMATION COMMONS. The library's use of technology to virtually upload this information commons online would mean going the extra mile for library patrons who do not have access to technology at home but can freely do so in the library nearest them.

I hold the same belief on ebooks and in developing an ebook collection. The existing marketing strategy for ebooks is very aggressive. I fear that by being so hot and gung-ho on ebooks and the acquisition of ereaders, the industry leaves behind a great number of people who also have the RIGHT TO READ and deserve ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

Again, I am not against ebooks. I do not own an iPad or a Kindle, but technology has taught me to be resourceful and ingenuous. I have a Kindle app and an Adobe Shockwave in my MacBook. I keep a directory of free ebook providers. I read electronically given the means I could afford to have.

But I am a librarian.

And one of my many roles is to narrow the gap between the haves and the have nots through effective and efficient library services and programs. It is not an easy job, I tell you.

I choose to do it.

And I will die trying.

Filipino School Librarian: Jude Gorospe

Mr. Jude Gorospe, head librarian of Miriam College's Library Media Center, High School Department, shares with us the paths he has taken as school librarian. As current president of the Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc (PASLI), Mr. Gorospe leads the organization to new and exciting directions! In this interview, he touches on issues that burden the growth and development of school librarianship in the Philippines.

Mr. Gorospe is a dog lover. He has two labradors, one golden retriever and one shih tzu.

What made you decide to become a librarian?

I am a late bloomer. I started working as a librarian only in 2008. I was a teacher for 17 years before shifting to the library field. My love for this work is like a whirlwind romance.

It started with getting burned out of teaching. I wanted to explore new challenges in school work. That’s when I thought of attending grad school in UP-SLIS in 2006. I immediately fell in love with my studies (must have probably caught the love bug from my professors then), could not stop myself from thinking, reflecting and reading about librarianship, especially school librarianship, until I passed the LLE (Librarians' Licensure Exam) in 2008. And, it did not stop there. Like a person in love, I always get excited and in awe every time I discover new and better ways of improving and innovating our LMC (Library Media Center) services and programs.

Describe your typical day in Miriam HS Lib. What is the greatest challenge of the job yet?

I might bore you to death. May I just share a thought that I have started to believe about school libraries: If you would like to check the quality of teaching and learning going on in the classroom, one good measure is to check their collections and programs in the library. It is most often a reflection of how updated, deep and vast the information is being shared among the teachers and students. And that has always been the challenge I place upon myself — to make sure that relevant, up-to-date, and exhaustive array of information is available for all our students, teachers, librarians, guidance counselors and administrators’ academic exchange.

As current president of PASLI, what direction is the org taking to uplift school librarianship in the country?

PASLI is envisioning to help establish a robust school library structure in the country through establishing network of people and resources, through empowering school librarians in our role as information specialists guiding our students toward effective use of information and technology for acquiring information and creating knowledge, through upgrading ourselves with skills and tools to effectively collaborate with subject teachers in curriculum development, its implementation and evaluation and through leveling the path for partnership with school administrators to stir more enthusiasm and interest for funding and better management of library resources and support programs.

What is the pressing issue of Philippine school libraries today and how are individual school librarians and orgs like PASLI responding to these issues?

In my few years of service in the field of school librarianship, I have discovered a lot of pressing issues, actually. There is the seemingly unstoppable practice of assigning unqualified personnel (like subject teachers) to manage the school library, ill-equipped to handle and develop LMC programs and unprepared to deliver effective library services to their patrons -- students and teachers. Related to that is the misconception that the school library is a warehouse of books where librarians just sit all day and oversee their circulation to borrowers. Still related to it is the issue of assigning not enough number of librarians to deliver all library programs and information services to their clientele.

More often than not, in our Philippine school context, only one librarian is assigned to respond to at least 500 info and research needs of students, collaborate with around 100 teachers, process acquisitions, catalog materials, oversee circulation, do indexing of journal articles, develop the vertical file and oversee its usage, maintain computers, conceptualize and execute book promotion activities, and a lot more. But nothing is more disheartening to see than school librarians resigning themselves into this structure, consequently delivering mediocre library services.

I think PASLI and other school librarianship organizations have a lot to give in terms of helping the schools rediscover the valuable position of school librarians, their skills and programs in curriculum development and education of the young. Researches have continuously revealed that academic achievement of students and quality library services are necessary partners. Once this is achieved, everything else that we, school librarians, list down in our desiderata will have greater chances to come true. And, this is where I am leading PASLI to go.


Last, what is your top ten favorite book?

For fiction, you might be surprised I am a fan of gothic writings of Anne Rice. Her narratives of vampires and witches’ stories, humanizing them in her tales, mesmerize me. Her alternative views on life and faith as revealed through her characters keep me in deep thought.

For non-fiction, I always keep a copy of “Living, loving and learning” by Leo Buscaglia. It always serves handy whenever a student needs a good read for bibliotherapy. I love that book because it never fails to inspire and touch the hearts of people, particularly the young teens that I serve.

My Attempts at Poetry Writing

A long, long time ago, I dared write poetry.

Ahh! Lust*

Arms and legs entangle;
Lips lock in heat;
Mouths and tongues entwine;
Hands probe and seek.

I ride with your every wave.
I am soaked in the depths of your desire.
I take your every breath, your every sigh.
I drink the fire in your eyes.

* From the CANVAS exhibit of Michael Cacnio sculptures ca. 2006. A  joint project with the Kwentista ng mg Tsikiting (KUTING)

Believe in Sherlock

Author of the Month: Penny Blubaugh

Yesterday, I posted my review of Serendipity Market. The book's author, Ms. Penny Blubaugh is this blog's Author of the Month. She lends answers to questions I sent her through her website. It was so nice of Ms. Blubaugh to answer back. Visit her site and learn of the new book she wrote, Blood and Flowers. Here's hoping it's going to be available in Manila.


Where do you get the idea of merging old tales with new?

I've always loved fairy tales, especially the dark and scary ones. And I've always loved fairy tale retellings because the tales themselves, coming out of the oral tradition, are usually pretty bare bones. They leave a lot of room for interpretation, which makes them fun to play with. I think the Lizard's Tale was the first story that I did in this vein. I enjoyed looking at something as well-known as Cinderella from a new perspective -- and that poor Lizard! He never wanted to be a footman. Talk about being forced into a new persona!

How has writing Serendipity Market changed you as a person, librarian, writer?

It was a seminal book for me because it was *my first book*! The first time my name was on a cover. It was huge. It changed me from a writer who hoped to get published to a writer who was published. But when this happens it gives you a whole new set of things to worry about! At first you just want to get a book done. Then you want to get it published. Then you worry -- will it ever happen again? And then reviews start to come in. There's joy at the good ones, despair at the bad. It's a huge tangle of emotions. This all taught me that rejection cupcakes are always a valid option!

As a librarian the book opened doors for library programs with teens outside of my own space, and I love that.


Who has made the greatest impact on your writing life?

I think my whole MFA at Vermont College was life-altering. Several of my advisors, especially Chris Lynch, Chris Raschka and Ron Koertge were particularly amazing. Ron Koertge and I still chat on a regular basis and whenever I'm writing I hear him saying, "Take it out. You don't need it." Great for cutting out the unnecessary in any piece of writing.

Top 5 recommendations for teens.

I'm going to cheat. Here are 5 for girls, 5 for guys and 5 graphic novels. It's a fluid list -- it changes all the time because there are a whole lot of great books out there. So these are just some I've read or re-read and enjoyed.

Girls: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins; This Thing Called the Future by J. L. Powers; the Maggie Quinn From Hell series by Rosemary Clement-Moore; Star Crossed by Elizabeth Bunce; The Boneshaker by Kate Milford.

Guys: Inexcusable by Chris Lynch; The Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge; Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones; On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker; Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford.

Graphic Novels: Smile by Raina Telgemeier: The Amazing Screw-On Head by Mike Mignola; Little Lit: Folklore and Fairy Tale Funnies by Art Spiegelman; The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks; Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale. (Plus 1 more -- City of Spies by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan.)

Not necessarily the best of the best, not necessarily from the canon of YA lit, just some things I've enjoyed recently.

Thank you Ms. Blubaugh! Looking forward to reading Blood and Flowers.

Book Review: Serendipity Market

Once in a while I stumble upon a book that turns out to be a good read. Penny Blubaugh's Serendipity Market, her first novel for young adult readers, is one of those reads that gave me a warm, feel good feeling in the end. Its cover does not promise much- a row of tassels in varying colors. What is exciting about that? But instincts told me it's going to be a quiet and powerful book.

It begins with Mama Inez who woke up one morning feeling the earth in a state of imbalance. Something was wrong in the world and she needed to set things right. She prepared ten invitations and sent these out using her magic. Thanks to Tobie's breath, all invites, paper birds that flew great distances irregardless of time and space, reached its intended recipient.

"You're invited to the Serendipity Market at the end of the world. Saturday next. Bring your story, bring a talisman. Help us balance the world's spin." So it is said in the letter. Oh, what would I give to get such an invitation! All but one agreed to go to the end of the world where the Serendipity Market stands and under Mama Inez's tent, a storytelling feast!

What worked

The very idea that stories need to be told to put the world back in order glued me to the book instantly. As a storyteller, I have seen and experienced the magic of storytelling to heal and to bring communities together. I know what you're talking about, Ms. Penny Blubaugh! Stories are essential for living. Storytelling affirms this relevance of stories. The stories told at the end of the world, in the Serendipity Market, under Mama Inez's tent were devoid of any form of media or technology. At center stage, there stood the storyteller with his or her story. The crowd listened. There's response. There's connection. Storyteller and listeners were given the opportunity to celebrate milestones, to revel in the nobility of sacrifices great or small, to ruminate on the complexities of being human, and to savor the little triumphs of everyday.

Storytelling in Serendipity Market was not a contest or a competition. It should never be in the first place.

The stories of the eleven storytellers were taken from the old folk literature, retold in new perspectives; its motifs and themes were seen from fresh eyes; and the voices from which the telling came from were firm and strong. Blubaugh knows her folk literature alright, but it is her craft and characterization that worked wonders. She has a sensitive ear for language and she puts this to good use. All eleven storytellers had a voice uniquely their own. My personal favorites are Lizard Man from a retelling of Cinderella; Prince Zola (who would have thought?) from the newer version of The Princess and the Pea; and Vachel, the merman.

In the end, Mama Inez puts together the talismans from each teller in a jar forming the image of a person. Nothing fancy, these talismans, just bits and pieces of objects that represented each story, each teller. Each of them brought home a ring as token of the time spent under the tent telling stories.

What did not work

Nine stories make for a good number but I wish the tenth teller made it to the market as well.

Hubert Fucio's 2nd Alcala Prize

Congratulations to Hubert Fucio for winning the 2012 Alcala Prize!

Below is a sample of his art work for Russell Molina's Anong Gupit Natin Ngayon (2012 Salanga Prize). This is Fucio's and Molina's second win who both won the Alcala and the Salanga prizes respectively in 2003 for Sandosenang Kuya (A Dozen Brothers).

Developing an Ebook Collection via 3rd Party Solution

Don Rokusek of Follet DESTINY discuss the management of digital content for school libraries. I find the podcast a helpful content for school librarians who are considering and studying possibilities of putting ebooks in the library collection.

Listen to internet radio with EduTalk on Blog Talk Radio

Infographic: Youth and Digital Media

TeenLife: Community Service for Teens

Here is a recent online discover: TeenLife

TeenLife is a website for teens, parents, educators and allied professionals working with/for teens. The website is pretty impressive. It has contents on Summer Programs, College Life, Gap Year, Volunteer Activities and Career/Vocational Guidance. You may wish to sign in as member and get freebies, like newsletters.

For March/April 2012 issue, TeenLife has a neat write up on community services teens could do. This article is connected to "Senioritis", an affliction common among high school students. They slack and turn truants by the last term. The article suggests strategies to hold students up and finish the school year with good, if not decent, marks. Field trips and changes in seating arrangement are included in the tips, but there are more creative ways a teacher can do.

If you are parent of a teen, visit TeenLife's website. Happy reading!

The Hunger Games Univeristy Tour: Real or Not Real

Library Bulletin Board Display

PASLI Forum: The K-12 Curriculum and the School Library

This is the kind of initiative that elicits results, if not, discussion points that would stir Philippine school librarians into proactive thought and action. Hopefully.

Good job, Jude Gorospe and PASLI for carving a time and venue to talk about school libraries and K-12 Curriculum.

The Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc. (PASLI) wishes
to invite school administrators, school librarians and teachers in
charge of school libraries to the half-day forum on the theme: "The
Kto12 Curriculum and the School Library" on May 18, 2012 from 7:00am
to 12:00pm at Miriam College High School in Katipunan Road, Loyola
Heights, Quezon City.

Registration fee of Php500.00 covers forum kit, handouts, am snack,
lunch and access to the 2 sessions. Reservation is required to join
the forum. Only the first 100 reservations will be accommodated.

Topics:

Session 1: The Kto12 Curriculum Framework
by: Dr. Paraluman Giron, DepEd consultant for Kto12 Curriculum and
former director of DepEd Region 4A.

Session 2: The Role of the Information Specialist in the Kto12
Curriculum
by: Dr. Edizon A. Fermin, Miriam College High School Principal. He
has worked with national committees in preparation for Kto12
Curriculum.

World Read Aloud Day: March 7, 2012

I read aloud to my kids when they were younger. Though both have interests other than reading, they still read books and with continuous reading guidance, the appetite for the printed format won't wane.

On March 7, 2012, being World Read Aloud Day, read aloud to a child or to groups of children including your own!

When Librarians Love (2 of 2)

I have said before in many workshops and seminars how my mother, herself a librarian, instilled in me a love for books and reading. She modeled the reading habit and built an environment that was print rich. I am doing the same for my two kids aged 14 and 11 years old.

Nico, the eldest, moved towards music but has nonetheless maintained a reading culture about him. Laid back and creative, he has shown strategies in understanding the world around him and efforts at comprehending difficult tasks in school. I still bring home books I think would interest him. It has been a hit and miss situation. His favorites are graphic novels - Budjette Tan's Trese, Arnold Arre's Mythology Class, The Amulet Series and The Best of Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush: Top Ten.

One time when in the bookstore, he wandered to the graphic novels section. Turned off by the price, he went to the music section and picked song books of his choice. I let him be. Then again, I worry (the typical mom) when he needs to do tedious and longer reading tasks for academic work, he might not have the stamina to stay on track and follow through when necessary.

Zoe, on the other hand, has started reading chapter books by Beverly Cleary and Roald Dahl. She attempted to read Gaiman and, viola! She finished Coraline in three weeks time. She's the one who writes a lot too. And draws pictures if words are hard to come by. Above is her floor plan for a school library.

Below is the annex of the school library she designed. There was this one time when she told me she wants to be a librarian when she grows up. I would like to think that I am too strong an influence on her choice. I want her to grow up as her own person.

For the meantime, I will continue to bridge them to books that they think and feel confident in reading. Like the typical school librarian, I will guide them in their reading choices and habits.

When Librarians Love (1 of 2)

February is winding down so, here's a last hurrah for the love month: some "love notes" from colleagues and friends in the profession.

Hi! Ms. Zarah! I'm Ms. Gay Reyes of PAREF Woodrose.

I just join your blog site hoping that I catch-up with the latest news, going-ons and ins in our world as librarian. I remembered the event sponsored by Scholastic & you were the speaker then. I learned so much from your topic & gained enthusiasm as well. I hope we can be friends because I believe you can help me sustain my passion to be of service, and gain so much ideas from you. I'll be so grateful to attend more of your conferences in the future.

See you!

From Mennie Ruth Viray of Collegio San Agustin, Makati

Hi Ms. Zarah!!:) Good Day!:)

It was nice to see you last Friday, it sure was a powerhouse especially with you and Ms. Candy as speakers. Darrel, Grace and I were wondering, what if Prof Portia was also there? nako...:) Just want to thank you for posting the Power Point presentation on your blog!:)

Thanks Gay Reyes and Mennie Ruth Viray! Your emails give me encouragement!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Ah. The healing power of books and reading!



Best Animated Short Film of the 84th Academy Awards!

Book Reviews of 2011

Here's a recall of the book reviews I posted in SLIA. Not bad. I should do more reviews in 2012.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

KISS Book Reviews: an assortment of book reviews from The Icemark Chronicles, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Odd and the Frost Giants, and The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy

Numbers

And a slew of graphic novels review --

Beast

Brain Camp and Smile

Ghostopolis

Zeus: King of the Gods

My take on non-fiction quick reviews --

Study Skills for Teens

21st Century School Library Collection Development

For a better view of the PowerPoint presentation, click Full View.

IASL Regional Conference 2012: Directions for the Future of Libraries

IASL Regional Conference Program




IASL Regional Conference Invitation




IASL Regional Conference Registration Form

Picture! Picture!

My reading list for the next six months --

When an author visits

Candy Gourlay did an amazing session with students at Pantay Bata Elementary School in Tanauan, Batangas! Her sense of wonder was awe inspiring. She opened doors of possibilities to students through a talk about her inspirations in writing Tall Story. Teachers were touched and moved when she told them her stories and experiences as journalist, writer, mom, woman and migrant Filipino. I was a witness to storytelling magic!

Thank you Candy! Continue sharing your gifts to Filipino children!

Collection Development for School Libraries in the 21st Century

Call for Nominations for PRC Outstanding Professional of the Year

Every year, the Professional Regulation Commission has a week-long celebration
in June, and one of the highlights of the celebration is giving recognition to
outstanding professionals in all fields. PLAI, as the accredited professional
organization (APO) is tasked to nominate the outstanding professional in the
field of Library Science. PLAI constituted the PLAI Committee on Awards and
Recognition composed of previous PRC awardees namely: Fe Abelardo, Candida
Agcoili, Lourdes David, Fe Angela Verzosa, and Milagros Santos-Ong. It is in
this regard that we would like to request for your nomination to this
prestigious award.

The nominee must be a registered librarian who has
• "demonstrated exceptional professional competence and integrity in the
practice of one's profession
• Contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession and
• Has effectively discharged the profession's social responsibility through
meaningful participation in socio-civic related activities."

Nominations must include the following attachments in the Nomination form:
• Passport size ID picture, preferably colored with white background
• Xerox copy of unexpired PRC licence/Identification card
• Biodata/profile
• NBI Clearance
• Ombudsman clearance for those in government

The PLAI Committee on Awards and Recognition is now accepting nominations from
any individual (licensed librarian) or recognized professional group
(association). Deadline for nomination is on or before February 22. Due to time
constraints, the Committee will accept nominations even without the NBI and
Ombudsman clearances. However, these two requirements must be present before
February 28,2012, the deadline set by PRC.

The Nomination should be accompanied by nominee's profile (resume) indicating
the following 4 areas as criteria for justification:
1. Professional Competence - includes Academic background, Work experience,
Trainings/CPE, and Technical skills
2. Active participation in professional activities - includes leadership
activities, projects and accomplishments undertaken, conferences/seminars
attended (local and international)
3. Significant contribution to the advancement of the profession - includes
publications/papers presented, researches/studies made, and awards/recognition
received
4. Significant contribution to the effective discharge of the profession's
social responsibility through meaningful contribution/participation in
socio-related activities - includes involvement in civic organizations,
community and public citations

Please send your nomination to any member of the Committee:
Milagros Santos-Ong, Chair, mso1951@yahoo.com
Fe Angela Verzosa, famverzosa@yahoo.com, famverzosa@gmail.com
Lourdes T. David, lourdesdav@gmail.com, lourdestenmatay@yahoo.com.ph
Fe Abelardo, feabelardo@yahoo.com, feabelardo81@gmail.com
Candida Agcaoili, candidaagcaoili@yahoo.com, candida_agcaoili@yahoo.com

Librarians Are Ready! Are You?

Worksheets on Bibliotherapy

Worksheets I used during the Bibliotherapy workshop at the 47th ACELT.

Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Translation by Fr. Bert Alejo SJ (Batik-batik na Kariktan)


Reader response worksheet on Pied Beauty


Reader response worksheet on The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein)


For full views of the documents --

The Giving Tree

Pied Beauty

Pied Beauty / Batik-batik na Kariktan

Bibliotherapy PowerPoint Slides

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

Two posts from librarian friends made it to the blog last month in response to the Challenge of the Year: Break the Stereotype. Peachy Limpin and Ann Rosette Crelencia shared a piece of their mind on the topic. After two weeks of blogging hiatus, I resume by answering the questions I myself designed.


a. How do I feel about librarian stereotyping?
I feel challenged. This motivates me to continue giving my best as a school librarian.

b. Does this exist in my work place? If yes, in what forms? If no, why?
No. Lucky me, right? But I am saddened to hear and learn of its existence in many schools.

c. Why do librarian stereotypes exist?
My theory is, the advocacy on the relevance and importance of profession is pretty low.

d. How can librarians break stereotypes?
Librarians can break stereotypes by continuously learning and growing professionally. And this does not simply mean attending seminars and workshops.