Looking for Andoy: Sergio Bumatay III on Ngumiti si Andoy

Sergio Bumatay III's entries to the 2013 Alcala Prize were served in a platter. Literally. The clay sculptures depicted a young Andres Bonifacio and his Katipunero days. To me, his art works communicated dedication to the craft; taking risk and trying out something new. It worked on the concept of a talking sculpture. Impressive!

Filipino Librarian: Maria Cecilia Ingusan Ayson

The blog's Ms. April is Maria Cecilia Ingusan Ayson of the Filipinas Heritage Library. She graduated BLIS in UP Diliman and is currently pursuing MLIS in the same university.

She will be traveling to San Diego, USA to receive the "Diane K. Foster International Student Travel Award 2013" sponsored by Science-Technology Division & Special Libraries Association (SLA) - Asian Chapter. This award will be presented at the SLA Annual Conference on 9-11 June 2013.

a. What's your lib story? Describe how you made the choice of majoring in LIS and what was college life like for you as a LIS major. You can cite challenging stories and success stories while studying the course.

To be honest, my becoming a LIS major in UP Diliman was quite accidental.  It took me a while to discover LIS as I was originally an English major, then I shifted to Business Administration, until I found myself taking a career guidance exam.  The results said that I should consider a career in LIS, among other fields (which I really can't remember by now).  I felt that being a Librarian suited me since I'm an introvert (very stereotypical, I know), but I also thought it was a logical choice since it was based on a scientific test and so I pursued it.

I found college life more enjoyable as a LIS major than in my previous college courses. Since the UP Institute of Library and Information Science (UP ILIS) was a very small unit (compared to the other colleges in UP Diliman), the atmosphere was very friendly and homey.  I found new friends and many students like me who somehow had a second lease on college life--a chance I took full advantage of.  It was in LIS where I became a University Scholar (which I previously thought I wouldn't be able to achieve). Having a clean slate, I was inspired to excel in my studies once again.

b. What has been the greatest challenge you've faced so far as a licensed and working librarian? Why do you say it's a challenge?

Being in a corporate environment, the greatest challenge for me was the constant need to emphasize the importance of the library and the amount of work involved, especially the work behind the scenes because not many people are aware or appreciative of that. Also, there is always the need to challenge the librarian stereotype.

Our library also has a lean staff so multitasking is a challenge. I do all sorts of library work, from Technical Services to Reference Service, and many others, including handling of some special projects of the library. It’s a challenge to be able to perform and accomplish all those tasks but fulfilling as well because I’m able to learn a lot along the way.

c. What is your area of expertise in LIS?

In the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) I perform various library tasks but the major ones are Selection & Acquisition, Cataloging & Classification, and Reference Service.  I also have some background and experience on Archives, particularly on paper conservation.  I could also handle basic website administration, particularly content management tasks. 

d. What do you think are the requirements and preparations necessary for becoming a LIS professional?

Apart from formal LIS education, a LIS professional should also have the following skills/traits: attention to detail, eagerness to read and learn, interpersonal and communication skills, knowledge management skills, adaptability to new technologies, and willingness to serve. Being a bookworm is also good because it means you are exposed to the literary universe and could recommend a lot of good reads or share bits of information to library users.
 
e. What rewards have you reaped from being a LIS professional?

Intangible rewards I get from being a LIS professional include unlimited access to a wide range of interesting books and materials, and discovery of random bits of information and knowledge that I encounter while helping clients find the information they need. Also priceless is the appreciation from the library users I was able to help.  I was also exposed to communities in the provinces through one of our special projects, the OurLibrary project, wherein we travel to different areas in the country to help develop community libraries.

Various opportunities also came my way… I was able to speak in conferences organized by professional library associations, worked with interesting personalities (including celebrities) for special projects, and in a couple of months, I will be able to attend an international conference due to a grant sponsored by an international library association.

The NLP's 2nd Summer Workshop for Kids

Posting this info on the 2nd Summer Workshop for Kids of the National Library of the Philippines.

The National Library of the Philippines- Children's Section, will hold the 2^nd “Summer Workshop for Kids” on April 25-26, 2013 from 9:00am- 4:00pm at the NIDO SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER (NSDC), SM MOA which aims to promote reading and love for books to children through storytelling and puppetry.

The NLP invites children ages 6-12 years old. Each participant shall be charged a registration fee of Two Thousand Pesos (Php 2,000.00) to defray the expenses for 2 lunches, snacks and materials needed. The fee is inclusive of gallery tour at NSDC and a Planetarium Show. Proceeds of the activity will be used in the renovation/acquire materials that will be use by our readers.

For further inquiries:
 please contact us at 3105033 / 5281972 or 3105035 loc 207-210; 09178718225;
 e-mail: childrenslibrary@nlp.gov.ph
 you may visit our website http://web.nlp.gov.ph

Skw program from Zarah Gagatiga

Looking for Andoy: Francin Cruz's Rendition for Ngumiti si Andoy

 The 2013 Alcala Prize winners have been announced! Congratulations to Dominc Agsaway for bagging first place! Honorable mention goes to Serj Bumatay III and Francin Cruz. Visit the PBBY website for the complete details of this year's Alcala awardees.

For the next three days, I'll post the winning illustrations of the three illustrators and provide annotations.

Let me begin by Francin Cruz's entry. She rendered an illustration of Andoy as very human by showing him with his father, a tailor by trade. She drew Andoy working in a printing press. This image fascinated me. Instead of the bolo or itak, Andoy is shown holding a quill, writing. Her last illustration is my favorite among the three. At the center is Andoy, selling abaniko and baston. We are familiar with this image. Our textbooks told us that Andoy peddled fans and walking canes. But, look at the mischievous glance Andoy has for the mestiza on his right. Typical teenager!

What thoughts Andoy had while writing on the poster?

Andoy with his father. I wonder what tales and stories his father weaved as the young Andoy listened.

See the look in Andoy's face. He had his eyes on the girl who just walked by. Selling fans and walking canes isn't that bad.

Congrats once more to Francin Cruz. I thank you for revealing to me a romantic side of the revolutionary hero!

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

    

Library Giveaways: Easter Baskets

Before: box, Easter Egg biscuits, chocolate eggs and pipe cleaners

After: Easter Basket! TA-DAH!

The Easter Baskets are ready to be given away! Who is the lucky library borrower who will get this Easter Basket?

PASLI Summer Conference 2013

Pasli program-2013-updated-jan-25 from Zarah Gagatiga

Folk Story and Tall Story

In one of my teacher workshops this month, Teacher Ava discovered Tall Story by Candy Gourlay. She became an instant fan!

I make it a point that in every talk, seminar, forum, workshop I conduct, I do book talk sessions on the six National Children's Book Award Best Reads. Teacher Ava was immediately smitten as I talked about the problem of Bernardo, the main character in Tall Story.

It turned out that Teacher Ava is from Montalban, Rizal and that she is very familiar of the legend of Bernardo Carpio. She plans to buy a copy, have the book read by her and her kids and together, this summer, they will all go to Wawa River in Rizal where foot prints of the giant Bernardo Carpio are found.

She told me that folk from the area say that the river takes lives. Many who bathe or fall in the river were never seen again. I replied that perhaps, some vacuum of air and water sucks in bathers and river waders. But she said, that the mystery remains and that science has no space to explain this story.

Easter Egg Hunt Promo at the Library

Sharing the library promo we're having this Easter:

April 3-8, 2013 is EASTER EGG HUNT @ the library!

There are eggs hidden in selected books in the FICTION, GENERAL COLLECTION, FILIPINIANA and TEACHERS RESOURCE. If you happen to borrow that selected book with an egg, then you get a coupon for a cup of quail eggs (aka kwek-kwek!). This can be redeemed from our cafeteria during PM snacks (2:45 - 3:30) on April 10, 2013. Just present your coupon with Mr. Flynn's signature to our cafeteria personnel :-)

Here's a clue: The eggs are hidden in books about RENEWAL and REDEMPTION.

For those who will borrow a KINDLE and DVD over the long Holy Week break, (begins on March 27 - April 2, 2013) the library will give away a special "Spring Basket" upon return of the resources on April 3, 2013.

Lastly, we will prepare simple handouts (EGG-CITING DISCOVERIES)  for when you find out a helpful info on the library's online subscriptions: EBSCO, The Day, World Book Online and Scientific American. For this, we have a spring token in exchange of your online review or feedback.

We hope that you participate for the fun of it, and for the joy of reading, of course!

Dear Librarian: On Bibliotherapy

Kevin Dhale dela Cruz, a LIS student from UP Diliman sent questions regarding Bibliotherapy. I answered them and sent him links on Bibliotherapy published in the blog.

What is the history of bibliotherapy in your area or in your institution?

The school is pretty new, just three years old, as well as the library. We've only started with a Bibliotherapy collection this school year.

How long has your institution been offering bibliotherapy? (if applicable)

The library is starting with a bibliotherapy collection. The guidance counselor has not used the collection yet. There are no sessions yet for bibliotehrapy in the library.

How long have you been in this field?

I have been a school librarian for nearly two decades already. I started bibliotehrapy, formally in 2009.

What kinds of patron avails your services?

High school students. Guidance Counselors. Teachers.

What are the schedules and the intervals of the sessions for bibliotherapy?

NA

Is there a fee for your services? If yes, how much?

          
            NA

What are the processes involved in conducting bibliotherapy?

Bibliotherapy is developmental and clinical. Developmental bibliotherapy can be done side by side with Reading Guidance. This should also be in collaboration with guidance counselors. Begin by identifying a need or a problem of the child. A book or books are recommended for reading. When the child engages in the text, the guidance counselor receives responses from the reading experience. If mirroring happens, then it is a sign that the techniques made an impact.

Two important things to see in a bibliotherapy process: catharsis (mirroring) and response that is proactive.

What kind/s of librarian/s can practice bibliotherapy?

Librarians who are interested in readers services and user centered programs are the better ones to practice bibliotherapy.

What are the advantages of being a bibliotherapist? Are there also disadvantages? If yes, what are those?

The advantages are: knowing the reader and what book he/she finds helpful; the image of a librarian doing bibliothsrapy conveys a caring and compassionate professional; use of books and literature is authenticated. The disadvantage is, no concrete measure or statistical data can prove that a bibliotehrapy session is successful. As therapy, bibliotherapy is just one way to heal or solve problems.

What other institutions can you recommend that offer bibliotherapy?

Counseling centers may use bibliotherapy, but I do not know of any. You may wish to contact Eric Ramos for he has done bibliotherapy in the college level. San Beda Grade School and High School libraries have bibliotehrapy collection, as well as Miriam College.

For those interested in Bibliotherapy, here are links to my blog posts on the topic:

bibliotherapy

-powerpoint-slides.html">Bibliotherapy Powerpoint

PAARL Bibliotherapy
bibliotherapy-collection.html

Fan Girl Mode: With Fr. Manoling Francisco SJ

Over the weekend, I was up in Tagaytay for a retreat along with forty one members of the Magis Deo Community. This Annual Ignatian Retreat focused on the theme, Love Unto Death: the Passion and Death of Christ. Fr. Manoling Francisco SJ was our spiritual director. This is my second retreat by him.

He is, no doubt, a musical genius. In my first retreat by him, he composed a song impromptu using words, phrases and lines from the prayer we wrote to God. This was a retreat he gave for the Magis Deo Choir in 2011.

This time around, I discovered what a fantastic storyteller Fr. Manoling is! The Bible Exegesis he had was made more meaningful with real life stories of people who suffered but found virtue and grace in the process. Indeed, it was a life affirming retreat. Thank you, Fr. Manoling!

Library Giveaways for Easter

I made these, for Easter, as giveaways when library patrons come back and join our Easter Egg Hunt after the long Holy Week/Mid-term break.

Star Box (I did not make the name. No pun intended) for keeping chocolate eggs.

A tulip to fill in a spring basket.

Library Bulletin Board: From Tablet to Tablet, March 2013

Last January 23, I posted a photo of our library bulletin board having only three images on the evolution of the book.

It looks like this now -

World Read Aloud Day 2013: Doll Eyes & Ay Naku!

Two book talks for today's World Read Aloud Day 2013 celebration: Doll Eyes by Eline Santos and Ay Naku by Reni Roxas. Doll Eyes is illustrated by Joy Mallari, while Ay Naku is illustrated by Serge Bumatay III.

Bibliographic info:

Santos, Eline. Doll Eyes. Quezon City: CANVAS. 2010

Roxas, Reni. Ay Naku! Makati: Tahanan Books for Young Readers. 2010.

World Read Aloud Day 2013: The Secret is in the Soil

Written by Flor Gozon Tarriela and Gidget Roceles Jimenez, The Secret id in the Soil: A Beginner's Guide to Natural Gardening helps kids realize that edible plants are healthier; that soil needs to be taken cared of; and that agriculture remains an industry of survival. I love the recipes included in the book! Liza Flores' neat paper art lends a wonderful design and fresh look for the book.

Bibliographic data: Tarriela, Flor Gozon and Gidget Roceles Jimenez. The Secret is in the Soil. Makati: Conquest for Christ Foundation Inc., 2010.

World Read Aloud Day 2013: The Great Duck and Crocodile Race

Robert Magnuson's The Great Duck and Crocodile Race is a fun read as it allows the readers to see  the story and the pictures unfold together. Magnuson combined these two elements creating a harmonious dance of words and images.

Bibliographic info: Magnuson, Robert. The Great Duck and Crocodile Race. Mandaluyong City: Hiyas, 2011.

World Read Aloud Day 2013: Jake's Cooking Craze

Imagine a world where everyone can read...

World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.

By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read, to write, and to share their words to change the world.

Here is my book talk video of Ken Spillman's Jake's Cooking Craze.

Bibliographic info: Spillman, Ken. Jake's Cooking Craze. New York: Scholastic, 2012

Filipino Librarian: Ann Grace Bansig

The blog's Ms. March is none other than Ms. Ann Grace Bansig, Readers Services Librarian at De La Salle Zobel School. She's a BS LIS graduate from UP SLIS and is pursuing her masters degree in Reading Education at UP Reading Department, Diliman.

 
a. What's your lib story? Describe how you made the choice of majoring in LIS and what was college life like for you as a LIS major. You can cite challenging stories and success stories while studying the course.
 
LIS is not my first course. I never thought that I will become a librarian, seriously. When I first entered UP, I am a Chemical Engineering student. After two years of hard work and frustrations, I began to realize that Engineering is not for me. So, I shifted. Back then, LIS is not  a popular course yet. But during the time that I shifted, many Engineering students are also shifting to LIS course. That’s why we have a running joke about it. We always say that LIS is a very hard course because it requires a two-year Engineering pre-requisite.
 
When I become LIS student, life changes for the better. For one, I was never ineligible to enrol. Two, I always have maximum number of units (18). That’s why I finish the academic subjects in two and a half years plus thesis writing. I also like the general education of the course which was very diverse plus the foreign language course that we had to take.  At SLIS, I led a simple life. I am not active in the library organization because before entering, I am already an active member of a socio-civic organization. 
 
You might wonder, why shift to LIS? Well, I am a hopeless student back then. Looking back, I am very thankful that there was SLIS who accepted me wholeheartedly.
 
b. What has been the greatest challenge you've faced so far as a licensed and working librarian? Why do you say it's a challenge?
 
So far the biggest challenge was how to entice the students to come to the library, read and borrow books because our students are what we call ‘digital learners’. They will rather play the iPad than read books. So we have to do something about it. We did several things to address this challenge such as: redecorating the library (make it more colorful, more inviting and happy in ambiance); putting up a Reading Nook where a portion of the library was carpeted and surrounded by bean bags where students can read in a more relaxed manner; posting regular trivia (yes trivia! And it depends on monthly theme…it is now a regular feature and students are looking forward to it); collaborating with teachers specially with the English department (we had tandem storytelling and literature quiz bee last year ); planning monthly activities (ex. February – Blind date with a book…it’s a success by the way! ); and of course it helps if the librarian reads as well! Given all of these, I am happy to say that our grade school are still readers.

Ms. Bansig in Helinski. She attended the IFLA World Congress 2012 and presented a paper on DLSZ Library's Mobile Library with friend and colleague Darrell Marco (who, I think is the one who took the photo).

c. What is your area of expertise in LIS? 

This is quite hard. I’d say at this point, one will be storytelling to kids. I always love to tell a story especially when we do our Book Mobile Project. 

Two, Children’s Literature as it is one of the fields close to my heart. Three, Library promotion in terms of books and reading.
 
d. What do you think are the requirements and preparations necessary for becoming a LIS professional?
 
More than Education and training, being service-oriented, open-minded, innovative and a heart for librarianship are the requirements necessary for becoming LIS professional especially in this digital era.
 
e. What rewards have you reaped from being a LIS professional? 

I was really surprised to be selected as one of the participants in library management training abroad which was life changing and professionally uplifting. I was also able to present papers both in local and international conferences. I’d say LIS profession has opened a lot of opportunities to me and I plan to grow more in this profession. 
 
I love being a librarian!

A World Where Everyone Can Read

March 6 is World Read Aloud Day.

I'm joining the bandwagon by posting videos of my book talks. The books I have selected are for read aloud sessions that teachers, librarians and parents can use. There will be seven titles in all, one book talk for each day starting on March 6, 2013 and ending on March 12, 2013.

The books are:

1. Jake's Cooking Craze by Ken Spillman

2. The Best Reads of 2012, National Children's Book Award (NCBA): Tall Story, The Secret is in the Soil, The Great Duck and Crocodile Race, Doll Eyes, Ay Naku!, and Ang Sampung Bukitkit.

The Best Reads 2012, NCBA is an initiative of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) in partnership with the National Book Development Board (NBDB).

Reading Inventory: First Quarter of 2013

My, how fast time flies. It's March now and soon, the second quarter of 2013 will begin. In the midst of all the busy-ness, I ask myself how my reading life has been the past two months.

I have read the following, so far:

The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman - Gaiman combines the scary and the charming. What a mix!

The Best of Chico, Delamar and Gino: The Morning Rush, Top Ten Vol. 2 - My first Filipiniana for the year. It's as hilarious as the first one. I wish there will be a third volume.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman - I agree with the reviews. This is Harry Potter for adults.

Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris - This book is comfort food for the mind.

Reading now: The Hobbit and Philosophy: For when you've lost your dwarves, your wizard and your way, edited by Gregory Basham and Eric Bronson.

On my reading list:

The Sandman Paper, edited by Joe Sanders
Love is a UFO by Ken Spillman
NW by Zadie Smith
Banana Heart Summer by Merlinda Bobis
The Silmarillon by JRR Tolkien