More Dancing Librarian(s)

Arnold and Petite are not the only librarians who got the "groove".

Click here and find out!

Film Loop for Refelections On Red

I originally wanted to anotate each picture, but the film loop feature of Photobucket changed my mind.



Suffice it to say that we all had a good time. My highlight of the moment was to cut the ribbon with Gretchen Cojuangco.

Students' Use of USB

I'm still fresh from NCBD celebration, but it's taking Luis "Tito Doc" Gatmaitan to send me more pictures. He is actually the official photographer of PBBY and I failed to topple him off his throne last Tuesday. My digicam conked out on me. Well, there is still next year to accomplish that!

In the meantime, allow me to share with you the proposed Use of USB I concocted. I will share this to my staff as well for more inputs and comments. Then a presentation to the Principal would be the next step. Wish me luck!

Why a guideline on use of USB?

Using technology for educational and instructional purposes require well thought of processes and procedures. This will ensure a more responsible and intelligent facility of hardware and software technology. It is not enough that grade school students know the “whats” and the “hows” of technology, but, it is also important that they understand the rationale for using technology. It is essential that they see and witness models of conscientious technology use to help them become critical and global thinkers.

Guidelines for use of USB (Students)

1. Unit 3 students can bring USB to school only when needed.
2. Students must inform the class adviser that he brought a USB to school.
3. Secure a pass from ODS/Com Ed (?). There, the USB will be scanned and checked of its contents.
4. Students present the pass to faculty/staff when using the IT Lab or Comp Lab.
5. Students surrender the pass to ODS/Com Ed at the end of the day.

Reminders to the teacher:

1. Model the appropriate, critical and conscientious use of technology to your students.
2. Determine when to use technology (USB, in particular) for a student project or assignment.
3. Understand that different technology can be used to store and present information (projects or assignments).
4. Technology promotes specific thought processes and thinking skills. Identifying the content, skill and thought process you want your students to learn will help you in using technology for teaching.
5. There are “the non-negotiables” in the use of technology for teaching. These are the values, the character, the culture and the sense of identity that young learners must first learn and live out.

More Pictures from NCBD 2006

Totet de Jesus, PBBY Sectoral Representative for Illustrators, TOYM Awardee and Palanca Hall of Famer, Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, PBBY Chair, Manolo Silayan & Guest Speaker for NCBD 2006, Mike Luz.


Fernando "Tata Nanding" Josef of CCP, Ani Almario of Adarna & PBBY Secretary General, and Karina Africa-Bolasco, Sectoral Representative for Booksellers


Robert Magnuson signs my kids' copy of his new book, Diego & Marie: A Secret Sense of Home.

NCBD in Pictures

I am multitasking right now. Heaven knows all too well to give this task to women! More pictures next post!


This NCBD had the most KUTINGs in attendance!


Eugene Evasco is slim and soooo "in". He launched three titles of books this year!


INKies were there too! Liza Flores, Jomike Tejido and Hubert Fucio.


Commissioner Ocampo is such a darling! Imagine his gump to smile for me as I took this shot in the middle of Mike Luz's keynote. Beside him is "the" Emily Abrera of McKann Ericsson.

Cha & Je of Alitaptap. Both winners, 1st place in the Salaysayan 2006. Cha won for the English category, while Je won in the Filipino Category.

NCBD 2006

What happened in last year's National Children's Book Day (NCBD)? Click here.

Now I'm off to The National Library to attend this year's NCBD. I remember posting several entries about it weeks before. To refresh your memory, click here for last month's post.

I'm excited to meet the winners in the Salanga and the Alcala for 2006. I look forward to bonding with my "kitty-mates" in KUTING. I hope to see old friends and familiar plces. Best of all, I want to buy all the new Filipiniana for children that local publishers will be launching today!

Till next post!

Reflections On Red Online

Here is an online preview of the CANVAS-KUTING exhibit that will be launched and presented to the public on Friday, July 21, 2006.

Allow me a little self indulgence. Being a part of a KUTING project never felt this good.

I bet you'll never go to your school library if your librarian looks like her.



She is Mrs. Beamster, The Librarian from Black Lagoon. In this hilarious, and a little bit scary, picture book by Mike Thaler, kids are invited to laugh and imagine a school library like no other.



Silence is one thing that libraries all encourage (Really? Not all the time.) In the Black Lagoon Library, talk and you'll get laminated. Go through the shelves to look for books to read and borrow but be careful. The shelves are electrified.



Watch out for Igor, the library assistant. He has an extra eye to look over you!



Many hideous things happen in the Black Lagoon library. You wouldn't want to catch Mrs. Beamster's story time because, it will bore you to death since she reads from the cards in the card catakog for stories to share. Horrible gadgets are hidden in the library of Black Lagoon. There's a gum detector that can zap you out and a real mouse is attached to the library's computer. It's got everything to prevent a child from reading and entering the school library.

But really, all these are make believe.

If you don't get the humor that Thaler has employed in his story and the illustrations by Jared Lee, you better revive the dying child in you. In the end, Thaler offers his readers the joys that imagination could bring. The book is published Scholastic.

Yes Virginia, librarians can be poets too!

CANVAS presents

REFLECTIONS ON RED
a one-man show by Michael Cacnio

with stories and poems by
Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (KUTING)
(Featuring the works of Becky Bravo, Godfrey T. Dancel, Raissa Rivera-Falgui, Zarah Gagatiga, Rhandee Garlitos, Agay Llanera, Carla M. Pacis, Augie Rivera, Lara Saguisag, Mae Astrid Tobias, Cynthia Villafranca, Germaine Yia) Works are edited by Heidi Emily Eusebio-Abad.

Opening cocktails: July 21, Friday, 6:00pm,
at the Ayala Museum, Makati City
Exhibit runs til August 3.

If you're going to the exhibit, don't be shy to say hi. I'll be in black. It's the Ayala Museum, you see.

Bloglet to Feedblitz

I am changing loyalties.

From Bloglet, I'm moving to Feedblitz. I want to try it out without losing my subscribers because, it (Feedblitz) tells me that I can import from Bloglet.

I have not disabled Bloglet yet. Let me know if you are getting two updates, one from Bloglet and one from Feedblitz. Your replies will help my blog big time. Thank you.

The UNESCO School Library Manifesto

When issues assault the school library and I need to uphold its esence to the school community, I turn to the UNESCO School Library Manifesto.

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

The school library provides information and ideas that are fundamental to functioning successfully in today’s information and knowledge-based society. The school library equips students with life-long learning skills and develops the imagination, enabling them to live as responsible citizens.

MISSION OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

The school library offers learning services, books and resources that enable all members of the school community to become critical thinkers and effective users of information in all formats and media. School Libraries link to the wider library and information network in accord with the principles in the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto.

The library staff support the use of books and other information sources, ranging from the fictional to the documentary, from print to electronic, both on-site and remote. The materials complement and enrich textbooks, teaching materials and methodologies.

It has been demonstrated that, when librarians and teachers work together, students achieve higher levels of literacy, reading, learning, problem-solving and information and communication technology skills.

School library services must be provided equally to all members of the school community, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, nationality, language, professional or social status. Specific services and materials must be provided for those who are unable to use mainstream library services and materials.

Access to services and collections should be based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms, and should not be subject to any form of ideological, political or religious censorship, or to commercial pressures.

FUNDING & LEGISLATION

The school library is essential to every long-term strategy for literacy, education, information provision and economic, social and cultural development. As the responsibility of local, regional and national authorities, it must be supported by specific legislation and policies. School Libraries must have adequate and sustained funding for trained staff, materials, technologies and facilities. They must be free of charge.

The school library is an essential partner in the local, regional and national library and information network.

Where the school library shares facilities and/or resources with another type of library, such as a public library, the unique aims of the school library must be acknowledged and maintained.

GOALS OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

The school library is integral to the educational process.

The following are essential to the development of literacy, information literacy, teaching, learning and culture and are core school library services:
• supporting and enhancing educational goals as outlined in the school’s mission and curriculum;
• developing and sustaining in children the habit and enjoyment of reading and learning, and the use of libraries throughout their lives;
• offering opportunities for experiences in creating and using information for knowledge, understanding, imagination and enjoyment;
• supporting all students in learning and practising skills for evaluating and using information, regardless of form, format or medium, including sensitivity to the modes of communication within the community;
• providing access to local, regional, national and global resources and opportunities that expose learners to diverse ideas, experiences and opinions;
• organizing activities that encourage cultural and social awareness and sensitivity;
• working with students, teachers, administrators and parents to achieve the mission of the school; proclaiming the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are essential to effective and responsible citizenship and participation in a democracy;
• promoting reading and the resources and services of the school library to the whole school community and beyond.

The school library fulfills these functions by developing policies and services, selecting and acquiring resources, providing physical and intellectual access to appropriate sources of information, providing instructional facilities, and employing trained staff.

STAFF

The school librarian is the professionally qualified staff member responsible for planning and managing the school library, supported by as adequate staffing as possible, working together with all members of the school community, and liaising with the public library and others.

The role of school librarians will vary according to the budget and the curriculum and teaching methodology of the schools, within the national legal and financial framework. Within specific contexts, there are general areas of knowledge that are vital if school librarians are to develop and operate effective school library services: resource, library, and information management and teaching.

In an increasingly networked environment, school librarians must be competent in planning and teaching different information-handling skills to both teachers and students. Therefore they must continue their professional training and development.

OPERATION & MANAGEMENT

To ensure effective and accountable operations:
• the policy on school library services must be formulated to define goals, priorities and services in relation to the school’s curriculum;
• the school library must be organized and maintained according to professional standards;
• services must be accessible to all members of the school community and operate within the context of the local community;
co-operation with teachers, senior school management, administrators, parents, other librarians and information professionals, and community groups must be encouraged.

Salaysayan Eliminations

What are we all smiling about?
Nolo Silayan, Ani Almario, Dolly Soriano, Me and Ace Elgar

This picture was taken right after the Filipino Division of the Salaysayan Contest at the National Library last July 1, 2006. There were 31 contestants! A marathon! Ms. Dolly Soriano and I were judges and though it was a big contingent, the experience of seeing, hearing and engaging with 31 storytellers, all hoping to be in the Top 8 final list, was spectacular.

Storytelling, the book based way (take note, not "read aloud"), has come along way since my own telling days. It wasn't that long so don't think I'm very old. Almost ten yeras, but really, what is time and space in the vast universe?

Suffice it to say that book based storytelling has evolved into a perfroming art. Credits go to Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines and its "Lolo" Nolo Silayan for making a stand and defining a storytelling style that combined book reading and storytelling. Now you may wonder how it's done? I invite you to watch the final round at the DepEd Bulwagan on July 8, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Writers, illustrators, publishers, teachers, librarians and reading advocates, all kindred spirits for the development of Philippine Children's Literature will be there.

Slaysayan 2006 Update

I received these fantastic invites from Ani Almarion today.



On July 1, 2006, I will be judging the elimination rounds of the Salaysayan 2006 contest. There are 30 contestants in the Filipino Division while the English Division has 15 contenders. The contest will be held at the National Library from 9.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m. It is going to be a marathon contest, but I'm sure inisights as to how storytelling in the Philippines has evolved will be ripe.







Come July 18, 2006, PBBY will recognize people, organizations and institutions who continously helped in the development of Philippine Chidlren's Literature.

* Graphics are by Pepper Roxas

5th Barlaya Writing for Children Workshop

Adarna House, the country's leading children's book publisher, is mounting the 5th Barlaya Writing for Children Workshop. Barlaya is designed to help aspiring writers for children enhance their craft.

Ten writing fellows will be chosen based on the merit of their submitted stories. Interested parties should submit three copies of one (1) original, unpublished story to Adarna House at Room 102 JGS building, 30 Scout Tuazon St., Quezon City.
Entries should be typewritten, double-spaced, and should not exceed five pages. All entries should be accompanied by a one-page backgrounder on the writer.
The deadline of submission is 5:00 PM, Friday, August 11, 2006.

It's NCBD next month!

I am supposed to write about budget cuts and how libraries are the first to suffer (or is it the Arts & Humanities? I don't really know what is the pecking order. But one thing is for sure, when schools and the academe goes on cost cutting measures, expect that libraries are in the top roster of the chopping block) when institutions of learning are short of money, however, I choose to anticipate the forthcoming National Children's Book Day 2006. It's a more exciting event -- and inspiring at that so let me offer a glimpse of this year's NCBD.

Then again, should you want a personal side of the "budget cut" story, go to my other blog.

This year, honorable winners of the Salanga and Alcala prizes will be awarded. The
Salaysayan contest will be held a few weeks before so that winners will also be heralded on July 18, 2006 at the National Library. New titles of books will be launched and guest children will be performing. The greater news this year is that, NCBD is already recognized by the DepEd as an annual MUST for all public elementary school in the Philippines to celebrate. Isn't that grand?

There will also be awardees this year who all have contributed to the promotion and development of reading, literacy and Philippine Children's Literature. Now I'm saving that for my official NCBD post next month. Better watch out for it.

For the meantime, I leave you with Commisioner Ocampo's article on
books, reading and Jose Rizal. He was the guest of honor in last year's NCBD celebrations. This essay he wrote for gracing the PBBY event, and of course, as historian. It tells us a lot about our national hero, more so, the culture of reading in the Philippines.

IASL Books for Children

Straight from the horse's mouth, so they say! IASL has granted the Philippines a Book Award via the unrelenting efforts of Ms. Hermie Salazar from the University of Northeastern Philippines.

Congrats, Hermie! I am proud of you!

The International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) has awarded grants to three schools in developing countries to enable them to purchase library books. The awards totalling US $1000 were made possible through a fund raising auction held at the IASL Conference held in Hong Kong, in 2005. In making the awards, IASL President Peter Genco noted that the recipients of the IASL Books for Children awards each had to guarantee shelves, space, personnel and service and verify this through a letter or other documentation by the school principal or designated supervisor.

The recipients for 2006 are:
Mrs. Judith Oyugi of St. Josephs Combined Preparatory School in Nyanza Province in Kenya. Many children are orphaned as a result of HIV/Aids and the school is addressing the educational needs of many children. The grant will allow the school to purchase textbooks and readers for the school library.

Mr. Antony Chiwaka of The Heritage School, Harare in Zimbabwe. The Heritage school has 600 students but few books for reference purposes. The grant will enable the school librarian, Mr. Chiwaka, to purchase books that are updated and provide better access for students for their learning.

Herminigilda H. Salazar from the University of Northeastern Philippines, Iriga City in the Philippines. The High School department within the University has 626 students and will use the grant to improve the reference collection as well as books on science, literature, mathematics and computer science.

The International Association of School Librarianship comprises personal, association and institution members from over 80 countries. Through the improvement of school libraries and school library programs as a vital component of education, the Association is committed to enabling young people to develop literary and cultural appreciation and to use information effectively. Information about membership and the awards program is available on the IASL website: www.iasl-slo.org and from the IASL Secretariat, email: iasl@kb.com.au
IASL Secretariat, PO Box 83, Zillmere, Queensland 4034, Australia

Boys in the Library

My yearly library orientation for grade 7 students is scheduled next. The rest of the librarians in my department began orientation today. I marvel at how patient the Primary Librarians are to the lower grades boys (Prep to Gr. 3). Having been assigned to work and teach intermediates for the past six years, I'm pretty sure that if I get to handle the primaries again, I would be making a big adjustment. But, just the same, it would be a delight. Children, boys or girls, in all their toxicity, are a wonderful lot!

This morning, I saw how excited my nine year old son was upon receipt of his borrowers card. He borrowed four books, all from the Magic Tree House series. At lunch time, the library was a full house. Good thing we had very good (and new) air-conditioning units. Tony R., our circulation man, held out a five inch thick pile of book cards (Sorry folks. We're not automated yet). Now those were the books borrowed only for the day. Just imagine how many books we'll circulate in the next three months. And with it goes the pile of books Tony R (also our resident book doctor) will be repairing.

I don't know about your school library, but every year, we have carts and carts of books for repair. For boys, books are not only reading materials, they're like toys to tear apart. When they can't put it back together, enter the book doctor.

Don't think that we don't teach them how to care for the books. We do. And we never tire repeating the value of conservation and respect for intellectual property. You see, for us in our school library, intellectual property is also the understanding that physical books hold great value a smuch as the ideas and the content put in by the authors, illustrators and publishers.

But kids are kids. Boys will be boys. One teacher once sighed, "when will they ever learn?"

I'm keeping my faith on the boys.

Teaching is like gardening, you see. You'll never know if the plant will grow but, you tend it every way you can. A teacher can never really, truly assess learning, but a teacher does what needs to be done.

That holds true with children's libraries. It is better to do something than to not do anything at all.

Pinoy Podcast

I got this nifty announcement from Jannette Toral, the Digital Filipino. I sure would love to know how to podcast.

The 5th episode of the DigitalFilipino.com Podcast is now online. As we are celebrating ICT month and the 6th anniversary of the Philippines E-Commerce Law or Republic Act 8792, we will be having 4 episodes, every Friday, for the month of June. We will return to our twice-a-month podcast on July.

This episode is made possible by AboitizLand, American Power Conversion, and Creative Voices Productions.

For this episode, we have the following segments:

- DigitalFilipino.com Updates (Manila club eyeball, updates in Bead Club Philippines, the APC data center road tour experience with Ian de la Rosa)

- DigitalFilipino.com Events featuring Wilson Ng to talk about the forthcoming InTourPreneur event in Cebu City.

- Chat with Janette featuring DigitalFilipino.com Club Members:

1. Jay Frank De Jesus of TitikPilipino as he celebrates the 9th anniversary of his website and share his lessons learned in making his hobby site to a profitable venture.

2. Jovel Cipriano of PinoyDelikasi sharing his growth experience and the expansion of his dotcom endeavours with GalingPinoy.

- Ask Janette (tackling the significance of the Philippines E-Commerce Law and shared tips on top 10 gaming design techniques)

To listen to this podcast, visit
http://digitalfilipino.podomatic.com
http://www.digitalfilipino.com

Let your voice be heard!

Join Salaysayan 2006

Got the knack for telling stories? Get something out of it by joining Salaysayan 2006, the nationwide storytelling contest organized by the Philippine Board on Books for Young People.

Salaysayan 2006 is a book-based storytelling competition open to both amateurs and professionals aged 21 and above. There shall be two categories: Filipino and English. Winners from each category shall get P20,000 for the First Prize; P10,000 for the Second Prize; and P5,000 for the Third Prize.

For inquiries, and if you want to obtain application forms, email events@adarna.com.ph or call 372-35-48 loc 110 and look for Vanessa. Deadline of entries is on June 24, 2006.

Join and be heard, this is your chance at becoming one of the Philippines’ finest storytellers. The stage awaits you!

Salaysayan 2006 is organized in partnership with Anvil Publishing, Hiyas, Growers, RCBC, and Vibal Publishing.