Library Hub

"Hub of young readers" by Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 31 October 2005) is proof that the Department of Education's Library Hub (pdf) is finally taking off. If FedEx can utilize the hub-and-spoke system to ensure the timely delivery of packages around the world, then surely DepEd can implement a similar system to ensure that public schools that can't afford to set up their own libraries have a means to "borrow" books for their students.

This, however, is not as easy as it sounds. Politics, of course, just reared its ugly head... as usual. Undersecretary Miguel Luz, the proponent of the project, is currently in career limbo due to the President's unspecified dissatisfaction with his performance. While the article states that Luz has "given word that the Library Hub should continue," it is a reality that budgets tend to get frozen and supporters become uncooperative once project sponsors lose favor with the higher-ups. I hope this does not happen to the Library Hub.

On a lesser note, I'm just wondering why librarians don't seem to have a role in the training sessions that have been conducted. Could it be that librarians really have nothing to contribute to the participants' understanding of the Library Hub?

But don't mind me. Let's just pray that this project takes off beyond the pilot hubs.


Category: Libraries—Public Schools