Today is Epifanio de los Santos Day. This year's featured librarian is Maria Lea Vilvar, whose story made it to this blog last year in "Blind Librarian Leads the Way." What she says about being able to connect with patrons—because she knows and has experienced their concerns—applies to all librarians.
The passage below is from "Shining through in world of darkness" by Margaux C. Ortiz (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 21 May 2006):
As the division’s sole blind librarian, Vilvar has the special task of classifying and arranging books in Braille which her colleagues cannot read.
"Of course, it is also easier for me to connect with our patrons because I know and have actually experienced their concerns," the librarian said. "All this has been a realization of my greatest dream: to put into practice what I learned in college and help other blind people at the same time."
For more information about the significance of this day, see the following:
Epifanio de los Santos Day 2006
Epifanio de los Santos Day
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
Epifanio de los Santos
