Filipino Librarian: 2011

Librarians' Licensure Examination 2011: Results

Congratulations to the new librarians!

The passing rate for the Librarians' Licensure Examination is 28 percent (211 out of 764), up slightly from 27 percent in 2010.

Below are the list of the Top 11 and the list of all successful examinees. Both were taken from documents downloaded from the official website of the Professional Regulation Commission, which is now much more user-friendly, features all documents released to newspapers since 2009, and makes Verification of Professional Licenses possible. My only suggestion for improvement for the last one is that instead of just stating that a person is "listed in the LIBRARIAN Registry Books of PRC," the year of expiration of the person's license should also be indicated.

Academic Librarianship: A Crisis or Opportunity?

Labels: Conferences

UPDATE (2 Jan 2012): An article (PDF | HTML) about the conference has been published in Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research.

This post reproduces the notes taken by Harriet Sonne de Torrens, as well as some slides shown, at "Academic Librarianship: A Crisis or Opportunity?" held at University of Toronto on 18 November 2011. If you're wondering why this conference was convened, take a look at "McMastergate in chronological order, or, Do libraries need librarians?" and "UWO Librarian Strike Ends As Both Sides Ratify New Agreement." A pdf file showing most of the tweets (#futurelibs) posted during the event in chronological order may be downloaded here. A few photos are available here, and here.

Below are the notes for the first three sessions, slides, and links to a blog and statements that were posted after the conference. If you can't see the Scribd documents after clicking on "Read More...," click here.

"We have the most awesome library. EVER."

Labels: Libraries

The title of this post is from a tweet posted two days ago, after the photos above appeared on tumblr, along with the comment "This is just too funny. Good job Rizal Lib." The original post has been shared 285 times on tumblr as of this writing, and who-knows-how-many times on Twitter and Facebook (where Tin Lao, a friend, tagged me, and that's how I found out about the posters).

Awesome? Funny? What's going on? This is a library they're talking about, right? Well, it's not just any library. It's the Rizal Library, which apparently has figured out how to communicate with students in the language they use. And so, even though the messages on the posters are essentially the eat-your-vegetables kind, the manner in which these are conveyed has caught the attention—and aroused the interest—of the audience for which they were intended... something that not many library signs I've seen have ever done.

If you'd like to see the posters above—plus two more—up close, click on the images below.

The Aswang Phenomenon

Labels: Books and Movies, Events

Happy Halloween!

The Aswang Phenomenon is the first in-depth documentary regarding the aswang myth - discovering where manifestations of the creature came from and how they evolved and embedded themselves in Filipino society. Learn how Filipinos have been transformed by the myth and are now evolving the aswang to fit into their developing cultural identity.

The YouTube video above features the full 77-minute documentary, not just a few minutes. If you would like to obtain a free copy of the DVD for your library, please email your mailing address (with information about your institution) to info-at-aswangmovie-dot-com.

The documentary is written and directed by Jordan Clark and features Maricel Soriano and Peque Gallaga.

The History of Reading - 50% off

Labels: Books and Movies

"Filipino Blogs as Evidence of Reading and Reception," a revised version of a conference paper I delivered at the 2009 SHARP conference in Toronto, has been published in the third volume of The History of Reading: Methods, Strategies, Tactics.

Copies of the 3 volumes of The History of Reading (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) will be sold at a 50% discount at the book launch in London on Tuesday, 25 October 2011. If you happen to be in London and would like to attend, send me an email at von-dot-totanes-at-gmail-dot-com. There may still be time to get you on the guest list.

If you are based in the Philippines (or anywhere "outside Australasia & North America"), you can also avail of the 50% discount, provided you order directly from Palgrave Macmillan before 31 December 2011 using the flyer below. Note that only individuals may avail of the discount. So if you would like to order the books for your library, I suggest you ask your "Friends of the Library" group—or any generous friend—to order the books and donate it to the library.

The History of Reading - 50% off

The Cebu City Public Library is back!

Labels: Libraries

In January 2010, I asked "When will the Cebu City Public Library Re-open?" In June 2010, Sun.Star Cebu came out with an editorial entitled "Resurrect the Cebu City Public Library." But it took exactly a year and two days before I received good news from Chelo Echaves of Friends of the Cebu City Public Library. This was confirmed two weeks ago, when a Sun.Star contributor asked, "The Cebu City Public library is back in its place, have you heard?"

Below is the update I received from Chelo Echaves, whose efforts I suspect led to the publication of the Sun.Star's recent article and last year's editorial. I hope she keeps up the good work. Reproduced with permission and minor editing.

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Labels: Books and Movies

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto is a journey to—spoiler alert (hehe)—“happily ever after.” It takes readers from a train station in Spain to a non-castle in England to a tropical island in the Philippines to “where Shelley is.” Shelley is the wife of Max, who died three years ago as they were talking on the phone when a bomb exploded in front of him in Madrid’s Metro. For those who prefer Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy—as I do—over Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts, this disaster is practically all the “action” that takes place in Sotto’s first novel. But despite the absence of conspiracy theories or terrorist plots, the book is a page-turner, mainly due to a question that compels Shelley to abandon her mourning and travel halfway across the world with Paolo, a man who claims to be the thirtysomething grandson of her late, thirtysomething husband: Who is the man in a two-month-old photo (from a blog!)—wearing the pendant she gave Max—who looks remarkably like her husband?

Outstanding Librarian 2011:
Cynthia Yap Dagus

Labels: Librarians: Awardees

Cynthia Yap Dagus
Manager
Academic Libraries Book Systems Acquisition, Inc. (ALBASA)

The Professional Regulation Commission conferred the Outstanding Professional Librarian of the Year Award on Cynthia Yap Dagus on 22 June 2011. The citation reads:

For her exemplary achievements as Professional Librarian; for demonstrating competence and integrity to the highest degree; for being considered as role model to her colleagues and co-workers; for having received the Outstanding Alumni Award, Leadership Award, Certificate of Recognition, and Community Involvement Award; for her worthy contributions to the development of the profession by actively participating in numerous seminars and workshops; for contributing articles related to the profession in some Filipino journals; for her indefatigable effort and dynamic leadership in spearheading seminars and conferences allowing librarians to grow professionally through her capacity as Manager of ALBASA and as President of Cebu Librarians Association Incorporated; and for her genuine display of social responsibility by taking part in the various projects and activities of NGO's in the field of librarianship and community service.

Thanks to Lilia Echiverri for providing the photo and citation.

Category: Librarians—Awardees

Rizal's Noli, Fili and "Mi Ultimo Adios"

Labels: Book History, The Philippines

Photos of front and back of what is perhaps the best-known and most-translated document written by a Filipino. Note that it does not have a title. Click photos to enlarge.

Jose Rizal's original, handwritten manuscripts of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo will be exhibited at the National Library of the Philippines on 17 June 2011 [UPDATE JUN 15: Extended to June 18] as part of its "Exhibit of Original Rizaliana Materials." It is unclear from the announcement whether the "Mi Ultimo Adios" will also be on display, but I certainly hope it will also be shown to visitors. [UPDATE JUN 15: According to its caretaker, the "Mi Ultimo Adios" is "too delicate and too faded to be exhibited."]

I just happened to be around on 12 May 2011, when the Noli, Filiand "Mi Ultimo Adios" were officially turned over to the directors of the National Library and the National Archives by the German conservators who undertook the repair of Rizal's best-known works. It was interesting to learn that Rizal himself had bound the manuscripts of his novels, and that the Noli had been so tightly bound, according to the conservators who reconstructed Rizal's binding, that it is practically impossible to open the manuscript without breaking its spine (see photo below).

Antonio M. Santos is the New Director
of the National Library

Labels: Librarians

Congratulations to Atty. Antonio M. Santos (right), who has been appointed the new Director of the National Library of the Philippines! His appointment papers were signed by President Benigno Aquino III on 28 February 2011. He took his oath of office before Mayor Ed de Guzman (Marikina) on 3 March 2011. He takes over from former Director Prudenciana C. Cruz, who retired in 2010.

Atty. Santos has been recognized in the past as the Outstanding Professional Librarian of the Year (1999) by the Professional Regulation Commission, as well as Outstanding Librarian (2002) by the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians. He is also a past president of both the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc., and the Philippine Group of Law Librarians. Prior to his appointment as Director of the National Library, he was the Law Librarian at the College of Law, University of the Philippines.

Thanks to Lily Echiverri for providing the photo.

Closed... Again

Labels: About Filipino Librarian

This blog is closed—in case you haven't noticed—indefinitely.

Librarian Gets "Mommy Makeover"

Labels: Stereotypes

The latest issue of Good Housekeeping (Jan-Feb 2011) shows Lourdes David, Outstanding Librarian 2008, before and after her makeover. Thank goodness the writeup was matter-of-fact, with no condescending remarks about librarian stereotypes.

Photo from Jo-anne Domingo's Facebook album.

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Librarians' Licensure Examination 2011: Results

Academic Librarianship: A Crisis or Opportunity?

"We have the most awesome library. EVER."

The Aswang Phenomenon

The History of Reading - 50% off

The Cebu City Public Library is back!

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Outstanding Librarian 2011:
Cynthia Yap Dagus

Rizal's Noli, Fili and "Mi Ultimo Adios"

Antonio M. Santos is the New Director
of the National Library

Closed... Again

Librarian Gets "Mommy Makeover"

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