Monday, January 5, 2009

Dr. Rocelle N. Jimenez highlights book week celebration

Dr. Rocelle N. Jimenez , former head of the Humanities Department, took CTL grade school cultural performers and other spectators to a journey – visits of revolutionary battle sites, mind tour to Philippine scenic spots and chronicling regional fiesta and other festivities - through books and records of olden times with her inspirational message on “Ang Batang Palabasa Dalubhasa Sa Kutura” last November 27 as part of the 2-day affair of the university library’s 2008 book week celebration. Dr. Jimenez excelled, impressed and reminded everyone that “everyday, there is a fiesta being celebrated in the Philippines” with a run-through of the country’s most popular to less known fiestas plus exquisite stories about them. Also, she congratulated grade school performers for a wonderful show that included folk/ethic dance interpretations like Subli and song interpretations of Kundiman and other Filipino folk songs by CTL choral groups.

Prof. Annabelle Palmiery, principal of the Center for Teaching & Learning ended the library’s culminating activity with iterating that each has to know what uniquely Filipino culture is and to have the initiative to learn also other cultures for local and global purposes.

Mr. Gabriel Balenbin of Don Bosco Technical College, an alumni and professional librarian, keynoted the occasion with representatives from CHED’s MIS Divison namely Mr. Loupel Gueto and Mrs. Zenia Romero (alumna) during the first day at the library lobby of the Edilberto P. Dagot Hall. The former encouraged all to give importance to the roles of books, libraries and librarians while the latter provided literacy lectures about utilization and benefits one can gain from Philippine e-lib. Other activities scheduled for the week were film showing, library re-orientation and quiz contest.

PNU participates in SMI-IC’s Best Practices Meet

University librarian Dr. Maria A. Orendain and college librarian Mr. Roderick B. Ramos participated in a round-table discussion of “Best Practices in Conducting Library Orientation Classes” last September 26, 2008 in the EDRC Multi-Purpose Room, library of the De La Salle University. Ramos put on view a PowerPoint presentation of the library services while Dr. Orendain shared historical sketches of the Philippine Normal University and how it greatly assisted the library as its center for reading and research. Some member-libraries are assisted by and hyperlinked through own school web sites where an orientation-tutorial is a feature. Adamson University, De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde and De La Salle University-Manila have high-end and power orientation packages with audio and video feeds. Their reader services have and are equipped with hypermedia, e-journals and online tutorials. DLSU- Manila library, specifically, impacted committee of librarians with its video presentation. Their orientation video, which is now downloadable at http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/library/, is prompt and friendly to remind all about copyright law or the Republic Act 8293. The video ends and urges all to move forward along, be witnesses and accept it as an expression against unlawful duplication and replication of reading materials including online sources.

In terms of referral services, SMI-IC 2008 Report shows that library of PNU is most visited by outside researchers (18% or 162 from 897) and next to DLSU-Manila as most accommodated by SMI-IC member libraries (11% or 102 from 897). Based on the report, top five member and cooperating libraries with most number of users referred/institution are Philippine Normal University, 18% or 162; St. Scholastica’s College, 16.7% or 150; Adamson University, 14% or 128; University of the Philippines-Manila, 11% or 100; and, St. Paul University-Manila, 10% or 94.

466 or 52% spent library hours at DLSU while 102 or 11% stayed at PNU. SPU-Manila accommodated 76 or 8% while74 or 8% were welcomed by SSC. AdU entertained 36 or 4% only while TUP has 35 or 4%. The others are as follows: LPU, 25 or 3%; EAC, 23 or 3%; PCU, 21 or 2%; DLS-CSB, 19 or 2%; PWU, 17 or 2%; UP-Manila, 3.