Hospitality of PAARL’s Outstanding Libraries

The kind of hospitality demonstrated by the director of the Rizal Library of the Ateneo de Manila University, Mrs. Lourdes David, is commendable. Assisting her was a lovely reference librarian named Karryl Sagun. They led and served as tour guides in and outside of the libraries of ADMU. David iterated that PAARL’s TOUR OF Outstanding Libraries, a benchmarking-visit to terrific libraries in Metro Manila like those found at De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas and Asian Development Bank, was a special group to her. She managed to handle the group until six o’clock in the evening last Monday (August 22), expressed her sincere thanks to PAARL, Inc. and told participants to go back, bring others and tour around libraries, museums and special collections of ADMU namely, the American Historical Collection, ALiWW, Pardo de Tavera, Matteo Ricci Study Hall, Microform Reading Center, and the new building of the Rizal Library for free. This is a privilege given to librarians as mentioned by the good director who also teaches Library Science.

Joiners from Cabanatuan and Silang as well were amazed by the appearances of the buildings, interior areas and places of information commons of the four visited libraries. “It’s a good feeling to have discovered ADB’s Espresso Book Machine as the library’s concrete answer to its newfound service philosophy, that is, its demand-driven attitude towards clients,” said by an IS librarian-joiner. Only ADB and Tokyo, Japan have this more than 5-million peso machine. The EBM uses a software and a database that can print a reading material of your choice - accurate color, size, and content – just in five minutes. It works like an ATM or drive-thru service, by just pressing some keys, in a little while comes a fresh-from-the-oven, hot copy of a bound material.

Very unique and excellent are UST’s art and discipline in the aspect of archiving. The guests were wowed witnessing how UST manages to care about materials or documents of institutional, personal, historical significance. UST supports and believes an industry - an archiving industry it seriously maintains, preserves and protects from harm. It is a must for anyone to take time to go upper level of UST’s library, Miguel de Benavidez Library, in order to explore what one never sees daily behind doors and interior rooms of the said library. You may contact Ms. Ana Rita Alomo, one good facilitator-librarian, if you want library surprises and to say “Wow” just like one Chinese librarian who signed up and those who came, three each, from Letran-Manila, San Beda and Adventist University of the Philippines.

For first timers, they would never forget their stay at the library of the De La Salle University. DLSU is known for its extremely well-ventilated sections, air-conditioned floors, very clean spaces and many, many, many reading materials to choose from. Its library environment for readers and others guests is an attraction. The participants would like to sincerely thank the friendly librarians who assisted them last Monday (August 22) namely, Ms. Willian Frias and Ms. Marita Valerio.

Noteworthy and worn is every guest’s white souvenir shirt provided by C & E thru Ms. Cham Carlos.

The libraries of DLSU, UST, ADB and ADMU were featured and are known as Outstanding Libraries of the “fully-engaged, member-driven association,” PAARL, Inc, 2003, 2005, 2002, 2006, respectively. Included in this activity as participants and organizers were some of the officers of the Association: Roderick B. Ramos (President), Carolyn De Jesus (Secretary), Cecil Lobo (Auditor), Maria Theresa Villanueva (Membership Chair), Sonny Boy Manalo (PRO). Those who helped prepare the tour were Sonia Gementiza (Vice-president), Sonia Lourdes David (Tresurer); board directors: Victoria Baleva at Olivia Haler and Mr. Christopher Paras (ex-officio)

Hospitalidad ng PAARL’s Outstanding Libraries

Hospitalidad ng PAARL’s Outstanding Libraries

Katangi-tangi ang hospitalidad na ipinamalas ng direktor ng Rizal Library sa Ateneo de Manila University, Gng. Lourdes David. Katulong ang morenang palangiting si Karryl Sagun, magandang laybraryan ng referens, si Lourdes, at siya na nga mismo ang gumabay o nagsilbing library tour guide sa paggala ng mga laybraryan sa loob at labas ng mga silid-aklatan ng ADMU. Binigkas niyang espesyal ang grupong PAARL’S TOUR OF OUTSTANDING LIBRARIES na bumisita upang mag-benchmarking sa apat na mga teripikong mga aklatan sa kalakhang Maynila na matatagpuan sa DLSU, ang Miguel de Benavidez Library ng UST, at Asian Development Bank. Hanggang alas sais ng gabi noong Lunes (Agosto 22), otentikong inihayag ni Lourdes ang pasasalamat sa PAARL, Inc. at palagiang pag-imbita sa mga kalahok na dumako, bumalik, magsama at mamasyal sa Rizal Library at mga moog para sa museo at ispesyal na mga koleksyon ng libre o walang bayad tulad ng American Historical Collection, ALiWW, Pardo de Tavera, Matteo Ricci Study Hall, Microform Reading Center, at bagong gusali ng Rizal Library. Ito ay isang pribilihiyong laan sa ating mga kapwa laybraryan ayon pa sa napakabuting guro na rin ng Library Science.

Napamangha ang mga taga-Cabanatuan, maging ang mga taga-Silang sa mga itsura ng mga bilding, loob-looban ng mga information commons ng mga nabanggit na mga pinuntahan. “Kapanga-pangarap ang taguriang Espresso Book Machine ng ADB,” wika ng isang laybraryan ng isang internasyunal na eskwelahan. Milyong piso ang nailagak sa makinang ito ayon sa isang namamahalang Indiyan upang tumugon sa demand-driven (banggit ni Gng. Nelia Balagapo) na gawi ng mga kawani ng ADB. Ang ADB at Tokyo, Japan pa lamang ang mayroon nito. Ang EBM ay gumagamit ng isang software at sa pamamagitan ng isang deytabeys, maiiprint nito ang katumbas na librong pinili, tumpak ang kulay, sukat at laman ng libro sa loob lamang ng limang minuto. Parang isa itong ATM o drive-thru service, kadudutdut sa teklado, maya-maya, nariyan na ang nilulunggating mainit-init mula sa oven na babasahin. Literal talagang mainit-init na libro ang ididispensa o ihuhulog sa saluhan ng Espresso Book Machine.

Kakaiba at ekselente ang disiplina at sining ng mga taga-UST sa aspeto ng pag-aarkayv. Napa-WOW! O napabilib ang tatlungpung (30) turista sa nasaksihang pag-aaruga sa mga materyales o dokumentong institusyunal, personal, historikal at iba pa. Marururok mula sa kanila ang isang industriya sa isang akademikong establisamento: ang industriyang gagastusan, pananatilihin habangbuhay, ipipriserba, iingatan at ilalayo mula sa mga panganib. Huwag kalimutang dumako sa mataas na palapag ng Miguel de Benavidez Library upang matunghayan kung ano ang di nakikita sa araw-araw na matutuklasan lamang sa mga interyor na mga lugar nito. Maaring kontakin si Bb. Ana Rita Alomo, mahusay na pasiliteytor-laybraryan, kung ninanais mabighani at mapa-WOW tulad ng isang babaing laybraryang kasama mula sa Tsina, tigatatlong partisipante mula sa Letran, San Beda, Adventist University of the Philippines, TIP-QC, College of the Immaculate Conception!

Di naman makakalimutan ng karamihan ang kanilang unang-unang pagyapak sa gusali ng DLSU. Maaliwalas, malinis, may kaliwanagan ang bawat sulok, malamig, umpok ng mga libro at kasangkapan ang paligid at kahali-halina ang envayronment sa loob ng laybrari ng DLSU. Ito’y mga pananalitang karaniwang mauulinigan mula sa sinumang dadako. Lubos nilang pinasasalamatan, lalung-lalo na ang uri ng pakikipagniig at pag-aalay ng oras ng dalawang laybraryang unang kanilang nakadaupang-palad noong umaga ng Lunes (Agosto 22): Gng. Willian Frias at Gng. Marita Valerio sa bawat isa.

Nakasuot ng puting damit na may disenyo ang mga partisipante bilang souvenir o alaala na mula sa kabutihang-loob ng C & E sa pamagitan ni Gng Cham Carlos.

Ang mga laybrari ng DLSU, UST, ADB at ADMU ay tampok o tinaguriang mga Outstanding Libraries ng fully-engaged-member-driven association, PAARL, Inc. ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod, 2003, 2005, 2002, at 2006. Kasama sa aktiviti na ito bilang partisipante at tagaorganisa ang ilan sa mga opiser ng PAARL, Inc.: Pangulong Roderick B. Ramos (manunulat nitong artikulo); Carolyn De Jesus (Secretarya), Cecil Lobo (Tagasuri), Maria Theresa Villanueva (Tseyr ng Pagsapi), Sonny Boy Manalo (PRO). Katuwang sina Sonia Gementiza (Bise-presidente); Sonia Lourdes David (Tesorero); mga direcktor ng lupon na sina Victoria Baleva at Olivia Haler at dating pangulong Christopher Paras.