Internet Manifesto Trainers Workshop held for SOCSARGEN Librarians

The Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI) – SOCSARGEN Regional Librarians Council, in cooperation with the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA) Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), organized the IFLA-FAIFE Internet Manifesto Trainers Workshop on October 26-27, 2009 at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in General Santos City. The theme was: Internet: The Way to the Future.”

The speakers were Prof. Maxie Doreen Leva-Cabarron, Board Member of the PLAI Central Visayas Librarians Regional Council; Dr. Marilou P. Tadlip, Director of Libraries of the University of San Carlos in Cebu City and Executive Vice President, PLAI National and Prof. Lilia Echiverri of the University of the Philippines College of Law Library, incumbent president of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc.

The initiative was spearheaded the PLAI SOCSARGEN Regional Librarians Council headed by Mrs. Victoria Santos, Director of Libraries and Chair, PLAI SOCSARGEN Regional Librarians Council

Dr. Marilou P. Tadlip, Prof. Maxie Leva-Cabarron, Ms. Lilia Echiverri, Prof. Victoria R. Santos, and SOCOLA Founder and Adviser Mr. Arturo O. Barbosa.

The workshop was about exploiting current technologies, specifically the internet, to bring information to the wider community. It was also about addressing the challenges that come with free access to information, that is, creating a balance between responsible use of information while at the same time ensuring that all barriers to free access are removed.

Prof. Maxie Doreen Leva-Cabarron gave an overview of the IFLA/FAIFE Manifesto and talked about scenarios and trends in internet use in Philippine libraries.

Dr. Marilou P. Tadlip’s sessions were on barriers to free and open internet access and the how-to’s of implementing the Internet Manifesto.

Also among the highlights of the two-day activity were the focus group discussions where participants reviewed and crafted acceptable internet use guidelines for their audiences.