Making a Difference: Koronadal City Schools Library Hub Advocates for School Libraries

There is hope for the advocacy for public school libraries, at least in Koronadal City.

This, according to Ms. Luz Lalli I. Ferrer Department of Education (DepEd) Koronadal City Schools ES-I English Supervisor and Library Hub Coordinator and Mr. Arvin M. Tejada, Library Hub Division Librarian, is what they hope to demonstrate through the Division Library Hub. For the two, the vision is for the Division Library Hub to be a space for more creative pursuits for the advancement of the advocacy for school libraries instead of just remaining to be just a transitory warehouse for books waiting to be loaned to public schools on a rotation basis.

The DepEd Koronadal Library Hub is lucky. OIC-DepEd Division Superintendent Ms. Adelfa N. Espartero is very supportive. Ms. Luz Lalli Ferrer, Library Hub Coordinator being an English Supervisor, understands how important it is for a child to first acquire the habit of reading, and comprehending. Both educators understand that reading must start with the printed word. Arvin Tejada, on the other hand, has always been a staunch advocate for public libraries, mobilizing teams of volunteers students to help schools start their libraries while he was still moderator of the Books and Information Technology Society (BITS) at the the Notre Dame of Marbel University, also in Koronadal City. His move to the public school system early this year as the new Division Librarian is expected to render more meaning and credence to this advocacy. With the right combination of people, the advocacy for school libraries can be pushed to greater heights.

And so, on June 26 June 2010, the Division Library Hub convened for the first time a pool of  teacher-librarian designates from all fourty-four (44) public elementary and secondary schools in Koronadal City. The objective was to (a) orient them on the intentions of the Library Hub Project, (b) set the direction of the Divison Library Hub, and culminated in a planning session to (3) to chart the future of their school libraries.

I felt privileged to have been invited to this kick-off activity where I shared highlights of a baseline research paper I delivered at the 34th International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) Conference in Hong Kong, China on the state of public and school libraries in the Provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. Although I talked of dismal figures taken in 2005 and noted that no movement has changed five years hence, I guess it paid to have laid down the cards once again so that current and future actions can take off where it is most needed. Like the convenors, I share the advocacy and am one with them in their long-term vision which is the development of school libraries in the Philippine public school system. Specifically for DepEd Koronadal City Schools, the Library Hub is envisioned to take a more proactive role by spearheading the initiative to assist public schools within the city in establishing/building school libraries and the development of collections. This challenge undoubtedly requires more stakeholder participation and complex interventions but there is clear commitment to this advocacy from key and influential personalities in DepEd-KC. This is what is crucial.

A planning workshop held on the same day propelled this initiative to motion. In the future, there will be more venues for capacity-building and skills development for school library and media center management. This is where the DepEd Library Hub-Koronadal City Schools Division hope to make a difference. This is how the advocates hope to get to their vision of seeing more children reading and more school libraries built for the public school system.

Planning-Workshop