Skip to main content

Topnotcher Review


Being in the library means I'm studying and watching other people study as well. I admire those who make the effort to deposit their bags and their phones in the corner away from the tables where they are reviewing.

Some give up after a few minutes and fetch their phones to take advantage of the free wifi and do some "research" online.

To make your learning through self-study more effective and your review time more productive, here are some topnotcher tips: These are also the basic tips I can share for would-be board exam examinees.

1. Organize your thoughts by drawing a simple mind map for all aspects of librarianship and information science. For example:

  • Concepts like reference transactions/interview, information sources, and Samuel Swett Green all belong to the main topic of Reference Librarianship; 
  • DDC, LCC, subject headings, Cutter tables, and RDA belong to the main topic of Cataloging and Classification. 
  • WiFi, Ada Lovelace, virtual reality, automation, library systems, MS Access, CMS, database management belong to the main topic of Information technology.
  • RA9246, RA6966, Library Organization, PLAI, PRC-BFL all belong to the main topic of Library Management. 

Why do this? -- This will help you divide your tons of thousands of BLIS notes/hand-outs into separate folders before you even start reviewing. In the beginning, they're all jumbled together into one pile of mess (in your head or literally). Remember that the LLE itself is divided into the main subject areas. This will also help you mentally condition yourself to pass each subject area.

2. Have a study time every day. A good study habit means you know exactly what time you will start reviewing and what time you will end your daily review. Even if you're attending review classes, e.g., Libraryanihan, you still need a time to synthesize and summarize, even if it's just 30 mins after your classes.

This way, you'll be anticipating your review time, and you can arrange the rest of your work/leisure around it. Studying also means no distractions (netflix or social media), no noise, and no food.

This will help you attain level of discipline to prepare yourself for crunch time, a.k.a., cramming time, during which you'll both be panicking and cramming simultaneously. You'll forget to sleep and eat, and you'll be dependent on coffee for a few days.

During this time, only your strict study schedule will make sense to you, and you may even depend on your developed study routine as a security blanket. Nothing's making sense, but you draw comfort from the fact that you're at least attempting to study more.


3. Take Notes
  • In two of my posts (PLAI Takeaways I and II, I demonstrated how I would take notes during a lecture.
  • The main line should be the topic being discussed, then below it, list the details in bullet points format. Here's the template:
(1) Topic
(1a) Main information about the topic (what, where, when, how, why - FAQs)
(1b) Supporting information - what else do we need to know, assumptions, unconfirmed reports
(1c) Question about the topic that can be answered by research or interview. 
4. Make a Bibliography
  • For each subject area you are studying, you should have several credible references that you go to for advice or to verify something. These can be books, serials, even people.
  • Organize your bibliography according to type. If these are websites, make sure you don't just lift off Wikipedia. List the name of the site along with the URL. 

5. Make a Who's Who / Trivia List

  • Any topic has a 'father' or someone who studied the topic intensively at one point in history. For instance, if the topic is "cats," who discovered them? Who was the person who coined the name?
  • This will spike your interest about your topic and make you more eager to study it.
  • This list will keep you from getting bored. 

6. Sound off to someone else

  • Talk at length about your topic with someone to synthesize your thoughts. You're picking the brain of someone.
  • This person you talk to may or may not be an authority in the field, but he/she must be as interested as you are, e.g., a classmate or professor.
  • If there is no one in your immediate circle who knows something about this topic, find specific interest groups on the internet, especially social networks. Forum communities are usual in the early 2000s, but now these have been replaced by Facebook communities.
  • Use hashtags to find people who are already talking about your topic on Twitter and Facebook. 








Popular posts from this blog

10 Benefits of Becoming a Board Topnotcher in the Philippines

Becoming a board topnotcher in the Philippines is a highly esteemed achievement that can have significant benefits for an individual's professional and personal life. These benefits span across various aspects, including career opportunities, personal growth, and societal impact. 10 Reasons Board Topnotchers are a Big Deal in the Philippines 1. Enhanced Career Opportunities : Achieving topnotcher status in board exams in the Philippines often opens doors to a plethora of career opportunities. Many employers, particularly in competitive fields such as engineering, accountancy, and law, view topnotchers as individuals with exceptional capabilities and a strong work ethic. As a result, topnotchers often receive job offers from prestigious firms, government agencies, and private corporations. Additionally, they are frequently offered higher starting salaries, leadership roles, and opportunities for advanced training and education. 2. Professional Recognition and Credibility : Topnotche...
Read more

How Important is Proper Document Control in ISO Accreditation?

If your organization is working toward ISO accreditation—or trying to maintain it—you’ve probably heard the phrase document control more times than you care to count. But before your eyes glaze over, let’s break it down. ISO standards (like ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, or ISO 27001 for information security) are built on the idea of consistency, traceability, and accountability. None of that works without proper documentation. And documentation doesn’t stay proper on its own. It needs structure. That’s where document control comes in. So, how important is it? In short: it's everything. What Is Document Control in the ISO Context? Document control refers to how an organization manages its critical documents—such as procedures, manuals, forms, and records—so that they are: Correct (the latest version) Accessible (to the right people) Secure (from unauthorized changes) Traceable (who approved, changed, or accessed them)...
Read more

Being a Document Control Officer to Manage Archives: Are You the Office Librarian?

In many workplaces, there's someone who seems to know where everything is. They can pull up the latest policy revision, retrieve an outdated client file, or point you to that mysterious "blue folder" from three years ago that somehow still matters. This person may not wear glasses or whisper "shhh"—but in essence, they are the office librarian . In most cases, this role falls to the Document Control Officer . But what does being a Document Control Officer really mean? And how close is it to being the keeper of a corporate library? Let’s unpack it. What Is a Document Control Officer? A Document Control Officer (DCO) is responsible for managing how documents are created, reviewed, stored, accessed, and archived within an organization. In many cases, the DCO is the quiet force behind regulatory compliance, internal consistency, and institutional memory. In short, if your company ever says, “We have a paper trail,” the DCO is why. Their duties typically incl...
Read more

Real Duties of a Librarian (And How to Make Them Less Overwhelming)

Let’s set the record straight: being a librarian is not just about shelving books and saying “shhh.” It’s about juggling multiple roles— curator, educator, tech support, event planner, community builder, record keeper —often all before lunch. Here are just a few of the invisible-but-crucial duties librarians handle daily: 📚 1. Cataloging and Accessioning Keeping track of each book that enters your library, assigning it an accession number, and recording its details might seem like mundane admin work—but it’s the bedrock of your collection. Miss a step, and suddenly a book “doesn’t exist” in your system. 🧾 2. Inventory and Weeding Librarians regularly evaluate which books are actively used, which need repair, and which have quietly vanished. Without a clear, organized record, this becomes an endless guessing game. 🎓 3. Supporting Lifelong Learning From children’s storytime to adult computer classes, librarians create programs that educate and empower. But preparing for these...
Read more

3 Ways to Make the Library a Civic Innovation Center

Libraries have always been more than just book-lending places. They’re public trust spaces, open to all, with no pressure to buy, perform, or belong to a certain group. In today’s fast-changing world, we can go one step further: we can make libraries civic innovation centers. That means transforming them into active spaces where citizens work together to solve local problems, grow ideas, and build stronger communities. Here are three simple but powerful ways to do this: 1. Host Community-Led Problem-Solving Events Many cities and towns face common challenges—unemployment, food insecurity, lack of affordable housing, or poor digital access. What’s often missing is a neutral space where people can come together and think creatively about solutions. This is where the library comes in. Libraries can host regular “Civic Hackathons,” “Idea Labs,” or “Solution Circles.” These are not just for tech people. A solution circle, for example, can be as simple as a group of locals, librarians,...
Read more

Five Most Tedious Tasks Every Librarian Knows Too Well

Ah, the life of a librarian! While many might imagine it's all about leisurely reading behind a desk and shushing noisy visitors, the reality is far from it. Being a librarian involves a slew of behind-the-scenes tasks that can be quite tedious but are essential to keeping the library running smoothly. Today, let's shine a light on the five most tedious tasks every librarian faces, celebrating the unsung heroes of the quiet aisles.   1. Cataloging and Classification    Imagine trying to organize a giant, never-ending jigsaw puzzle where pieces keep changing shapes. That's cataloging and classification for you. Each book, magazine, and digital resource must be meticulously categorized by subject, author, title, and a myriad of other criteria. It's a task that requires precision and attention to detail, ensuring that visitors can find exactly what they're looking for among thousands of items.   2. Shelving and Re-shelving   Shelving might seem straightforwar...
Read more

The Basics of Ilokano Culture that a Visitor Needs to Know

 Each experience in Northern Luzon would seem to unravel another facet of this incredibly rich Ilokano cultural heritage. There are three standout features that would leave a lasting impression: the Ilokano family structure, their symbiotic relationship with the land, and the social norms in the Ilokano community that govern daily life. Family First off, let's discuss family traditions in Ilokano society, because the family is the cornerstone of this vibrant culture. Unlike some places where family might just mean your immediate circle, in Ilokano culture, the term is expansive. Extended families often share the same compound or plot of land, forming tight-knit communities within the larger society. Children are taught the importance of panagbiag—a set of ethical norms and practices—in every aspect of life, including the way they interact with their elders Manong and Manang  Speaking of elders, the terms "Manong" and "Manang" aren't just labels for older sib...
Read more

Librarian Resources: Books on the Passion of Christ

Offer your patrons several reading choices for Lent. Here is a list of notable books that delve into the passion of Christ, each offering a unique perspective on this profound subject: 1. "The Passion of Jesus Christ: Fifty Reasons Why He Came to Die" by John Piper    - Synopsis: This book offers fifty clear reasons why Jesus Christ underwent the suffering of the cross, according to the Bible. John Piper delves into the theological and spiritual implications of Christ's Passion, aiming to deepen the reader's appreciation and understanding of Christ's sacrifice. 2. "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ" by Anne Catherine Emmerich    - Synopsis: Based on the visions of the German mystic, Anne Catherine Emmerich, this book provides a detailed account of the events leading up to and including the crucifixion of Jesus. Emmerich's vivid descriptions bring to life the sufferings of Christ in a way that encourages empathy and reflection. 3. "Je...
Read more

Understanding Archives in an Organizational Context

Archives are like treasure chests for any organization, holding the key to its history and memory through various documents and records. These are not just any documents but are specifically preserved because they hold value for understanding the organization's operations, history, and culture. In this blog post, we will explore what archives are in an organizational context and why they are essential for maintaining a connection to the past and a guide for the future. What Are Archives? In an organizational setting, archives are collections of records that are preserved because of their historical, legal, or administrative significance. These records can be anything from official correspondence and meeting minutes to photographs, videos, and even emails that document the activities and decisions of the organization.  If you are a records manager and you want a stress-free way to keep tabs on your organization's archives, here is a good log book especially designed for you:  h...
Read more

Simple Way to Ask Library Users to Rate the Library Service

  Library users do not always share their thoughts on how the librarian or school can improve their library service. In fact, some won't ever, unless prompted. Soliciting their thoughts using a suggestion box is also not as good a strategy as it is predicted to be. After all, the blank piece of paper near the suggestion box doesn't really guide the user. I also noticed that users would only use the suggestion box if they have a complaint, but not if they just want to go about their business and leave.  There must be a more pro-active way to solicit users' opinion.  A simple solution would be to offer a short survey to measure how successfully users were able to complete some common activities in the library. This assessment uses the Likert scale, which is typically a five, seven, or nine-point agreement scale used to measure respondents' agreement with various statements. For example, the scale can range from "very unsuccessful" to "very successful."...
Read more