Ruby Galvez, RL

Being a special librarian is different from other types of librarians because of the nature of the library where he/she is working. Unlike a school and academic librarian, there are no curricula to base the collection development on. When I started working in a special library, the duties and responsibilities were not clear cut.  Eventually, as I started submitting my accomplishment reports, I realized what the job entails and came up with the following job description based on what I do on a daily and monthly basis. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES of a SPECIAL LIBRARIAN Collect information on user demographics (age, sex, profession, address, etc.) through a specific log-in system. Create a new library visitor log-in system, in which the new patron is asked to write down the date of his visit, his name, contact number, school and/or organization, and research interests  Compile library statistics for monthly and yearly reports. For Library Management & Marketing: Contact artists...

Categories: FRIENDSHIP, DRAMA, CRIME It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. The boarded up windows gave the impression that the buildings lining the street were not habitable. Katie smiled and nodded at the curious eyes peeking out from the slats of wood as she passed them, knowing that her blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion got the locals excited. This old motel strip in the seediest corner of Metro Manila, Philippines had been both a place to hide and recuperate, and the best venue for secrets. Why she went back was as much a mystery as it was a marvel. It was hard to imagine that after all the craziness that happened in the past, she would want to come back and look for… something. Perhaps it was closure that she was after.

A makerspace increases the value of a library as a community resource. Why? It provides a place for professionals to pursue their hobbies after their work hours and to explore their creativity in close proximity to books and other resources that inspire and provoke ideas.  Traditionally, libraries are repositories of books and quiet places of reading. Modern libraries, however, have features that allow them to serve as community resources that function as hubs where people can discuss ideas and plan projects over coffee and snacks.  Makerspace events allow users to maximize the library as a community resource, as well as promote the library collection.  HOW TO CREATE LIBRARY MAKERSPACES?  The formula we use to create a library makerspace is as follows:  Theme + Collaboration + Resource/Venue Support = Makerspace success!  Theme  The theme allows the library and its collaborators to link the activity’s theme with purpose and nature of the library....

A new trend in librarianship is the 24/7 library, but is this concept easier on paper than in actual practice?  PROs Provides a place for vagrants to safely stay and be productive. Instead of spending the night in the streets, vagrants can have a place to read, surf the internet, and revise. Helps students cope with school workload, especially working students who make time for revision in the early morning, after nightclass and before the work day. Provides a venue for creative brainstorming for teams. Increased access to reading resources Helps prevent crime by keeping the would-be victims in a safe place until the morning  CONs Requiring better security, because many miscreants may enter the library for theft and other malicious acts Increased risk of vandalism of library resources  Increased electricity bill of the library because airconditioning and lighting are on 24/7 Solutions: Better training for librarians who will take the night shift, including workshops on se...