Malditang Librarian

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the world's first national crypto library to protect and secure confidential information in the country. This was initiated by the Cryptography Research Center of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). According to Faisal Al Bannai, secretary general of ATRC, "The ever-evolving sophistication of cyberattacks should not be taken for granted. By developing a national crypto library in the UAE and integrating this within critical digital infrastructure, we can increase our security levels and build sovereign capability simultaneously." The library consists of algorithms that cryptographers use to protect information in different data-driven fields such as health care, telecommunications, and finance.  The research center have already released several versions of the library and are working on integrating it into UAE's data infrastructure. They work with scientists in cryptography and related fields such as post-qu...

Globe launches Ugnay, a learning platform using text or short messaging service (SMS). Though SMS has limited capabilities, it can be useful for those who have limited internet access. Ugnay aims to deliver accessible content to learners. Text messaging has its advantages as a fast and effective way to deliver information, and it can reach thousands of learners with less effort. Lessons can also be delivered in a short and concise way through text. It also saves the user from the hassle of logging in and out of different platforms. “This pandemic heightened the need for distance learning but there are a lot of challenges -  from the adjustments that have to be done by teachers and students to accommodate distance learning to the availability of content and limitations of accessing learning media that rely heavily on compatible devices and stable internet connection. This prompted us to look for ways to address these concerns,” said Ariane Nava, Globe Head of Channel Governance an...

A new Banned Books Museum recently opened in Tallin, Estonia. The museum houses banned books in several countries and aims to educate the public about literary censorship. According to museum founder Joseph Dunnigan, "We want to raise people’s awareness of the long history of censorship and the importance of freedom of speech. Freedom of thought and expression is not a universally accepted human right to this day. I am happy to contribute to the dissemination of freedom of speech with the museum.” They have a collection of over 100 banned books, classified by country. The museum features banned and controversial books such as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code , Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , and William Golding's Lord of the Flies . They also have collections of burned books, children's books, and books on censorship. The museum's vision states that "We dream of a world in which people can freely share, challenge, and refine their ideas. The value...

Camarines Sur 2nd district Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte is proposing a bill for textbook publishers to allow the scanning and digitization of books for educational purposes, as long as it complies with the Philippines' Intellectual Property Code. House Bill 8020 or "An Act amending R.A. 8047, otherwise known as the 'Book Publishing Industry Development Act,' providing for the scanning and conversion of public school textbooks into eBooks and other digital formats"  was filed last November 17, 2020. It has been forwarded for review by the Committee on Basic Education and Culture. This proposed act mandates the digitization of eBooks by publishers under the government's Public School Textbook Program. The digital copies of these textbooks shall be available in 'any manner deemed appropriate and reasonable by the DepEd' for access by public school students in the country. According to Rep. Villafuerte, "It is no secret that textbooks i...

This year's Newbery Medal awardee is Jerry Craft's graphic novel, New Kid . The Newberry Medal is an annual award given by the American Library Association's (ALA) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) division for the author of "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." New Kid is written and illustrated by Jerry Craft and published by Harper. It is the first graphic novel to win the award.  According to Krishna Grady, Newbery Medal Committee Chair, "This distinct, timely, and honest story respects children and gives its readers a glimpse into what it means to be other."  The graphic novel explores themes such as race, class, and bullying. Book Summary: "Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of t...

Photo credit: Ana Mae Cantel (PLAI WVRLC President) This December 20, 2020, the Philippine Librarians Association - Western Visayas Regional Librarians Council (PLAI WVRLC) conducted an outreach program in Brgy. Olango in Miag-ao, Iloilo. The program, "Pag-ulikid sa mga bata sa bukid: remedial module teaching and storytelling to children in the mountains" was made possible through the effort of librarian volunteers and donations. School supplies, books, magazines, and toys were donated to the communities. Just in time for Christmas, food packs were also given to the recipient families. Post from Ana Mae Cantel, PLAI WVRLC President Follow Malditang Librarian for news, updates, and trends on libraries and librarians in the Philippines . Facebook page

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) together with exclusive partner Globe, announced the much-awaited lineup of films for the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival  in a presscon held via zoom, together with Dondon Monteverde of Sphere Entertainment, Inc. (UPSTREAM). The 2020 MMFF official entries in different genres such as fantasy, drama, comedy, horror and romance, that every family member will enjoy include the following:  Coming Home Fan Girl Isa Pang Bahaghari Magikland Mang Kepweng PAKBOYS Suarez: The Healing Priest Tagpuan The Boys Foretold The Missing But amid the challenges of the pandemic, with social distancing protocols still in place, one asks how the public can fully enjoy these films and recreate the wonderful tradition of the MMFF. Thankfully, Filipinos from here and even abroad can recreate the wonderful tradition of watching these MMFF films, through the UPSTREAM video streaming platform/app provided by UPSTREAM and GMovies ticketing platform provided by Glo...

Globe at Home collaborated with the Department of Education (DepEd) for the WiFi2TEACH program to support public schools with the delivery of online learning. Under the program, 2,000 modems were distributed beginning last August to selected public school teachers all over the country. From September 1-30, for every Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi unit sold on Lazada, P100 was donated to help provide the modems for this program.  “Our public school teachers are working twice as hard to make sure that learning continues for their students despite this new set-up. Strong connectivity is really important for them to perform their duties and we are thankful for Globe’s WiFi2Teach program for providing free modems that they can use to conduct online classes, create learning materials, and supervise their students,” shared Abraham Abanil, Director at DepEd. Teachers consider this a big help in the shift to online learning. “These Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi that we received are essential and...

Preloaded prepaid SIM cards are distributed to teachers nationwide Globe Telecom and Ayala Foundation provided internet connectivity assistance to over 6,000 public school teachers for the Department of Education's (DepEd) Sulong Edukalidad program. This is to support teachers in delivering online or blended education. According to a DepEd survey, around 700,000 or 49% of public school teachers all over the country do not have their own internet connection.  Globe provided teachers with SIM cards preloaded with 5GB data for 30 days. “DepEd’s partnership and collaboration with the public and private  sectors are very important to ensure that quality basic education will continue despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.  We are truly grateful to all our partners especially to Globe and Ayala Foundation for providing connectivity assistance to help us upskill and reskill our teachers in order to realize the much-needed reforms in basic education, even during the pandemic....

Classes have resumed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather than traditional face-to-face classes, schools have implemented online classes for the health and safety of students and faculty.  To spark students’ interest and ease teachers' transition to online classes, the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) has partnered with Globe and acquired the integrations of G Suite Enterprise for Education to take digital learning to an advanced level.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the need for digital transformation across our entire institution. While we had started a university-wide enterprise resource planning project as early as last year, as well as several attempts at a learning management system as early as four years ago, COVID-19 greatly accelerated the need to adopt digital technology, particularly in the delivery of learning,” shares Marco Alfredo M. Benitez, President of PWU. Through the partnership, the university secured G Suite Enterprise for Education...

Globe will continue to build the momentum of its aggressive network expansion as it targets to install a record number of new cell sites or towers in more cities and municipalities in the country next year. For 2021, Globe is targeting to install the most number of cell towers in the company's history with its most massive rollout as demand for connectivity and bigger capacity kept rising in the last few months and is projected to grow even more next year. “We would like to thank the government for all its support, specifically in downsizing the requirements or permits we needed especially in the second half of this year. With more and more LGUs following the lead of the national government in easing and streamlining the needed requirements, we are targeting to install at least 2,000 new sites,” said Gil Genio, Globe’s Chief Technology and Information Officer. Without the ARTA JMC and Bayanihan 2, Globe was able to build 500 cell towers in 2018. A year later, the company doubled ...

Lagoon in Burnham Park, Baguio / Photo by Hariboneagle927 CC BY-SA 4.0 Baguio City Councilor and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman Levy Lloyd Orcales seeks to pass an ordinance to modernize  their public library, the Baguio City Library.  The proposed ordinance includes provisions for more staff, modern equipment, longer operating hours, acquisition of eBooks, and adding a cafe to attract more visitors.  The library is currently located in Burnham Park but was originally located in the former city auditorium (condemned after the 1990 earthquake). They are also planning to build a new Baguio Library and Culture Center in the library's original site.  Councilor Oracles said that improving the library could encourage the youth to read.  Source: Lobien, P. (2020 December 3). Baguio eyes public library modernization . https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1123701

UV sterilizing machine for books. Picture by Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters Libraries in Japan have began acquiring UV (ultra-violet) machines to sterilize and disinfect books borrowed and returned. The machine takes 30 seconds to sterilize a book and it also has a feature that helps get rid of dust from the books. One such machine was installed in the Narimasu Library in Itabashi, Tokyo in 2018 but has seen more usage this year due to the pandemic. Library users can use it upon borrowing a book and when returning it. However, this is not required. The UV machines were included in the libraries to assure patrons that books they are using are safe for use.  However, such UV machines are not necessary to 'disinfect' books from COVID-19. There is research that points out that the virus can live on surfaces for up to 2-3 days, while it can last for 24 hours on paper and cardboard (Van Doremalen, et al., 2020). Some libraries are practicing 'book quarantines' - isolating returne...

Much like any other new iPhone series, the arrival of the iPhone 12 has been hotly anticipated by fans worldwide including the Philippines. Now, the long wait is over and devotees can finally get their hands on the only phone they want, choosing from four new models – the iPhone 12, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max. While the revamped design, new color choices, and wireless charging system are all notable, the most exciting addition to the iPhone 12 is its 5G capability, which enables users to do more with their phones at the lightning-fast speeds that the cutting-edge technology affords. With Globe’s continued expansion of its 5G services in Metro Manila as well as key cities in Visayas and Mindanao, more users around the country can enjoy the countless enhanced experiences that the new iPhone offers in gaming, streaming, virtual reality, and more. Get your hands on this much-awaited iPhone series by pre-ordering it through Globe. Take your pick from among the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhon...

Monument in Jaro Plaza. Photo by Ian Paul Cordero / Panay News Soon, there will be a Graciano Lopez Jaena Museum and Library in Fajardo, Jaro, Iloilo City. In a recent Facebook post of Iloilo City Government, Mayor Jerry Treñas had said that "We have appropriated funds for the completion of the Lopez Jaena Shrine and City Library. We will soon see the completion of the Shrine for the only National Hero from the City of Iloilo." The Iloilo City Library currently located in the Iloilo City Hall will also be moved to this new location in Fajardo, Jaro. The Museum and Library will be built on Lopez Jaena's birthplace. The museum will house Lopez Jaena's memorabilia and the library will also contain resources on the national hero. Mayor Treñas also stated that this library will be open for 24 hours daily. In a recent post shared by the Dr. Graciano Lopez Jaena Foundation, Inc., "Through the usufruct between the Dr Graciano Lopez Jaena Foundation, Inc and the Iloil...

The Waseda International House of Literature or the Haruki Murakami Library is set to open in Waseda University, Tokyo in April 2021. The Library will include Murakami's manuscripts, personal notes, and records. Works related to his writing such as book reviews and translations are also part of the collection.  The building will include facilities such as research reference rooms, study spaces, seminar and audio spaces, and a cafe. The library is designed by Architect Kengo Kuma. The University announced in June 2019 their plans to build a library to house the donated works of Haruki Murakami. The bestselling author is an alumnus of the University, graduating from the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences in 1975. The library's interior design The Library envisions to help research on Murakami's works. It aims to be a center of study in world literature, translation, and academic and cultural exchange.  According to Murakami, "I hope the new building will provide an...

The British Library is making 40,000 historical maps in its collection available for free online. The maps are part of the Topographical Collection of King George III or the "K. Top" Collection. Aside from maps, the online collection also includes images of atlases, cartoons,  watercolors, and architectural drawings.  These images are free to view online on their Flickr Commons collection . According to the Library, "Over seven years, a team of expert cataloguers, curators, conservators and imaging specialists at the Library have worked to catalog, conserve and digitize the K.Top collection.  The collection is a distinct part of the larger King’s Library which was presented to the Nation by George IV in 1823. As a collection of maps and views that was built during the formative period of the British Empire, it is an important resource for the study of how Britain viewed and interacted with the wider world during this period. The collection consists of printed and han...

PLAI National Congress The PLAI annual national Congress is one of the biggest annual gatherings of Librarians all over the country. The Congress usually features the latest topics, issues, and concerns in librarianship. I have only attended two national Congresses so far since I started as a librarian, which I talked about in a Facebook post below: This year's PLAI National Congress was supposed to be held in Iloilo City but due to COVID-19, the physical conference had to be canceled and moved online.  Ever since the lockdowns started in the country, there have been many webinars organized by local PLAI regional councils and other organizations. These webinars have quite a good attendance since many librarians and library staff are seeking answers and it's a good avenue to network and share ideas with fellow librarians.  The theme of this year's PLAI Congress is “Libraries as Catalysts in the New Normal Environment: Changes. Reforms. Transformation.” This was a free e...

The role of media and bloggers during the current crisis has never been more important as people rely on them to deliver breaking news, updates, and in-depth reports about the pandemic whether inside the country or abroad. These modern-day heroes also deserve recognition for the risks they take and their important contributions in keeping the public informed.  Thus, for this year, Globe’s annual Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) was dedicated to honoring the newsmakers as well as their organizations for exemplary work in bringing COVID-19-related issues to the attention of the public via print, broadcast, or digital media. “Even with the challenges that 2020 gave us, we are grateful to you for demonstrating purposeful reporting. The newsroom has significantly evolved. It is now at the palm of your hands. As we continue to work towards one digital nation, we are allies in connecting Filipinos, arming them with quality news and information to help them better understand wha...