All Regional Directors (RDs) and Schools Division/City Superintendents (SDSs) are enjoined to encourage their school librarians to adopt these standards in order to to render quality service to the pupils/students.
STANDARDS FOR PHILIPPINE LIBRARIES
BOARD FOR LIBRARIANS
CHAIR: CORAZON M. NERA
MEMBERS: ELIZABETH R. PERALEJO
ELNORA L. CONTI
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION (PRC)
P. Paredes St. cor. N. Reyes, Sampaloc, Manila
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION
PREFACE
By definition, standards are a measure of quality or value set up by authority, custom, or by general consent to be followed as model or example. As the lone agency mandated by the government to "adopt policies and set the standards for all types of libraries, librarians, and the practice of librarianship" (Republic Act 9246, Article II, Section 8), the Professional Regulatory Board for Librarians (PRBFL) of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) comes up with minimum standards that define the basic resources required for a functional library in the Philippine setting. It can serve as a reference tool or guidelines for developing library programs that will eventually attain quality service for all types of libraries in the country.
There have been earnest attempts in the past from the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), now Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Universities Audio-Visual Centers (PUAVC), Philippine Association of School Librarians (PASL), and the Philippine Association of Academic and Research Libraries (PAARL) to set up some kind of criteria or guidelines for evaluating school/academic libraries or audiovisual/media centers in the country. It is inevitable that the said efforts have looked to foreign standards, particularly those from the United States, and other developed countries for the manner and underlying principles in setting up their own criteria or guidelines. Likewise, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) standards for the different program requirements were also consulted and referenced.
In coming up with the present standards, the PRBFL initially created ad-hoc committees composed of distinguished librarians belonging to more established libraries/media centers in the public and private sectors to come up and formulate an achievable set of standards. These committees consulted the above mentioned guidelines in order to come up with a more viable and attainable measures for our libraries. They also found actual situations among existing libraries to determine the most realistic criteria that can be adopted for the attainment of the desired adequate service.
We, in the Board are aware of the possible anxieties, misunderstandings, and misgivings that these standards may create. In the eyes of many library managers or administrators, minimum standards can become maximum ones. It is possible that a minimum standard in one library may be fairly adequate for another. And it could also be that these minimum standards are very much below what some libraries already have, so there is a tendency to be complacent and not to upgrade anymore. That is why there is a need for these standards to be adapted to local conditions. It is our fervent desire that all libraries will be able to comply with these minimum standards soonest in the hope of upgrading the status of libraries and of the library profession in the Philippines.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Professional Regulatory Board for Librarians (PRBFL) wishes to acknowledge the various committees convened by the former and the present Boards who made these standards possible. This project was started during the term of Mrs. Susima L. Gonzales, Ms. Leonor B. Gregorio and Mrs. Loreto M. Serina in the Board who created task forces to come up and formulate achievable set of standards for all types of libraries in the country. And so, we would like to thank the distinguished and hard-working members of the original Ad Hoc Committees who accepted the challenge and participated in the initial drafting of the standards, namely: Ms. Lopita Crisostomo (St. Mary's Academy, Pasay City), Director Prudenciana C. Cruz (The National Library), Ms. Cecilia B. Guevarra (Arellano University), Ms. Ma. Teresita Elloso (Dept. of Justice), Mrs. Myrna R. Linsangan (St. Joseph's College, Quezon City), Ms. Shirley L. Nava (Dept. of Justice), Ms. Lillian C. Pajadan (St. Paul College, Pasig), and Mrs. Elizabeth R. Peralejo (Ateneo de Manila University).. .
Likewise, the Board wishes to thank the equally distinguished and hard-working librarians who prepared the final drafts and they are as follows : for Academic Libraries - Dr. Nora J. Claravall (Benguet University, now retired), Dr. Teresita G. Hernandez (Centro Escolar University), Mrs. Rebecca M. Jocson (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila), Mrs. Teresita C. Moran (Ateneo Professional School), and Atty. Antonio M. Santos (UP College of Law); for Public Libraries - Director Prudenciana C. Cruz (The National Library), Mr. Sancho A. Domenden (Public Libraries Division, The National Library), and Mrs. Fe F. Requilman (Baguio City Library); for School Libraries - Mrs. Leonila S. Galvez (M. Hizon Elementary School), Mrs. Myrna R. Linsangan (St. Joseph"s College, Quezon City), Dr. Maria A. Orendain (Philippine Normal University), Mrs. Elizabeth R. Peralejo (Ateneo de Manila University), and Mrs. Teresita D. Santos (UP Integrated School); and for Special Libraries - Ms. Helen C. de Castro (Presidential Management Staff, Malacanang), Ms. Erlinda SB. Mimay (Securities and Exchange Commission), Mrs.Milagros S. Ong (Supreme Court), and Mrs. Ma. Luz Salting-Verdejo (Department of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Service Institute Library).
Furthermore, thanks are also due to those who gave their comments and suggestions through letters, e-mails, and during the public fora and hearings conducted by the Board and the Philippine Librarians Association Inc. (PLAI) regional councils, and the Philippine Association for Academic and Research Libraries (PAARL). You may not find your specific inputs in their original or recognizable form in the approved standards, but rest assured that all of them have either been incorporated, refined, or at least, have been given due respect and serious considerations.
INTRODUCTION
Republic Acts Numbers. 6966 and 9246 paved the way towards the professionalization of librarians and the practice of librarianship in the Philippines. It took some time to consolidate all the regulation requirements of the law to formulate these Philippine standards for all the types of libraries. It is very important and necessary to have such set of standards to serve as guides towards the realization of ideals for librarians and information professionals, and specifically, libraries in the country in the complex technological world we are in today.It is with great pride that the Board has finally formulated a standard for all types of libraries: school library and media centers, academic libraries, special libraries and public libraries. The years of hard work, committee meetings, consultations, fora and research made this up. This labor of love for the profession manifests the commitment of Filipino library professionals towards the realization of higher goals, mission and vision of their respective schools, organizations and institutions.
We cannot over-emphasize the benefits of continuing education and the role of libraries in educating the Filipino youth. Libraries are integral parts of the educational system of the Philippines in providing access to various types of information materials in libraries in different formats available in library media or learning resource centers in schools, colleges and universities, organizations and institutions.
Setting quantitative and qualitative standards set forth in these Standards for Philippine Libraries is aimed to improve the access, usage, administration, management and collections of libraries. This will also serve as a reference tool or guidelines towards attaining quality service and to make the libraries in the Philippines functional. Likewise, this will serve as a yardstick to measure the efficiency of libraries, the improvement of library quarters; the quality and cost-effectiveness of office equipment and furniture, and the development and enhancement of collections, and services.
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