N O . 4 O C T O B E RN O . 4 O C T O B E R —— D E C E M B E R D E C E M B E R

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

I S S N ­ 0 1 1 6 ­ 1 4 N O . 4 O C T O B E R — D E C E M B E R

PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC/RESEARCH LIBRARIANS, INC.

PAARL Con­cludes RDA Cas­cade Trainings in 2014, Publishes RDA Book By Christine M. Abrigo

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Best Research Award 2014 By Cielito DR. Santos

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Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destina­tion By Puritz P. Uson

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Christmas Party at Skydeck, Bayleaf Hotel By Sonny Boy T. Manalo

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PAARL Holds Parallel Session at the PLAI 2014 Congress By Michelle A. Esteban

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Roster of PAARL Members

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PAARL Advertisement 17

PAARLPaparazzi 18

Christine M. Abrigo

WW ithith a working RDA policy statement and action plan

achieved at the end of 2013, PAARL concluded the NCCA­funded Resource Description and Access (RDA) project in 2014, with the theme, "Public Consultation and Training Workshop on Resource De­scription and Access: Policy and Action Plan for Philippine Libraries". This time, the fo­cus was to cascade said policy statement down to all libraries and library schools in all re­gions in the country, with the overall aim of soliciting inputs from the LIS community to further improve the said docu­ment.

The consultation sessions and training workshops, held on a two­day (last Thursday and Friday of the month) training for each leg, were conducted in NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, respectively. The format and content of the ses­sions and its sequence were the same for all series legs. This format gave the resource persons the opportunity to assess and compare the recep­tion of every audience to the sessions conducted, especially during the consultation session where participants were ex­pected to contribute to the enhancement of the proposed

RDA Policy and Action Plan. The pool of experts who served as resource persons during the nationwide consul­tation/training legs were mem­bers of the National Commit­tee on RDA (NCRDA) headed by Prof. Ruben Marasigan, with Prof. Corazon Nera, Ms. Mila Ramos, Ms. Ana Maria Fresnido, Ms. Susan Pador and Dr. Sonia Gementiza.

The NCR leg, the first in the series of 4 consultation/training legs, drew an atten­dance of 83 participants. It

was held at the Miguel de Benavides Library, University of Santo Tomas, España, Ma­nila, on 27­28 March 2014. Several comments on the pol­icy were received and noted from the participants, as the group was composed of not

only academic/school/special librarians, but also included practitioners from museums and archives.

The second leg was held in the Visayas, which drew an atten­dance of 62 participants. It was held at Balay Kalinungan, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, on 29­30 May 2014. A good number of Visayas­based librarians par­ticipated in this leg, although a few from NCR and Mindanao were also in attendance. Inputs for the improvement of the

policy statements put forward by the participants were like­wise noted.

The Luzon leg, the third in the series, was flocked by 108 participants – continued on page 2

PAARL CONCLUDES RDA CASCADE TRAININGS IN 2014, PUBLISHES RDA BOOK

Participants of RDA NCR (Manila)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

N O . 4 O C T O B E RN O . 4 O C T O B E R —— D E C E M B E R D E C E M B E R P A G E 2

B A C K T O P A G E B A C K T O P A G E 11

”An RDA

guidelines

work book be

written and

produced to

ensure

massive

implementati

on of the said

standard in

all libraries

and library

schools.”

Following the conclusion of the public consultation and training series held at General Santos City on 29 August 2014, the PAARL Board initiated talks with the Na­tional Commission for Culture and the Arts ­National Committee of Libraries and Information Ser­vices (NCCA­NCLIS) and key people from the NCRDA, regard­

ing the output of the RDA project. As the aim is to ensure that every cata­loger, librarian and LIS educator in the Philippines is guided and made aware of the new RDA standard and national policy, it was unanimously decided in the said meeting that aside from finalizing the policy statements, an RDA guide­lines work book be written and produced to ensure

massive implementation of the said standard in all libraries and library schools.

Originally, the publication of the book was calendared in 2015. However, since PAARL was able to generate savings out of the original grant earmarked for this project phase, continued on page 3

the largest audience among the four. It was held at Crowne Leg­acy Hotel, Baguio City, on 26­27 June 2014. A good number of them came from Manila, as many may not have been able to attend the NCR leg, although a remark­able number from Luzon also came to participate. In an active discussion during Session 6

(consultation), the partici­pants raised their com­ments, suggestions and concerns about the imple­mentation of the proposed national RDA policy, some of which were ad­dressed right then and there. All their inputs were noted for considera­tion.

Finally, the Mindanao leg recorded an attendance of 53 participants. It was held at Phela Grande Hotel, Gen­eral Santos City, on 28­29 August 2014. It was a good turnout as majority of them were Mindanao­based, with one even coming from as far as Jolo, Sulu. Participants from other parts of the country were also in attendance, this being their last chance to take part in

this important exercise. Partici­pants likewise raised their com­ments and inputs in the draft pol­icy during the consultation ses­sion, which were all noted down. The motion to conclude the end of the consultation process was moved and seconded by the audi­ence.

The inputs and comments re­

ceived from all participants on the draft RDA policy statements were consolidated into one annotation report. This report was submitted to the NCRDA to help them at refining the final output of the policy: the RDA work book.

RDA Workbook for Philippine Libraries

PAARL Concludes RDA Cascade... (continued from page 1)

Participants of RDA Visayas (Bacolod City) Participants of RDA Luzon (Baguio City)

Participants of RDA Mindanao (General Santos City)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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Philippines (NLP), the book, Cataloging Policy Statements and RDA Guidelines for Philip­pine Libraries, was launched last 25 November 2014 held at the NLP’s Epifanio delos Santos Auditorium.

The 2014 Board, also on behalf of the 2012 and 2013 Boards, is grateful to everyone who has made the RDA project a huge success for every Filipino librarian.

a request to extend the project period within the current year and realign the budget in order to ac­commodate the publication of the RDA National Policy and Guide­lines for Filipiniana Resources Workbook was submitted to the NCCA, which was further ap­proved and granted to PAARL. With these funds, the Board im­mediately organized three (3) writeshops to finalize, edit and revise the RDA policy statements

and to develop a supplemental work book. The goal was to be able to publish and launch the said book by November 2014.

With the hard work, dedication and expertise poured out by our RDA writers and compilers – Prof. Marasigan, Prof. Nera, Ms. Fresnido, Ms. Ramos, Ms. Pador, Dr. Gementiza and Mr. Rodolfo Tarlit, with the valuable assistance of the National Library of the

PAARL Concludes RDA Cascade... (continued from page 2)

The ceremonial turnover of the book to the NLP by the NCCA, NCCA­NCLIS and PAARL

First Writeshop at Cocoon Boutique Hotel

BEST RESEARCH AWARD 2014 Cielito DR. Santos

Nera with their members Prof. Ruben M. Marasigan, Prof. Susan O. Pador and Prof. Cielito DR. Santos as coordinator for this newly created award. Upon evaluation among the nine, only three (3) were selected for oral presentation. The following researchers and their titles presented were: Ms. Ana Maria B. Fresnido Title: Transaction Log Analysis of Author Searching in a University Library : Basis for Improving OPAC Retrieval Results. continued on page 4

The 4th Marina G. Dayrit Lecture Series on the 25th of November 2014 which was held at the National Library of the Philippines with the theme “Librarians as Researchers” was in a form of colloquium . Through the initiative of the 2014 PAARL Executive Board this Best Research Awards was created with the commendation of the former Chairman of the Board for Librarians Prof. Corazon M. Nera. Its purpose is to provide an excellent opportunity for library professionals/practitioners in

disseminating research results and further expose them to latest development issues and concerns relative to their field of endeavor. A written set of guidelines, criteria and mechanics were formulated. Call for Papers was posted in the paarlyahoogroups for dissemination. In a span of two months nine (9) librarians/information professionals submitted their research for evaluation. It was then evaluated by the Commitee on Research headed by Prof. Corazon M.

4th Mar ina G. D ayr i t Lecture Ser i es

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

N O . 4 O C T O B E RN O . 4 O C T O B E R —— D E C E M B E R D E C E M B E R P A G E 4

B A C K T O P A G E 1B A C K T O P A G E 1

”Php10,000

cash which

will be given

and to be

announced

on the

General

Assembly to

the lucky

librarian

researcher .”

of all is the award the Board have agreed upon Php10,000 cash which will be given and to be announced on the General Assembly to the lucky librarian researcher. Huh... its really interesting and amazing. We hope from the Board that this will be precedent for the coming years. Librarians are not just within the four walls of the library...they are SMARTer in the GLOBE.

Martin Julius V. Perez & Mark Elizier T. Pineda Title: Role of Catholicism in the Development of Libraries in the Philippines

Dr. Briccio M. Merced Jr. & Renen M. Canang Title: Determing the factor Affecting the Passing Rate in the Board Examination for Librarians Using a Web­Based Instrument.

Presenters were given a twenty minute presentation. After the 20 minutes presentation of every researcher the audience was given 5minutes to post their queries, comments and other concerns. I should say that this was a very successful event and a great motivation to our academic and research librarians/information professionals. Apparently, the most rewarding

Best Research Award 2014... (continued from page 3)

SEOUL : A FULFILLED DREAM DESTINATION

Puritz P. Uson

tional Airport. Prior to reaching our destination, we experienced turbulence several times but thank God, we landed safely. The wet airport ground was in­dicative that it had rained earlier. We were met at the airport by a pretty and charming Korean lady whose name, is Julie and a hand­some Korean guy named Chris. They were two (2) of our tour guides...continued on page 5

Annyeong­haseyo !

Seoul is a vibrant and bustling city of South Korea. It boasts of a rich history and culture, diverse cuisine, historic temples, national parks, scenic mountains, and polite and lively people. It is a developed country and the presence of expensive cars, lux­ury hotels, restaurants, duty free shops, skyscrapers, modern li­braries with state­of­the­art fa­

cilities, shopping malls, are all reflective of a stable economy. It is for these reasons why The Philippine Association of Aca­demic and Research Librarians, Inc. (PAARL) has chosen to hold its international library bench­marking program in Southeast Asia last October 16­19,2014. From the Ninoy Aquino Interna­tional Airport I, it took us about 4 hours to reach Incheon Interna­

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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I realized that we were really in Seoul.

At the restaurant, we were served hot udon noodles with some veg­gies in it. It was perfect for breakfast because of the cold weather in Seoul. It was accom­panied with a very popular Ko­rean side dish, kimchi, a sea­soned and fermented cabbage that is spicy. They were supple­mented with sunny side up egg, radish salad, and coffee. After taking our breakfast, we proceeded to fetch the Jeju group of participants from the Best Western Hotel. They joined the Bus B group. We had to follow strictly our schedule, so, our tour guides immediately brought us to the School of Kimchi mak­ing. There, we experienced how to make kimchi after a teacher demonstrated to us the steps in making one. After donning our aprons, we quickly prepared the kimchi and in a few minutes, we were done with the side dish. Cameras started clicking to cap­ture what went through inside the small room.

Hanbok wearing provided more excitement for everyone. Han­bok is the traditional Korean costume. It is beautiful and the colors are vibrant. With swift assistance from Korean ladies who are non­English speakers, each of us took turns in wearing the hanbok. One could imagine how they gave us instructions on how to wear it properly by speaking their national language. Picture taking in several poses followed after the fitting of the costume after which, they would motion us to approach them so they could quickly remove the hanbok. All these we did with great speed.

It was lunchtime so we pro­ceeded to the ...continued on page 6

The two could very well pass for a Korean actor and actress in a telenovela. Another tour guide named Mona and her assistant (I failed to get his name) also joined us.

Day 1 – October 16 ­ Thursday

Because we were a big group consisting of fifty (50) persons, we were divided earlier into two groups by Misses Maritess Cuan and Tiny Orit of Oasis Travel and Tours, Inc. The first group was designated to Bus A. I was assigned to Bus B. Leaders were

also appointed and each leader has around 5 ­ 7 members.

First on our itinerary for the first day was a trip to Cheongha Res­taurant where we would have our breakfast. Before we boarded our bus, a cool breeze touched

our skins. On the way to the res­taurant, we passed by a long stretch of river, which I later found out is the Hangang River, one of the longest rivers in Ko­rea, which has a length of almost 300 miles. It was around 6:30 am and early morning fog welcomed us. Trees and bright­colored flowers abound. It was then that

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 4)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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B A C K T O P A G E 1B A C K T O P A G E 1

over 9.18 million volumes, includ­ing over 1,134,000 foreign books and some of the National Treas­ures of South Korea. It was relo­cated within Seoul, from Sogong­

dong, Jung­gu to Namsan­dong in 1974, and again to the present location at Bampo­dong, Seocho­gu in 1988. It was transferred from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Culture in 1991.

The 2nd library that we visited was the Yonsei University Library. It was founded in 1915 and offers a rich array of information re­sources and a hospitable environ­ment for pursuing discovery and research. The library’s collection has more than 2.1 million printed works, 16,568 serials, 58,596 e­journals, and 314 academic data­bases in total. The old and rare collections, including some im­portant Korean classics estimated as national treasures, number over 100,000. A variety of electronic resources are also available for access both on and off campus. Yonsei University Library was the first in Korea to launch an elec­tronic... continued on page 7

T­Tutle Restaurant. For our first lunch in Seoul, we had pork tep­panyaki, which was our main vi­and. The pork is marinated first in a mixture so that the flavor is in­

tense. Some of the participants took turns in cooking it in iron hotplate over table top burners. The meat dish was perfect with sticky rice in a metal bowl, mongo sprouts sautéed with pork strips, noodles, potato salad, and of course, kimchi, the constant Ko­rean food on our dining table. Why? Because it’s a great side dish and adds zest to any Korean meal. Kimchi is said to have many health benefits, including antibi­otic properties, neutralizing stom­ach acid, prevention of high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer of the digestive tract.

After a hearty lunch, we first vis­ited the National Digital Library of Korea (Dibrary) at the Na­tional Library of Korea, which is also known as Dibrary (Digital + Library). Dibrary aims to serve as a venue in which nature, hu­manity, and information are har­monized. Dibrary is the world’s first hybrid library combining

digital and analogue ideas. Di­brary consists of “Dibrary Portal,” a virtual space, and a physical service space called “Dibrary In­formation Commons”. While the

preexisting library is a place to peruse books and analog informa­tion, the Digital Library allows one to find data through advanced IT information facilities. Through the Dibrary portal, visi­tors can search through the Na­tional Library of Korea’s collected data using e­books, e­magazines, and web database. There’s also a digital reading room, media room, media editorial room, screening room, a seminar room, content creation studio, and other facili­ties. Dibrary is a Digital Library in Korea which searches knowl­edge and information from the National Library of Korea. The Dibrary offers integrated online and offline services.

People can directly retrieve data, exchange information and access online resources.

The National Library of Korea was established in 1945. It houses

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 5)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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glory from when it was built in 1926. The former City Hall build­ing was designated as a Cultural Heritage no. 52 in 2003. During the building’s renovation into Seoul Metropolitan Library, im­portant original interior features and finishes were preserved, and are now on display at the exhibi­tion hall.

The Seoul Metropolitan Library is open for anyone to use. The first two floors is a general public li­brary which contains general books (collection), digital materi­als, Braille books, periodicals, exhibition halls and a book café. The 3rd and 4th floors are an aca­demic and archival library. The general collection contains over 70,000 books of all genres. The library also boasts a collection of international books for foreign residents and visitors to enjoy. The library also features a section for Braille and digital materials for sight and hearing­ impaired visitors.

The 3rd and 4th floors of the Seoul Metropolitan Library houses for­eign language materials and peri­odicals, global resources, public administration records, and mate­rials related to Seoul City affairs. The UN online database and newspapers can also be accessed here.

For our dinner, we had Pork bar­beque at a Korean restaurant. This is marinated pork. Thinly sliced, it is cooked on hot iron plate before the eyes of the par­ticipants.

This is best eaten with fresh let­tuce leaves. Along with this meat dish, we had sticky rice on a metal bowl, kimchi, mongo sprouts, and side dishes.

After dinner at around 8:00 pm, we checked in at the May Place Hotel, continued on page 8

management system in the early 1990’s and it has continued to evolve, transforming its informa­tion system to a web­based infor­mation system in 1999. In 2001, it developed an integrated digital library system which enabled in­depth assistance for lecture and

research activities on campus. More than a place where informa­tion is held and managed, the li­brary is a center where resources, instruction and research intersects. In 2007, Yonsei University Li­brary embarked on the Subject Librarian Services. This was its first implementation in Korea, and it served to strengthen the digital contents management system. As a commemorative of Yonsei Uni­versity’s 120th anniversary, Yon­sei University Library built a new library building (now Yonsei­Samsung Library) and opened it in May 2008. The library com­plex, which contains the Central Library and Yonsei­Samsung Li­brary, connected with the U­Lounge, is the largest library in Korea, with the size of 54,262 square meters, seating capacity for about 5,500 people and 740 com­puters for library users. The li­brary complex is equipped with

future­oriented educational and research facilities and its ad­vanced infrastructure is expected to improve the quality of lecture and research support services.

In 2009, Yonsei University Li­brary introduced the product suite

of Ex Libris for the next genera­tion’s academic information sys­tem. As the system is Unicode­based and provides multilingual support in interface languages, the library can interact with interna­tional universities more easily and exchange scholarly resources di­rectly with them. It is a future­oriented information system pre­paring for the effective central management of all the library systems on campus, including Yonsei International Campus. With all these achievements, the library is developing into a lead­ing academic information re­source center of the 21st century.

The latter part of Thursday after­noon was spent at the Seoul Met­ropolitan Library (former City Hall).The former Seoul City Hall is the city’s main public library. The building’s outer walls, main hall, and central staircase have been restored back to its original

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 6)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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Seoul National University Li­brary is located behind the uni­versity administrative building in the 62nd block of the Gwanak­Campus . In 2009, the library’s collection of books including all the annexes was 4 million vol­umes. The Central Library has constructed a digital library, which in addition to the regular library collection provides access to university publications, ancient texts, and theses. Included here are images of pamphlets, lecture slides, and insects. The digital library offers access to video of university exhibitions, scientific events, symposia, and seminars.

The library was opened in 1946 as the Seoul National University Central Library, inheriting its fa­cilities and books from Kyunsung University. In 1949, the name of the library was changed to the Seoul National University Library Annex. When the main branch of the library was relocated to the Gwanak Campus in January 1975, it was...continued on page 9

where we will stay for the next four days.

We did our first shopping at Dongdaemun Market. This huge wholesale and retail shop­ping area combines traditional markets and street stalls with modern high­rise shopping malls. The area is buzzing with activity all day and night and it never completely closes, as different parts have different days off. Clothing, leather jackets, local fashion brands and shoes are rea­sonably priced and a complete new kit of trousers, a shirt, socks, underwear and backpacker san­dals can cost cheaper if you bar­gain. Doosan Tower (Doota), Migilore, Freya Town and APM are four high­rise shopping malls with food courts and entertain­ment areas that are open until the wee hours of the morning so in­somniacs can shop all night.

Day 2 ­ October 17 – Friday

On Friday morning, our second day in Seoul, we visited the Sungkyunkwan University Sam­sung Library. The history of Sungkyunkwan University’s li­braries is as long and complicated as that of the University itself. The first library, named Jon­gyeong­gak, was built in 1475 under the reign of King Seong­jong, who contributed 10,000 books. Even though wars and fires destroyed the library several times throughout the Joseon pe­riod (1392­1910), the library grew to house almost 100,000 volumes on Confucian studies alone. Over time, many volumes were added to the small number of books that remained in Jon­gyeong­gak, and the library holdings soon grew to 70,000 volumes. Unfortunately, the library and the books were

completely destroyed during the Korean War (1950­1953).

The beautiful building of the Sam­sung library represents the image of an open book. It was opened in 2009, which seems unbelievable as it not only looks brand new from the outside, but is also still in pristine condition on the inside.

The Sungkyunkwan University library system currently encom­passes the Central Library, the Science Library, the Law Library, the Library of Medicine, and the Audiovisual Facility Center estab­lished by the University.

After the Samsung Library visit, we had our buffet lunch at the Bareumi Sushi Buffet at Pastel City. Here, we feasted on an array of Korean dishes. I especially liked the Korean Patbingsu which is equivalent to our Halo­Halo. It consisted of red beans, glutinous rice, and the amazing shaved ice. A lot of us had more than 1 serv­ings of this superb dessert.

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 7)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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with sticky rice, mongo sprouts, some side dishes, and kimchi, the national dish that is served at every Korean meal.

After dinner, we explored Myeongdong, one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul. The streets of Myeongdong are lead­ing shopping centers. Every eve­ning, crowds of people come here to shop in boutiques, high­rise malls and department stores such as Lotte for local and imported clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, cosmetics and CDs, and to relax in the cafes, restaurants and cine­mas.

Day 3 – October 18 – Saturday

The third day was exciting for all of us because we went to Nami Island. The excursion was the most awaited part of the tour. It is a one (1) ­ hour trip from May Place Hotel, where we were bil­leted. To avoid traffic, we left the hotel at 7:00 am. Not wanting to waste time, we had our packed breakfast in the bus. It consisted of sticky rice, bulgogi, kimchi, egg omelette, red beans, noodles, and hot soup. It was a heavy breakfast that we had that lasted us until our next meal. A smoggy morning greeted us all along the roads. We passed by several tun­nels and we got caught in a mod­erate traffic. As we approached Nami Island, we traversed a zig­zag road. It reminded me of the way going up to Baguio City. Mountains were around us. The Hangang river on the right side of the highway provided us a good and relaxing view. It was almost 8:00 am and the sun was starting to come out but the surroundings were still hazy. We had a brief stop over to relieve ourselves. As we got off the bus, we were met by a cold and gentle breeze. I was sure that Nami Island couldn’t be far. continued on page 10

renamed the Seoul National Uni­versity Library, and then renamed again in 1992 the Seoul National University Central Library.

The Kyujanggak, also known as Gyujanggak, was the royal library of the Joseon Dynasty. It was founded in 1776 by order of King Jeongjo of Joseon, at which time it was located on the grounds of Changdeokgung Palace. Today known as Kyujanggak Royal Li­brary or Kyujanggak Archives are maintained by Kyujanggak Insti­tute for Korean Studies at the Seoul National University. It functions as a key repository of Korean historical records and a center for research and publica­

tion of an annual journal titled Kyujanggak. Kyujanggak now houses more than 280, 000 items including 7 national treasures, 8 treasures, 180,000­plus old books, about 50,000 documents and 18,000 Chaekpan (printing blocks). Among them, Joseon­

Wangjo Sillok ( the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, National Treas­ure No. 151),SeungjeongwonIlgi (the Diaries of the Royal Secre­tariat, National Treasure No. 3030 and Uigwe (the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty) have been designated as UNESCO World Cultural Heritages. The exhibi­tion hall in Gyujanggak is open to the public.

At around 5:00 pm, we proceeded to the Dongwha Duty Free Shop.

This is a premiere shopping center so, the prices of goods are quite exorbitant. Nevertheless, we spent some of our Korean Won here. After all, we were excited to shop for Korean items for souvenirs

and pasalubongs.

Our dinner was at Sejong Garden Korean Restaurant where we had Korean Bulgogi. This is marinated beef in soy sauce with vegetables. To add excitement in eating it, it is wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves. This main dish was supplemented

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 8)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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Cameras kept on clicking to cap­ture the scenic beauty of the back­ground and the cheerful smiles of everyone on board the Maid.

As we set our feet on the island shore, a brass band started playing music that created a festive mood. I guess everyone felt the warm welcome given by the band play­ers. As we walked towards the inside of the island, we were met by a forest of verdant trees that seem to be reaching the sky. The tree­lined paths are a joy to walk through, with their branches and leaves forming arch­like designs. It was autumn; flowers are in full bloom and in abundance, thus, creating a myriad of colors. The interplay of colors red, yellow, orange, and green are a feast for the eyes. The gingko trees line the island’s walk ways that serve as shade to the visitors. It was in Nami Island where I first saw the maple leaf. I have known maple leaf as the national symbol of Canada but I never thought that I will see the leaves simply littering the grounds of the small island.

As we went a little farther, our tour guide, continued on page 11

Nami island, Namisum, or Nami­nara Republic is located in Chuncheon, South Korea. Its name originated from General Nami who was falsely accused of treason and died at the age of 26 during the reign of King Sejo. Situated in the middle of the Han River, Nami Island looks like a leaf floating gracefully on top of Cheongpyeong Lake. Formed with pebbles and sand, there are no mountains in the island, but there are trees tall enough to touch the sky. Wide grassy gardens where deer, ostriches, rabbits, squirrels, ducks and countless types of birds flourish. Nami Is­land is a place where not only nature but also human beings can coexist.

Naminara is unique in other ways, also. At night, all the lights are turned off on the island so that visitors can harmonize with nature under the light of the moon and stars. Most of the paper waste and bottles used by visitors to the is­land are recycled and reused.

Seasonal rain used to transform this land into an island, and with the construction of Cheongpyeong dam, it is now an island all year long. In 1965, thousands of trees were planted by Mr. Byeong­Do Minn. Today, Nami Island is a place for rest and relaxation. Hu­man beings, animals and trees share peace, love and harmony far away from crowds and civiliza­tion. The island has its own national flag, anthem, currency, passport and phone cards, stamps, and written characters. Nami Island became more famous because it was the main filming location of the Korean television drama

“Winter Sonata” in 2002. And since then, the place has attracted around 2­3 million visitors as of 2012.

At last, we have reached the Gapyeong wharf. After disem­barking our busses, we were told by our tour guides Julie and Mona to line up before we would pass through the gate leading to the Nami Maid that would take us to the famous island. The Nami Maid was a sight to behold. On its sides are multi­colored flags of different countries that go with the wind blows. Add to it its oval shape and the beautiful design of the body. The ferry was almost overloaded with tourists but thank God, we made it safely to the is­land. It was a sweet five­minute ride from the wharf to the island and the view along the way was breathtaking. Most of us were on the ferry’s deck to afford us a per­fect view of the surroundings leading to the island. The river was so serene. The weather was fine and sunny but a cool and gen­tle breeze blew our hairs and stroked our faces.

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 9)

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After having lunch at Nami Is­land, we travelled to Petite France. It is a French cultural village set in the Korean country­side. Petite France serves as both a French cultural village and a youth training facility (Goseong Youth Training Center), and con­sists of 16 French­style buildings where visitors can lodge and ex­perience French food, clothing, and household culture. The con­cept of Petite France encapsulates “flowers, stars, and the Little Prince”. The village contains a memorial hall dedicated to Saint­Exupery, the author of the cele­brated French novel, Le Petit Prince (1943) and as such it is called the Little Prince theme park. It also has a gallery display­ing sculptures and paintings of le coq gaulois (the Gallic rooster), the national symbol of France; Orgel House where a 200­year­old music box plays a sweet mel­ody; a shop that sells herbal and aromatic products; a souvenir shop; and many other locales where one can experience French culture. The village can accom­modate up to 200 visitors with 34 guest rooms that hold four to ten people each.

A visit to the Ginseng outlet in the afternoon was valuable. The lady speaker explained to us the life span of ginseng from the first to the sixth year. We learned from her talk that the age of gin­seng can be determined by its stem and number of leaves. On its sixth year, ginseng is already mature and ready for consump­tion. Before we left the factory outlet, we had a taste of the gin­seng juice and extract. Good to the palate. Add to it the health benefits that it offers. Whether in powder, capsule, or extract form, it can answer health problems like asthma, sinusitis, diabetes, high blood pressure, continued on page 12

Julie, pointed to the restaurant where we would have our lunch of spicy chicken barbecue that we wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves, some side dishes, kimchi, radish, mongo sprouts, sticky rice, and pear as dessert.

There are also art galleries, muse­ums, statues, shops and small stalls selling food and coffee in the island. It boasts of a Nami Library. Who would ever think that the island has a library? So, the participants, being composed

of mostly librarians, did not pass up the opportunity of having their picture taken fronting the Nami Library. The shutter bugs in us captured every place in the charm­ing and mesmerizing island. Due to time constraints, we were

not able to fully explore the whole of Nami Island but based on what we have seen and experienced, the place is not only pleasing to the eyes but it made us realize the value of nature’s beauty.

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 10)

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the usual Korean dishes. Again, we had a taste of the Patbingsu, the Korean version of our Halo­ Halo.

Then we went to Gyeongbok­gung Palace. It was the first royal palace built by the Joseon Dy­nasty, three years after the Joseon Dynasty was founded. Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace was located at the heart of newly ap­pointed capital of Seoul (then known as hanyang) and repre­sented the sovereignty of the Joseon Dynasty. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces (the others being Gyeonghuigung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgeong­gung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace). Gyeongbokgung served as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Currently, the palace is open to the public and houses the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea.

As we proceeded to Gyeongbok­gung Palace, we passed by the Presidential Blue House. The Blue House is the equivalent of the White House in the U.S. It is the executive...continued on page 11

menstrual problems, and insom­nia, among others.

The latter part of Saturday after­noon was spent at the ODBO Cosmetics Shop. The sales lady at the shop demonstrated to us how to use different beauty prod­ucts. Many of the lady participants bought items either for themselves or as presents/gifts for their col­leagues, friends, and loved ones back home.

Its dinner time so we all trooped to the N Seoul Tower. This tour­ist attraction is equipped with an observatory and has a command­ing view of downtown Seoul es­pecially at night. It was an uphill climb for everyone to the Tower. It left us gasping for our breath when we reached the base of the famous landmark. N Seoul Tower has a range of restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. One of its fine dining restaurants is the Han­cook Restaurant where we en­joyed a lavish dinner. It was hosted by iGroup Asia/Libtech Source. We are grateful to Re­gional Manager Peter Chung and Country Manager Leah Sembrano for coordinating and facilitating the splendid buffet dinner. Our dinner hosts that evening gave short welcome speeches for our participants. Recognition and ap­preciation were also given to Ms. Fe Angela M. Verzosa, Ms. Maritess Cuan of Oasis Travel and Tours, and our Korean tour guides, Julie and Mona. Following the talks was the giving of certificates of participation to all those who joined the bench­marking tour.

4th and Last Day ­ October 19 – Sunday

Our morning trip started at the Amethyst Shop where we lis­tened to the brief presentation

given by the store manager re­garding the beautiful and precious stone, that is, amethyst. Many of the participants availed of the 45% that was offered by the shop. Even those whose birthstone is not amethyst, including myself, were amazed with the beauty of the gem. Once in a while, you have to reward yourself with a little luxury. You owe it to your­self.

Our next stop was the Healthy Liver Shop. The man who talked about the health benefits of the medicines was able to convince a good number of the participants. Those who have a fatty liver and those who want to guard them­selves against the disease took home boxes of the medicines. Prevention is always better than cure.

It was lunch time so we went to Bareumi Shabu­Shabu at the One Mount Mall in Goyang City. We had shabu­shabu, of course, plus

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 11)

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cient times; and Life Cycle of the Koreans, which depicts the deep roots of Confucianism in Korean culture and how this ideology gave rise to most of the culture’s customs.

For our final shopping, we headed to Insadong. This fascinating shopping street is for visitors who want to experience traditional aspects of Korea. The narrow al­leys are packed with antique art galleries, traditional teashops and small restaurants. Craft shops sell fans, handmade paper boxes, lac­quer wares, potteries and antiques. Traditional snacks can be bought from street stalls. How we wished we were brought here first. Prices of commodities here are much cheaper! So, despite the very lim­ited time given to us, we managed to hunt for more Korean souvenir items.

The Korean Food and Souvenir Supermarket did not escape the participants’ passion for shopping. So, we did our one, last shopping for Korean foods and keepsakes and after completing our shopping list, we departed for the airport. After our group check–in, we boarded the plane bound for Ma­nila and it touched down on Phil­ippine soil right on time as sched­uled.

I thanked God for a safe and sound trip back home for every­one. And I was certain of one thing about what each of us was thinking… Had we not joined this tour, we wouldn’t have experi­enced the wonderful opportunity to see marvelous beauty, magnifi­cence, and majesty that only Seoul can offer.

To Seoul and its people, kamsa­hamnida!

office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Ko­rea (South Korea) and is located in Seoul. It is actually a complex of buildings built in traditional Korean architecture. The Korean

name for Blue House translates to “pavilion of blue tiles” and there are about 150,000 blue tiles on the roof of the Blue House. Since I was seated on the left side of my bus, I was fortunate to have a quick glimpse of the Blue House. I wonder if the other participants had the same chance. Perhaps, they were either busy with some­thing or simply asleep as we passed by it.

The National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea. It was established on November 8, 1945 and is lo­cated within the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno

­gu, Seoul, and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people.

The museum has three main exhi­bition halls, with over 98,000 arti­facts : History of Korean People features materials of everyday life in Korea from prehistoric times to the end of the Joseon Dynasty in 1910; Korean Way of Life, which illustrates Korean villagers in an­

Seoul: A Fulfilled Dream Destination... (continued from page 12)

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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” It was also

the venue

to greet and

meet the

pioneers of

PAARL and

also the

new faces

of the

executive

board.”

gether with the Executive Board 2014 and the incoming 2015 officers. Aside from the sumptu­ous dinner, exchange gifts to one another and simple raffle draw which Ms. Angeles took home the first prize, it was also the venue to greet and meet the pio­neers of PAARL and also the new faces of the executive board.

Christmas day had come so fast but the Philippine Association of Academic/Research Librarians (PAARL) did not let the season passed without celebrating it at Skydeck, Bayleaf Hotel, Intra­muros, Manila last December 13, 2014 right after the last BOD 2014 meeting and election of the new set of officers for 2015. Such celebration had not been so jolly without the participations

of 1983­1984 President Mrs. Corazon M. Nera, 1988 Ms. Lo­lita Gonzales, 1991 Ms. Celedo­nia R. Cayaban, 1994 Mrs. Re­becca M. Jocson, 2000 & 2004 Ms. Fe Angela M. Verzosa, 2002 Dr. Teresita G. Hernandez, 2003 Ms. Susan O. Pador, 2005 Mrs. Dionisia M. Angeles, 2009 Ms. Elvira B. Lapuz, 2012 Dr. Sonia M. Gementiza and 2013 Mr. Sonny Boy T. Manalo to­

Sonny Boy T. Manalo

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT SKYDECK, BAYLEAF HOTEL

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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“Doing

research is a

“team

effort” and

collaborative

effort among

libralibrarians.”

- Fe Angela Verzosa

Ms. Fe Angela Verzosa the lecturer presenter in the well­attended event of PAARL sponsored Parallel Session during the PLAI­National Congress last November 27, 2014 at Ball Room 1, Century Park Hotel, Manila. She de­livered her lecture on the “Role of Research Librarians in Shaping the Future of Aca­demic Librarianship.” Par­

ticipants came from various regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to witness and lis­ten to Ms. Verzosa as she dis­cussed the importance of be­ing “research librarians”, as well as the challenges, factors and benefits of doing research. Her lively and funny way of conveying the message of her lecture, made the participants laugh on their seat and learn­ing at the same time.

To name a few, Ms. Verzosa

pointed out that doing research is a “team effort” and collabo­rative effort among librarians. She also mentioned that “revolutionized library man­agement” is another way to provide “research­oriented” environment for librarians to be motivated to do research.

Ms. Verzosa even suggested that the organizers should come up with a research fo­

rum, seminar series or re­search training to help librari­ans to have better outlook to­ward academic library re­searching.

Ms. Verzosa also commended PAARL for recognizing the effort of the research librarians through PAARL Best Re­search Award, wherein 3 re­searches will be chosen and

best research will be awarded during the 42nd PAARL Gen­eral Assembly.

During the open forum, ques­tions were answered and ex­periences were also shared in the midst of doing research. Mr. Louie Fernandez of PIM­SAT Colleges, one of the par­ticipants who shared his ex­periences in completing his research was commended by

Ms. Verzosa.

Truly, Ms. Verzosa’s charisma and credibility, was able to capture the interest of partici­pants until the end of her lec­ture.

And from the positive reaction of the participants, it was suc­cessful and another milestone for PAARL Board 2014.

PAARL HOLDS PARALLEL SESSION AT THE PLAI 2014

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(L­R) Ms. Betan, PAARL Pres. awarding the certificate of appreciation to Ms. Verzosa together with Ms. Abrigo, Vice Pres.

PAARL Board 2014 with Ms. Verzosa

Michelle A. Esteban

P H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E RP H I L I P P I N E A S S O C I A T I O N O F A C A D E M I C / R E S E A R C H L I B R A R I A N S , I N C . N E W S L E T T E R

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Name Institution Office Address Angoy, Meychell S. University of Perpetual Help System Las Piñas City Arlos, Enecita F. DepEd Cielito Zamora High School Caloocan City Ayran, Christine Abigail P. Bulacan State Uiversity Malolos City, Bulacan Baleva, Victoria Centro Escolar University Manila Baygan , Rhodora M. Centro Escolar University Manila Bertiz, Rea Centro Escolar University De Nully, Corazon M. Centro Escolar University Manila Deboma, Emelita D. eKnowledge Innovative Solutions, Inc. Pasig City Dela Cruz, Rachel P. Bulacan State University Malolos City, Bulacan Diego, Fely A. University of the East Manila Joson, Amaryllis O. Centro Escolar University Manila Laurio, Ma. Jesusa M. Centro Escolar University Manila Lazaro, Ruth San Seda College ­ Alabang Muntinlupa City Mauro, Mary Jane B. Don Bosco Technical Institute ­ Makati Makati City Montejo, Estela A. Ateneo de Manila University ­ Rizal Library Quezon City Pacuz, Jaylone N. San Sebastian College ­ Recoletos Manila Manila Paguio, Pauline P. World Citi Colleges ­ Caloocan Caloocan City Ramos, Roderick Southville International School and Colleges Las Piñas C5ty Roxas, Meleonor O. Bulacan State University Malolos City, Bulacan Sajona, Anna Lorriza D. Manila Doctor's College Pasay City Salbino, Hener M. San Sebastian College ­ Recoletos Manila Manila Saligumba, Jacquelyn Joy L. Far Eastern University Manila Santos , Sharleen Valenzuela City School of Mathematics & Science Valenzuela City Santos, Veronica DR. San Seda College ­ Alabang Muntinlupa City Solitario, Melanie Metropolitan Medical Center Manila

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INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS

Institution Address Representative Feati University Manila Aida Cruz Jose C. Feliciano College Foundation Mabalacat, Pampanga Maria Teresa C. Canlas Lourdes College Cagayan de Oro Annabelle Acedera Meycauayan College Meycauayan City, Bulacan Alvin Solitario San Beda College ­ Mendiola Mendiola, Manila Rosalinda P. Robles St. Mary's College ­ Quezon City Quezon City Aida C. Llerin

If you have correction regarding your membership information, please e­mail it to paarlmembership.com@gmail.com

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

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Manila Philippines http://sites.google.com/site/paarlonlineorg

STAFF BOX Editor-in-Chief Maribel A. Estepa

Associate Editors

Sharon Ma. S. Esposo-Betan Christine M. Abrigo Cielito D.R. Santos

Sonny Boy T. Manalo

Circulation Managers Christine M. Abrigo

Layout

Lejempf V. Flores

PAARL BOARD 2014 President

Sharon Ma. S. Esposo-Betan

Vice President Christine M. Abrigo

Secretary

Michelle A. Esteban

Treasurer Rosalinda P. Robles

Auditor

Enrique M. Gungon, Jr.

P.R.O. Maribel A. Estepa

Directors

Angela Marie Llantino Cielito D.R. Santos

Purita P. Uson

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