2002 Accomplishment Report

Delivered by Placida Socorro L. Limpin during the 2nd General Assembly of the PNU-LISAA held at Sta. Isabel College on November 15, 2002

October last year, I took my oath as president of the Association while working as a college instructor. Today, I relinquish my position to my successor as a librarian. Two years in the Association and three jobs in between. From librarian, educator, and back to being a librarian.

I can say that it has been a very fruitful year for the Association. Last year, the Association was struggling for its dear life. This year, we have stood on solid ground.

The Officers and Board of Directors

The following were selected as officers and members of the Board: Medel Vincent Bautista – Vice-President, Ofel Irabon – Secretary, Consuelo J. Estigoy – Treasurer, Evelyn P. Nabus – Auditor, Medina de Castro – Auditor, Lorenza Dungca, Zarah Gagatiga, Erlinda Lagundi, Marilou Santos and Rowena Rueda - Board of Directors, Elnora Conti was ex-officio.

Like last year, we suffered a setback losing two officersin midstream. Since it was too late to take in replacements from last year’s nominees, the Board decided not to appoint a replacement anymore.

Accomplishments

The Association was able to come up with two for a, both were well-attended. In May, we had Thelma Japzon of the Civil Service Commission lecture on customer service. The forum was entitled “Proactive LIP’s: Committed to Customer Service.” We had no less than the PNU president, Dr.Nilo L. Rosas deliver the welcome address as he outlined his vision for the University’s library.

In August, the second forum entitled ”The Library as Venue for Literacy Development” was finally held after a series of postponements due to bad weather. The speaker for the forum was Ms. Del Hernandez from Ateneo de Manila Grade School Media Center.

We originally planned to conduct four forums for the year had not “Gloria” unleased her wrath last July. Of course, I am referring to “Gloria” the storm and not “Gloria” the president who is unleashing a storm of her own. But that is another story.

We also tied up with two independent organization for our outreach. Last January, we coordinated a round-table discussion in cooperation with the office of the Department of Education NCR Director Dr. Corazon Santiago, a fellow alumna, regarding the plight of school librarians. Mrs. Susima Gonzales was on hand to answer the concerns of public school librarians.

We also forged a partnership with the Children’s Library, a project of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation. Seminar-workshops for public school teachers on indexing and cataloging were held in their three libraries with the Association providing the resource speakers for cataloging. Ms. Erlinda Lagundi was at Galleria, Ms. Zarah Gagatiga was at Novaliches, and Rosalina Soriano was in Imus. Mharlo Pua, the Chief Librarian of Children’s Library, has already expressed his desire to continuously work with the Association for a our mutual benefit.

I also represented the Association in the planning workshop for the forthcoming PLAI National Congress.

Fund Raising

We held a fund raising activity – a bingo social – on the afternoon of August 10, 2002, right after the forum. We were able to solicit the prizes for the winners, which contributed heftily to the Association’s back account. Please see our newsletter for the list of winners.

Financial Standing

On money matters, I am proud to report an increase in the Association’s bank account and I have to thank our treasurer, Connie, for coming up with the idea of a Bingo Social and for conceptualizing the activity.

Worth mentioning, too, was the sizeable donation of Dr. Enrique Coralejo, 2002 PNUAA president – all of ten thousand pesos – who took pity on the Association when he heard of our financial status while listening to the treasurer’s report last year. He was our inducting officer then.

I will leave the specifics with Connie, as she will be reporting on the present financial status of the Association.

Publications

We were able to publish four newsletters for the year, including this recent issue. Credit goes to Medy for her efficiency and persistence in following up articles. Allow me to mention that we do not spend anything for the reproduction of the newsletters. We use the resources of the officers, or at least those who have the resources in printing copies for distribution.

Membership

The alumni signing up for membership are increasing not by leaps and bounds but rather slowly. We started off at seventy (70) and today we number close to one hundred fifty (150). We are, however, not disheartened at all. That our number is increasing is a positive sign, but like all organizations, it is difficult to collect membership renewals. I hope the next set of officers can address this problem.

At this point in the life of the Association, I can bravely say that we have managed to carve a niche in the crowded world of professional library associations. Proof of this is the regular attendance of “sukis.” I feel that we have found a winning formula for a successful endeavor – timely, relevant, and useful topics for forums, competent and eloquent speakers, affordable registration fees, and food that fills the stomach. So who says you have to pay more to get quality service? Not here at PNU-LISAA. I hope someday, we will be known as a progressive library association.

If there is one person who is glad that my term has finally come to an end – he’s my husband. But what he doesn’t know is that I will always be here for the Association.

The shoes I will be leaving is not too big for Jing to fill in. I did not accomplish this alone. Despite the absence of two officers, I am thankful to have been given a hardworking, efficient, and dedicated officers. We have forged friendship across time and those times will be cherished.

I encourage the members of the Association to play an active role because this is a good training ground for organizational skills. Something you can’t learn from your work in one year.

To the outgoing officers, words are not enough to express my deepest gratitude. In time you shall reap what you have sown in the Association. I hope you all will become president of this Association someday.

To the incoming officers, just stick with our formula and you won’t do wrong. Jing cannot do things alone. Support him and be united just as we were united, in spirit and in ideals.

Thank you and good day.

As Good As You Want Us To Be

Inaugural Address of Placida Socorro “Peachy Limpin, 2002 President

I was a bit sad and disappointed with the attendance, since yesterday and especially today. But I take this as a challenge not only for me as the incoming president but also for the incoming board of directors to work harder, not that we did not work hard for this conference, since we planned for conference way back in July.

My sadness was turned to joy with the generous donation of Dr. Enrique Coralejo. As you can see on our financial report, we hardly have any funds left. Most of the time, we had to pick from our own pockets to fund some of the activities of the Association. Our letterheads and newsletters and anything that needed to be printed were printed using the resources of our offices. Be that as it may, we have struggled in our fiscal year.

What you have witnessed earlier – placing the medallion around my neck – was reminiscent of my graduation. Only this time the medal is way, way, way bigger than what I got when I graduated cum laude.

I can still vividly remember my freshman years while sitting in Social Orientation class, when I vowed to myself I will graduate with honors. This I am proud to say, I achieved. Not a small feat for me then, an aimless teenager. When I started working, I got envious of my colleagues who were active members of their own Library Science alumni associations. So I asked myself, “Bakit ang PNU wala? Bakit nga ba?”

This is all a dream come true, not only for me, but also for the faculty members of the PNU Library Science Department. An alumni association we can truly call our very own.

Our initial foray into the realm of organizing an association was tough to say the least. It was then I realized that it takes a lot, and I mean a lot to run an association. God has been very good to all of us in the Board. Now I truly believe that he grants us our wishes not when we want them granted but in His own time.

I would like to thank Ms. Shirley Nava for nominating me last year, though I had no idead then that I’d be the next president.

I cannot forget,and I’m also sad that she was not able to make it today to receive her Honorary Member Award, our lesson in Library Science 6 under Prof. Elinore H. De Castro. Our lesson then on library management was “A good leader is a good servant.”

So let us, your 2002 Board, serve you in the best way we can. A Board of Directors does not an association make. You, the members, are an integral part of the Association and we can be as good as you want us to be. Let us be of service to you. Let us know what you want and how we can be of help.

In its infancy, the Association has struggled and withstood the birthpains. I enjoin all of you to be one with us as we bring this Association on its own two feet.

Your officers cannot do this alone. We will continue with the brand of service we have provided in the past year. Trust in our officers that we only have the best of intentions for you.

Please continue supporting our activities. One of our projects, which is included in the action plan, is to give scholarships to students to encourage them to major in Library Science and to give research grants to masteral students.

We can only realize these with your wholehearted support. In our earlier forum where members were encouraged to sign up for committees they want to join, please expect a call from us anytime soon.

As we say in customer relation, “It’s nice to be of service.”