As a new academic year unfolds, the University of the Philippines Diliman extends a warm welcome to its fresh batch of Iskos and Iskas. In a bid to ease the transition for these freshies into the academic landscape, the UP Diliman University Library introduced the General Library Orientation 2023, titled “Nasa kabilang bahay pa rin kami: How you should LIB to the fullest at the Main Library’s temporary location.“
Conducted via Zoom and streamed on Facebook Live on October 2, 2023 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, the event attracted nearly a hundred participants on Zoom and garnered over 2,400 views on Facebook Live as of November 2023.
While the primary audience for the event were incoming freshmen, its broader objective was to familiarize both students and faculty with the library’s current services. Moreover, the orientation aimed to showcase the functionalities of various online databases, illustrating the extensive collection, holdings, and services available at the University Library and its affiliated sections and units. By the end of the orientation, participants were expected to use readily available resources and services, retrieve relevant academic information, and gain awareness of the features of online tools and resources.
The event’s title, a playful nod to the previous year’s General Library Orientation, also emphasized that the University Library remains situated in temporary locations—the Environmental and Energy Engineering Building and the Old Chemical Engineering Laboratory.
The roster of presenters for the Main Library’s General Library Orientation 2023.
Structured into two parts, the morning session delved into the services provided by the Main Library sections, while the afternoon session explored the subscribed online databases and tools of the UP System. The event started with an opening remark from the University Librarian, Ms. Elvira B. Lapuz. This was followed by the discussions for the morning event.
Mr. A.B. Gideon De Castro covered essential aspects of the Main Library during the morning session, addressing key elements such as its temporary location, service hours, and eligibility criteria for users. The discussion extended to electronic resources, where he discussed the library’s eBook collections, databases on trial, and open-access databases. On the physical resources front, the talk encompassed the microfilm collection, microfilm reader, and the available multimedia resources. A comprehensive guide on navigating Tuklas and Aklat-taan was provided, showcasing how users can efficiently utilize the library resources. Additionally, he introduced other valuable services like laptop lending, online video calls with librarians, AVR reservations, and resource-on-demand.
Mr. De Castro went further to introduce various programs initiated by the Main Library, including Research Made Easy (RME), a condensed version of the General Library Orientation. The Great InfoHunt, an ongoing event led by the Information Services and Instruction Section, was spotlighted for its role in educating enrolled students across the UP System on utilizing electronic resources, complete with enticing prizes for participants. Another noteworthy service, Ask SINAG, was highlighted, emphasizing its role in facilitating user connections with librarians.
Mr. Frederick Velasco introduced the offerings of the Filipiniana Section, detailing both services and collections. He navigated through the process of locating materials via Tuklas and borrowing them by initiating contact with the Filipiniana Section. He intricately explained the protocol for using Aklat-taan to book appointments for viewing or borrowing requested materials, providing a comprehensive guide to users.
Mr. Emar Pascual continued the session by providing insights into the services and collections offered by the Serials Section. He guided attendees on how to explore these collections through Tuklas, introducing resources like the Index to Philippine Periodicals, Index to Philippine Newspapers, and UP Diliman Journals Online. The Current Awareness Services by the Serials Sections and the availability of daily newspapers for browsing in the lobby were also unveiled.
Ms. Aries Joy Ventura delved into the unique collections at the Special Collections Section, offering a rich tapestry of resources such as maps and atlases, picture / photograph collection, artworks, rare books, rare serials, local history collection, vernacular language collection, historical collections, Rizaliana papers, women studies collection, government documents, center for nationalist studies, radical papers, speech file collection, vertical files, and human rights papers. Ms. Ventura not only presented the diverse array of materials but also addressed policies on material duplication, emphasizing the reasons behind potential refusals.
Ms. Micah Marie Tutor introduced the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) Library, providing insights into its services, including virtual reference, book lending, and resource requests on demand. Ms. Tutor also highlighted the available study spaces for CSSP clients.
Mr. Lucan Eugenio took the participants through the University Archives Divisions, detailing sections such as the Personal Papers Section, UPIANA Section, University Records Section, and the Preservation Section. The responsibility of handling Digital Archives was also highlighted, offering a comprehensive view of the University Archives Division’s scope.
The morning session concluded with Mr. Eugenio’s presentation, followed by a vibrant interaction period from 11:20 am to 12:00 noon, featuring participant questions and engaging games with prizes. The afternoon session, launching promptly at 1:00 pm, maintained the event’s playful nomenclature.
The afternoon session commenced with Ms. Alessandra Guimba leading her talk, “Alam na This: Getting the Most from the Local and Filipiniana Resources of the Library.” This insightful discussion centered around the library’s local and Filipiniana resources, featuring highlights such as the Digital Archives, Open Access Repository, CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, and Philippine eJournals, as presented by Ms. Guimba.
Next in line was Mr. Martian Jinio, guiding participants through “What it is, Lib? What’s up?: Discovering Gateways for Library Resources.” In his engaging talk, he not only discussed the intricacies of using Tuklas, OpenAthens, and EBSCO Discovery Service but he also took a hands-on approach. He crafted a mock assignment, demonstrating step-by-step how participants could accomplish tasks using Tuklas or EBSCO Discovery Service. Mr. Jinio concluded by illustrating the process of logging in via OpenAthens for remote access to all electronic databases.
Mr. Nikko Angelo Lastimosa followed with his talk, “Share Ko Lang: A Students’ Guide to Reference Materials and Multidisciplinary Resources.” He shared a plethora of electronic resources, including those from EBSCO (ejournals, Magazines, and eBooks), EBSCO Academic Books, Wiley (eBooks, Textbooks, and eJournals), and ODILO, offering participants valuable insights into reference materials across various disciplines.
Mr. Mark Xavier Dumlao brought a touch of humor to the event with his talk, “We’ve Got it All for You: Exploring Diverse Subjects from our Library Resources.” The witty title mirrored the content, discussing a mix of electronic databases spanning from finance to fine arts. Mr. Dumlao navigated through databases such as Emerald, JSTOR, Project MUSE, Taylor&Francis, SAGE Journals, and Statista, concluding his talk with a live demonstration of Statista.
Ms. Jo-Anne Domingo shifted the focus to STEM with her talk, “SySTEM UPgrade: Navigating STEM Research E-Resources.” This session delved into electronic databases tailored for STEM disciplines, featuring ScienceDirect, ACS, Springer, JoVE, and Labster. Ms. Domingo rounded off her talk with a live demo of Labster, providing participants with a hands-on experience.
Ms. Dianne Angela Viray closed the afternoon session with her talk, “Get Ready with Me (GRWM) for Academic Integrity: Using Turnitin & Referencing Tools.” She intricately explored various tools subscribed to by UP, guiding users to access the APA and Chicago Guide. Demonstrations on using Mendeley and Endnote, both powerful reference manager tools, were followed by a comprehensive demo on TurnItIn. Dianne highlighted its features, including the similarity checker, grammar checker, and citation checker, ensuring participants were well-versed in maintaining academic integrity.
The event concluded with engaging Q&A sessions and games for the Zoom participants. Ms. Rizalyn V. Janio, Head Librarian of the Information Services and Instruction Section, delivered the closing remarks, wrapping up a day filled with valuable insights into navigating the university’s rich library resources.
As the academic journey unfolds for these new Iskos and Iskas, the General Library Orientation 2023 serves as a compass, guiding them to LIB to the fullest at the Main Library’s temporary location and beyond. May their pursuit of knowledge be as boundless as the resources showcased during this enlightening event.