In conjunction with the Library and Information Services Month, National Book Week is celebrated every November 24-30 which aims to encourage and instill interest among Filipinos in reading good books. This year’s theme is OUTcomes. OUTreach. OUTstanding: Libraries Beyond Boundaries. The UP Integrated School Libraries, headed by Therghie Ablin, joins other libraries, institutions and information centers by holding a virtual celebration through the UPIS Library Facebook Page. The program comprises three videos with the intention of educating students from Kindergarten to 12 on the value of information in society and in school. Most importantly, the event seeks to inculcate among the participants that the library is an invaluable asset to achieve one’s aspirations.
The first part of the program showcases the Filipiniana Books Reader’s Theater conducting a storytelling activity with the story Ang Matandang Mananahi written by Zarah Gagatiga and illustrated by Diane De Las Casas. As storytelling is considered a conventional library service, it is highly encouraged that public and school libraries should regularly conduct this activity as it is an effective and creative way for children to understand a narrative. Apart from finding an appropriate literary piece for a specific audience, the library staff plays an important role in portraying the story through spoken words and physical gestures.
Following the storytelling session, an important issue that was discussed is how to identify misleading and false information that are circulating in various social media platforms. The presentation entitled “Web Wise: Avoiding Fake News on Social Media” was delivered by Michelle Ann Manalo, a reference librarian from the Main Library. First, she went to define and discuss the common types of fake news such as satire, false connection, and misleading content among others. As most students these days possess a mobile device or computer it’s likely that they would encounter several fake news whenever they log in to social media or just simply by browsing through the internet. Any form of fake news can have a detrimental effect on an individual or society by simply sharing any erroneous information whether consciously or unconsciously. To mitigate this, Michelle shared several pointers on how to fact check information by looking beyond the headline, checking other sources, checking your biases, and utilizing fact-checking sites to name a few.
Lastly, Aiza Palaya from the Main Library, held a session entitled “Cite it Right: Introduction to Proper Referencing in Research.” The objectives of the session are to share the fundamentals of proper referencing and citation as well as create awareness on commonly used style guides in academic research writing. Understanding this matter as early as possible is essential for any student, regardless of grade level, as they would inevitably write a research paper as a final requirement or otherwise. Applying these sets of guidelines would not only help students avoid plagiarism but also promote accountability and trustworthiness. To conclude her session, Aiza conducted a quick demonstration on how to search for credible and authoritative resources using online databases such as EBSCO and JSTOR. Showcasing these resources would prompt students to capitalize on these resources for the long run.
The National Book Week videos are shared within the UPIS students’ Google Classroom.