A long, long time ago, in my high school days, I remember almost always taking a sidetrip in the School Library of my Alma Mater, Jose Rizal Institute during my vacant periods. This is a way for me to somehow, gather strength of mind , do assignments and prepare myself for the coming class periods. It is a place where I find answers and solace from the rigors of daily schooling. I am somehow relieved that answers to the assignments were unlocked here in this place called the library. Here, my classmates and I find a wealth of information and gear on classroom readiness through its sets of books, encyclopaedias and different journals of a number of authors crossing international mental borders and races intertwining into a superhighway of a democratic set of ideas making one a unique product of his own diligent working.
Today, the library is given not much attention at all, at least in MNHS Poblacion. Maybe – or more likely too, in other schools as well. There is actually however, a Reading Corner from the time I came in and taught as a Local School Board teacher in 2002 and today, it is still the Reading Corner with the same measly amount of olden books and dusty reading materials. Hardly anything to read at all, and an irony it is to still regard it as such: a Reading Corner. Well, maybe due to the fact that the Internet has fast becoming a booming phenomenon during the onset of the 21st century. One click and that’s it. Here comes the fast information sent by a number of links from where you’re hinted to click and explore your inquiry. But is the Internet thing a justifiable means to totally phase out the Library- The heart of the School?
We have to face the factthat not everybody has access to the Internet. Connection through wifi is another issue at hand because the more the connected gadgets to the school’s internet, the more it causes a further dragging down of the already slow Philippine Internet connection, or hardly being connected at all. This makes that positive thing called the Internet inutile. Slow and weak connections that are not readily available unlike in their Western counterparts. So will there be no research efforts at all? Will this be the end of student inquiries in School? No. The answer to all of these is the strengthening of the school library as a partner to radicalized ways to improve the teaching – learning process. The School Reading Corner has to transform into an E-library, which I am glad that MNHS Poblacion is seriously contemplating , mentioned during one of the Principal’s Monday talks during flag ceremony.
The School Library has to evolve into both the old fashioned type and an electronic learning hub where Internet connection will be available anytime a group of students decides to use it for their assignments and other classroom tasks. We have to restructure the school library into a combination of the old school type and a new and modern avenue for learning as well. The heart of the school should be metamorphosed and be promoted to its clientele – today’s modern day studentry. Without the Library, maybe it is still possible to maintain a school, but the question is: Won’t it be a lot better to attract students to a free source of a wealth of information in the library, when and if they need it ?
The answer is yours. Maybe the Library is not dubbed as the Heart of the School for nothing.
By: Ronaldo V. Tiangco | MT I | MNHS Poblacion
