Birth of a public library movement

During the awarding of 2008 Search for the Outstanding City Libraries in Metro Manila held at the National Library of the Philippines last November 3, 2008, an idea to put together 4 innovative public libraries was conceived. Public libraries from Manila, Marikina, Pasig, and Quezon City will now be a part of a partnership to be called "The Public Libraries Consortium" or PLC for short.

PLC held their first organizational meeting last November 20, 2008 at Manila-Sacramento Friendship Branch of the Manila City Public Library. The libraries were represented by Manila Public Library head librarian Helen Grace Cacho and her staff-librarian, Raquel Gomez and Ma. Teresa Rotao, Marikina Public Library head librarian Vic Jayson Cruz and Quezon City Public Library Multimedia and Outreach Librarian Alistair Troy Lacsamana. Pasig City Public Library head librarian Ms. Theresita Osorio was not able to attend because of a previous commitment.

In the meeting, goals and vision was discussed and came up with a common vision for the member libraries:

1. To improve the image of public librarians and public libraries
2. To share among its members best practices utilized by the public libraries and help member libraries implement this best practices

In order to attain this vision, we have set the following action items for the succeeding months:

1. Make a blog for the consortium for the promotion of the public library image, plans, minute meeting, events and other relevant information will be posted in the the blog. Member libraries are encouraged to submit posts.
2. Make a common jingle about public libraries and the consortium. The jingle will be played in all library events of the consortium
3. Make a media list and share the media list to the consortium. Member libraries will be taught how to prepare a press release and how to coordinate to media organizations
4. Submit library logos and prepare a template for tarpaulines which will be used during library events
5. Train librarians puppetry skills

Next meeting was scheduled last December 11, 2008 but due to busy sked of the librarians it was resked for January 8, 2009. The meeting will be held at the Pasig City Public Library. Agenda will be to update what was accomplished in the action items set in the first meeting.