A Visit to the Good Ol' Library

One day he asked me this unexpected question: Mama, what's a library? (As a Waldorf student, Bowi hasn't been exposed to big libraries yet.)

When I was younger, during the pre-Internet era, libraries were a part of my life in a maaaaajor way. I used to go to the British Council, the National Library, Thomas Jefferson on Buendia, and Goethe Institut. These kids are missing a lot, I think. The romance of it all: going through the card catalog, holding the book in your hand, borrowing it from the librarian, returning it late, paying the fee, writing down your notes. It's all part of how I came to love books.

You don't get that by paying Google a visit.

And so I resolved to bring him to a real library. The closest one is the Quezon City Public Library. And guess what? He loved it! He was the only little person there. One of the librarians came up to us to ask what we're looking for.

Oh we're just looking around, I tell him. For his assignment? he asked. No, I said, he just wants to read.



The little guy was literally running around flitting from shelf to shelf like a butterfly darting from one flower to the next.

It was interesting, the crowd that afternoon. There were students, of course, but mostly the library users that day were senior citizens, mostly male. Reading newspapers, listening to audio books (I suppose they're audio books), writing down notes, reading through thick volumes, talking, using their phones. I suppose they were some of those who haven't really transitioned to doing research online.

It was refreshing to see them here. Bowi and all these lolos. Inside this old, not-so-quiet library.



He kept on looking for books on recycling.



I found a book to read, too! :)

Care ko?!

Sadly, many writers think that writing is a solitary activity.

We have been told this lie over and over. I believe that writing does not only involve the act of writing. In fact, that is just a small part of this great work that we do.

Writing includes the thinking process, the staring-into-space moments, interaction with people who will somehow find their way into the piece you are working on, the search for a publisher, market research, raising money for the writing project, and so on and so forth.

Every writer, therefore, must go out there and involve herself in the different activities and events that shape the landscape of this industry. Her voice must be heard and she must take part in change creation. She needs to be aware of relevant developments in her world so her writing can continue to be powerful.

I, and at least one other writer friend, therefore wonder why majority of local writers are usually disinterested about actually working to protect their various rights, in questioning biased laws, in participating in forums that tackle their welfare and other issues that affect them directly.

* * *

Here is an article that came out on Rappler recently. This event, among many others, should have attracted more writers. Unfortunately, they had better things to do. So there.

Do Pinoys wear the old coat and buy the new book?

I am a slow reader. I savor the words, let phrases linger longer in the mouth. But I read several books at a time. Sometimes, five or six. Sometimes, more. I cannot read before going to bed because it makes me sleepy, even if the book’s a thriller. The best reading time for me would be in the early morning, during waiting time, or while on travel.

These are some of my reading habits and behavior. And if you’re a smart book writer or publisher, you will find a way to get your hands on facts that pertain to your market’s reading attitudes and practices. If publishers and writers knew, for instance, that there is more demand for books written in local dialects, then they can (and they should) produce more books that will cater to this need.

Read the entire story here: http://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/15176-do-pinoys-wear-the-old-coat-and-buy-the-new-book