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Pollak Library

John Hickok 2022-23 international library visits: October

SOUTH KOREA

1. Visiting Ewha Women's University Library.  Top: large, granite stone library building.  Right: electronic technology is everywhere in the library.  Left: meeting with Library Director, Ms. Nani Lee and Dr. Jun Soo Kim, Associate Vice President for International Affairs.     

Exterior of Ewha University library, South Korea

Ehwa University library interior  John posing with Ewha University library officials

2. Visiting Korea University's Library.  Top: the huge, stone library building in European castle-like architecture.  Left: standing by the Dewey Decimal Classification (used in the library) in Korean.  Right: meeting with the Library's leadership.

Exterior of Korea University Library

John next to Korean DDC sign  John with Korea University library officials


3. Visiting Yonsei University's Library.  Left: enormous library building.  Right: lobby entrance (looks more like a 5-star hotel lobby).  As you can see, significant investment has been made in South Korea's top academic libraries. 

John at Yonsei University library, South Korea  John in Yonsei University library lobby

 

4. Visiting the Seoul Metropolitan Library, the city's central public library.  It is housed in a beautiful, historic building that was originally Seoul's City Hall, built in 1926.  When Seoul's new City Hall was built in 2012, the library retained this building.  A unique interior feature of the Library--broad wooden stairs along bookcases for both walking and sitting--was popularized by the Korean rapper Psy ("Gangnam Style") in 2013 in one of his music videos.

John outside the Seoul Public Library

John in Seoul Public Library  South Korean rapper Psy in the Seoul public library

PHILIPPINES: NATIONAL LIBRARY

1. Visiting the National Library of the Philippines.   Here I met with Mr. Cesar Gilbert Q. Adriano, Director of the National Library of the Philippines, and his senior staff.  We discussed Philippine participation in the ALA ASEAN Sister Library grant project I am conducting.

John at National Library of Philippines John with National Library of the Philippines staff

2. Representing ALA at the Philippine Library Association.  This was their kick-off celebration for their 100-year Anniversary.  Left: reading a congratulatory letter to the Association from ALA President Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada.  Right: with Philippine Library Association President, Mr. Rene Manlangit.

John speaking  to Philippine Library Association  John with president of Philippine Library Association

PHILIPPINES: ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

1. Philippine Normal University (PNU).  PNU is the teacher education university in Manila, and here I gave a lecture to over 100 BLIS (Bachelor of Library & Information Science) students.  I shared with them the comparative libraries practices being done in neighboring Asian countries.

John lecturing to Philippine library students Flyer of John's lecture to Philippine library science students

2. De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde (CSB).  CSB, part of the De La Salle private university network, is the Philippine academic library participant of my ASEAN Sister Libraries grant projectLeft: outside the CSB main entrance.  Right: with Ms. Anna Sajona, the grant project participating librarian, in front of the CSB library entrance.

John at College of Saint Benilde, Philippines  John with Philippine librarian in front of library

 

3. University of Santo Tomas (UST).  UST is where I taught LIS courses as a Fulbright Scholar in 2016; it the oldest western-established university in Asia, founded by the Spanish in 1611.  I returned to visit the library and meet with their International Office.  Left: in front of the main campus building.  Right: visiting with Prof. Pri-Ann Tinipunan, Coordinator of the BLIS program.

John in front of University of Santo Tomas John with library professor at University of Santo Tomas

PHILIPPINES: PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES

1. Quezon City Public LIbrary.  Quezon City, a suburb of Manila, is the Philippine public library participating in my ALA ASEAN Sister Library grant project.  They are very proactive in outreach to their community: children's puppet shows and story times, senior citizen workshops, youth programming, and more.  Top left: a fun photo with the QCPL staff.  Top right: Outreach Librarian Troy Lacsamana showing a QCPL-published children's book about the local community, and puppets in the background.  Bottom left: the  beautiful exterior of the QCPL.  Bottom right: one of the library's bookmobiles, specially adapted for children with disabilities (blind, deaf, wheelchair-bound) 

John with staff at the Quezon City Public Library, Philippines Outreach librarian of Quezon City Public Library

Exterior of Quezon City Public Library Bookmobile of the Quezon City Public Library
 

2. Beacon Academy School Library.  This school library, on the outskirts of Manila, is the participating school library in my ALA ASEAN Sister Library grant project.  The librarian, Zarah Gagatiga (Right, below), is a well-known advocate for school libraries, hosting a school library blog, School Librarian in Action, for over a decade.  

John at school library in the Philippines John with school librarian in the Philippines