FILIPINIANA SECTION AT THE MIRA MESA LIBRARY
A challenge to initiate a project that would benefit the community became a focus of the SUAF under the leadership of Susan Monte de Ramos-Soldwisch. The SUAF Bylaws directs the members to not only serve our Alma Mater but also the community we now call home.
The consensus of the membership was to choose a project that was modest in scope with community wide benefits.
The SUAF proposed the concept of consolidating all Mira Mesa Library books about the Philippines and shelving them in one place for ease of access. The Library Manager, saw the inherent value of the idea, appointed a library staff member to implement the co-location concept. Thus Library books about the Philippines and other books containing major references about the Philippines were exempted from normal shelving procedures, to create what was called the Philippine Book Corner.
The satisfaction derived from successfully making a contribution to the community was tempered by the glaring scarcity of books in the Philippine Book Corner.
To remedy the situation, The SUAF initiated the adopt-a-book campaign.
San Diego Sillimanites, Friend of Silliman, as well as friend of friends, were asked check books stores and review their personal book collections to select items that will enhance the Library holdings. Donated books had to be about the Philippines or books written by Filipino or Filipino-American authors.
Donors were encouraged to select books that they believed would provide a window into the character of the Filipino people and their way of life. The response was gratifying in that over 300 books were added to the library inventory on Philippine history, music, dictionaries, heroes, geography, travel, myths and legends as well as books for children.
At the presentation program, dignitaries from city and county governments were present to recognize the initiative of the SUAF. The successful event was used as an example of how a small group of well intentioned citizens can make a significant impact on the well being of a community.
Achieving praise and honor did not lead to the culmination of the project.
Sillimanites and Friends became more aware of the emerging trends in the community to research their cultural heritage. To this end, it was decided that the Philippine Book Corner be renamed the Philippine Heritage Collection and that the SUAF shall continue to enrich the collection to better meet the needs of library patrons.
A second donation of books was presented to the Mira Mesa library under the leadership of Nathaniel Tan. A third donation followed under the leadership of Fely Tan-Narvaez.
As time passed, the issue of displaying books about the Philippines was transformed form a challenge in arraigning books in the shelves that did not call attention to the scarcity of inventory to the challenge of finding space on the shelves to enhance convenient access. A pleasant dilemma when viewed in retrospect.
In 2006, under the leadership of Fely Tan-Narvaez, the SUAF invited the Fil-Am Cultural Group of San Diego to co-sponsor the Philippine Heritage Collection, The SUAF decided that the project was too valuable and too important to be dependent on a single organization.
Both organization shared a common interest in making material available to those who wished to visit their roots, pass on cultural values to the sons and daughters, and educate the members of the community who have developed an interest about the Philippines .
Mary Olivar-Garrido, a founding member of the SUAF, played a key role in the co-sponsorship of the Philippine Heritage Collection in as much as she was the President of the Fil Am Cultural Group.
As a result of the partnership, the donations were expanded to include Philippine Multimedia material. The Heritage Collection expanded and includes, Filipino movies in DVD and VHR format, Filipino music tape and CD format, Karaoke with Filipino songs as well as Folk Dancing music and instructional books.
Statistical records measures the wide interest and usefulness of the material in the collection. Anecdotal references indicate that the Mira Mesa Library has the best selection of Filipino books and movies in San Diego . Significant evidence of wear and tear are observed in books of interest to college students as well as elementary and high school students.
To quote the guest speaker at the latest book presentation program, “what has been created here is a gold mine, a treasure chest made available to the Filipino-American community of San Diego.”
We, Sillimanites and Friend of San Diego, derive a strong sense of satisfaction that our effort to be of service to our community has netted such positive results.
—By John Olivar
EXPANDING THE FILIPINIANA COLLECTION
At the January 21, 2012 meeting, SUAF voted to approve a project that will provide a supply of books and multimedia to the Filipiniana Section of the Mira Mesa Library. This was a community project that was originally launched during the administration of then president Susan Soldwisch, and carried on by the next two administrations of then president Nate Tan and then president Fely Narvaez.
The Filipiniana Section is currently in its “dire” state due to the scarcity of Filipino books and materials, wear and tear condition of books, and books lost, stolen or unreturned. This has prompted SUAF to act in order to remedy the situation. This has likewise served as a reminder to what we have committed to do for our community – to continue serving the needs of the library patrons by giving them access to our history and culture right at their fingertips.
So we are asking all our members especially those who are visiting the Philippines for Founder’s Day to help by checking out bookstores for Filipino books and Filipino media. Please refer to the attached lists as your guide to what books to purchase or donate. We are also soliciting donations. Donated books have to be about the Philippines or books written by Filipino or Filipino-American authors.
Donors will be acknowledged by having their names affixed to their donations.
The books will be presented to the Mira Mesa Library on October 27, 2012 to coincide the celebration of the Filipino American History Month in October. The book committee will meet on September 22nd to prepare for the presentation. The event will include food, entertainment, a guest speaker and press presence.
PROJECT: Book/Multi-Media Drive for the Filipiniana Section of the Mira Mesa Library.
PURPOSE: Supply more books/media materials to the inventory in the Filipiniana Section
FUNDING: $1,000.00PRESENTATIONDate: October 27, 2012, at 1:00 pm
Address: Mira Mesa Library
8405 New Salem St., San Diego, CA 92126-2308
(858) 538-8165
Master of Ceremonies – Ben Sy
COMMITTEE: Chairman – Mila Paniamogan
Members: Fely Narvaez, Ben Sy, Ligaya Simpkins, Joel Simpkins, Sonia Sheeks, Teo Tawagon, Grace Tan, Nate Tan, Precy Garrido;
Laarni Gularek (Ex- Officio)
CONSULTANTS: Teresita Flores, Rev. Isaias Paniamogan, Rev. Jose Jacinto
INVENTORY AS OF 2012
SUGGESTED BOOKS:
Library Project – Suggested Books
DONATED BOOKS:
The last two donations were made in 2015 and 2018.