DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) — The 8th International Conference on Children and Young Adult Librarianship (ICCYAL), organized by the National Library of the Philippines, brought together over 200 librarians for a four-day event focused on enhancing their knowledge and skills in modern library services specifically designed for children and young adults.
Held on October 1-4 at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen, Pangasinan, the conference themed “ICYMI: Libraries and Community are Co-Partners in Advancing Exemplary Children and Young Adults Library Services,” emphasized how librarians, in collaboration with their communities, can serve as vital agents of social change by conducting innovative programs and services that benefit their clients.
“The theme, In Case You Missed It (ICYMI), is commonly used in social media to highlight important events, indicating that the presented information is a recap or an opportunity to catch up on previously shared content, ensuring that valuable information will not be overlooked in the fast-paced digital world,” explained NLP Director IV Cesar Gilbert Adriano.
“In today’s world, our responsibilities extend beyond the confines of libraries, ensuring that young people have access to information and the limitless opportunities it offers from both local and international sources,” he added.
To ensure that dynamic library practices reach a wider audience, the ICCYAL facilitated interactive discussions on advanced programs and services for children’s and young adult libraries, emphasizing how libraries nationwide quickly and effectively adapted to the current challenges in fostering a reading culture and meeting youth library standards in the digital age.
Key topics included Roles of Librarians in the Digital Age; Implementation of AI in Youth and Children Libraries; Standards for Children and Young Adults (CYA) Sections in Philippine Public Libraries; AI Applications in Services for CYA; CYA Practices; and Enhancing School Libraries with AI Technology, allowing speakers to freely share knowledge and experiences that can be passed down to others.
Through the lectures and open forum, librarians gained innovative approaches and best practices from other libraries to adapt to the needs of children and young adults, learned strategies for creative storytelling, and explored the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on digital platforms to enhance the inclusivity and accessibility of libraries.
Pangasinan Provincial Library Head Ma. Cynthia Encarnita Vila agreed that librarians should draw insights from inspiring stories shared by their colleagues to adapt to trends and best practices.
“Due to rapid technological advancements such as AI, we must keep up with these changes and acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to address the challenges librarians face,” she said.
“We need their [insights and] inspiring stories to help us adapt to current trends and learn from their best practices. That is why we are here to [understand] how they have innovated and worked hard to make their programs for children and young adults successful,” she added.
Despite the technological advancements that keep individuals focused on their devices, Vila shared that she had observed an increase in the number of visitors going to the provincial library, with an average number of 175 people coming in each day.
She emphasized that, even in this digital age, libraries remain essential resources for the community, offering invaluable books, research assistance, and study spaces, among others.
Meanwhile, the NPL also recognized outstanding libraries and librarians for their exemplary services and initiatives that enrich community life through library programs.
Among the notable awards presented were the Exemplary Children’s Library Award in both Public and School Library categories, as well as the prestigious Children’s Librarian of the Year Award, which celebrated exceptional contributions to the field of children’s and young adult librarianship.
Ma. Mercedes Haz, director of Library Information at La Consolacion University of the Philippines in Malolos City, Bulacan, was awarded first place in the Librarian of the Year category for school librarians.
In an interview, she stated that the lectures were essential for her as it came not from textbooks but from the experiential learning shared by the speakers.
“Lahat ng lecture sa ICCYAL ay babaunin ko dahil hindi lahat ng librarians namin ay nakakadalo sa ganitong conference. Ang mga notes ko ay maisheshare ko sa kanila at magagamit namin para sa aming mga leksyon at talakayan,” said Haz, expressing her gratitude to the NLP for its support and resources that empower librarians to better serve their communities.
(I will take all of the lectures from ICCYAL because not all of our librarians can attend this kind of conference. I will share my notes with them, and we can use them for our lessons and discussions.)
Moreover, as part of the event, some librarians toured Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, contributing to the promotion of tourism in the province.
Other participants also visited the Banáan (Meeting Place) Museum in Lingayen town, where the Pangasinan Tourism Office is encouraging the public to explore it during the celebration of Museum and Galleries Month this October.
The next ICCYAL will take place in Cebu City in 2026. (MJTAB/JCDR/KCC/PIA Pangasinan)
