STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan (PIA) – The Pangasinan Provincial Library is encouraging the youth to consider enrolling in the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) courses, highlighting the crucial role this profession plays in the digital age.
The BLIS is a degree program that prepares students for careers in managing, organizing, and preserving information across libraries, archives, and other information centers.
The course equips students with the knowledge and skills required to handle various information systems, library technologies, research methods, and the ethical use of information.
Ma. Cynthia Encarnita Vila, department head of the Provincial Library, emphasized the growing importance of trained professionals in managing, organizing, and preserving online information.
She told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) – Pangasinan that as technology and innovation continue to advance, it is crucial to adapt and keep pace with these changes.
This shift highlights the need for skilled librarians who can navigate digital spaces, properly categorize data, protect it from manipulation or misleading edits, and ensure it remains freely accessible to the public.
“We now have a KOHA (meaning “gift” or “donation”) Integrated Library System (ILS) as an affiliated library of the National Library of the Philippines, provided to us for free. This system enhances our services, allowing online searches and easier access to information,” Vila said, highlighting the library’s improved capabilities in the digital landscape.
The system provides free access to online databases, digital collections, and e-resources for public and academic libraries, improving services by enabling online searches and allowing users to access information remotely.
Vila emphasized that this advancement is a key step in adapting to the digital age, ensuring that the Provincial Library remains a valuable resource for the community.
Meanwhile, Vila explained that the rapid growth of technology will not kill the library, as innovation enables libraries to provide better access to information, connect with people in new ways, and remain crucial for learning and community support.
“Many still visit the Provincial Library, whether they are students or not, with 60 percent using the internet to research answers for their assignments or queries, 13 percent reading physical books, and the rest browsing their social media accounts,” she said.
This demonstrates how libraries continue to serve a wide range of needs, from academic research to personal leisure, while evolving to keep pace with the digital age.
“I hope and encourage more people to enroll in BLIS to become licensed librarians, whether as public librarians or in academia, who will help ensure that digital resources are effectively utilized by the public,” she said.
Universities in Pangasinan that offer BLIS include the University of Luzon, Urdaneta City University, and Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, located in the cities of Dagupan, Urdaneta, and San Carlos, respectively.
In September 2024, a total of 376 individuals successfully passed the Librarian Computer-Based Licensure Examination, reflecting a national pass rate of 48.7 percent, indicating the rigorous standards required to enter the profession and the growing need for skilled librarians in an increasingly digital world.
Likewise, the Philippines is observing the 34th Library and Information Services Month this November with the theme “LibVOCACY: Unity Towards Inclusive and Empowered Libraries,” highlighting a commitment to advocacy, inclusivity, and empowerment within the library community. (AMB/JCDR/PIA Pangasinan)
