A Gorilla Blog: My Life in the SLIS: UP SLIS ca. 1990 to 2002

I'm bad with names, surnames, dates and times. Heck, I can't even remember any of my friends' birthdays. Yes, I have a faulty memory, so it makes sense to write things down. It makes sense to write this down, although by this time I've forgotten some of the details. But I believe this has to be done.

This also qualifies as a "promise-not-to-laugh" post since you'll be seeing me at different stages in my life: fat, thin, ROTC crew cut, mullet (yes, sadly I did grow my hair long at one point), etc. Enjoy the photos and the stories associated with them. I also had an ongoing debate with some of my friends as to the inclusion of private photographs I had in this collection, but after hearing the different sides, I've decided to keep them private to protect the innocent (hehehehe). And lo and behold, the remaining photos number exactly a hundred. I know there are more here somewhere, I'll just have to unearth them some other time. But this isn't even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the experiences I've had at the SLIS.

The UP School of Library and Information Studies used to be a small unit in UP Diliman known as the Institute of Library Science. From there it has grown leaps and bounds. This chronicles "My Life in the SLIS: UP SLIS ca. 1990 to 2002" (with apologies to Kathy Griffin and her My Life on the D-List). It includes the stories I've heard, the experiences I've had, and the people I have met along the way.

The Deluge
Things were a whole lot different back then. We used to refer to the "SLIS" as "ILS" or simply the "Institute". When I entered the hallowed halls (naks!) of the Institute as an undergraduate student, things were starting to change. Pre-1990s there were only a handful of guys, around 5 to 8. My batch, in 1990, marked the start of something unseen in previous years: a male basketball team. Heck, we never won anything, and every guy had to suit up else we wouldn't reach the mandatory range of 12 - 15 players, but HECK there was a basketball team. Never mind the fact that the girls cheered for Richard Gomez and John Estrada who were playing for the CMC (College of Mass Communication) basketball team in a different part of the SPEAR (now the UP CHK, College of Human Kinetics) instead of the ILS team. O_o;;

This deluge also marked another development: how to deal with guys. Our professors back then were so accustomed to classes with all females that it must have been a shock to finally have to deal with male students. Dr. Buenrostro and the late Dean Cruz knew it was bound to happen. But what could really prepare you for half a class of beet-red drunk males wearing shades? (Sorry Sir Buen, it really happened. We had a round of beers in the middle of the day before attending your LIS 51: Introduction to Librarianship class. Till this day we couldn't remember what was discussed.)

Nowadays about 50% of the UPSLIS student population of 400 are male. In the early 1990's it was about 16% of a total of around 60 students.

Fight

As humans, fights are part of life. The girls in the ILS before us probably fought, but when guys fight it's another matter.

After grueling cataloging exams under Dean Faderon, Alcuin, Neil and I would sometimes exchange ideas about martial arts. One time Alcuin, who was a brown belt in taekwondo, was illustrating how to deliver a perfect 45 degree kick. With Abie and John watching, I got a thick pillow from the sofa, placed it a couple of inches from my stomach and had Alcuin demonstrate. His kick was so strong that it knocked the wind out of me despite the thick 8-inch hard padding of the sofa pillow. As I was turning blue, Alcuin went behind me and lifted me up and did that back-to-back maneuver that stretches ones spine and abs to bring air back into my lungs. And as soon as he lifted me up from the ground, his old shoulder injury happened again and then CRACK! The joint was dislocated from the socket. I was alarmed as I caught my breath. Jeez! I broke his shoulder! Alcuin, a bit of pain showing on his face, calmly rotated his shoulders, did big circles with his arms and mildly slammed his shoulder onto the doorway. Presto, good as new. Scary? Yup, freaky scary. But not as scary as what happened some weeks later.

I made the mistake of letting my emotions get the better of me. One time, in exasperation, I kicked a wooden chair and nearly hit Grace Zafra. Neil, ever protective, immediately got on my case. Alpha males that we are, neither wanted to give way. Neil was a senior of a fraternity, on hindsight I was probably stupid for not considering that fact. I was a barbarian, a term given to non-fraternity members (those without fraternities were supposedly considered uncivilized, hence the moniker in the university). But this barbarian wasn't about to back off. Then came the stare down. In the middle of the old hall where the ILS once stood, we stood face to face, neither blinking. I knew what Neil was capable of, and I was scared of it, but as a guy you don't just cower in fear. In a couple of seconds we would have probably exchanged blows (that or I'd be flat on my back). But along came Prof. Patricia Carino, Ma'am Pat-C to her students, one of the toughest and prettiest professors we've even known. She approached us and without batting an eyelash said sternly, "If you're going to fight, do it outside the building. Not here." Then she walked away.

Simple words, no preaching, no pleading, just a statement. That probably knocked some sense into the both of us and we made peace in a matter of minutes. So endeth the first non-fight between guys in the 1990's.

Alcuin now writes for major dailies. Abie and John are now married. Abie is now a black-belter in Aikido. Alcuin, Abie and John are all mountaineers. Neil is now a team publisher in a major publishing company. His wife Tina, who works in UP, is also a UPILS graduate. Grace now works with the BCDA. Ma'am Pat-C passed away many years ago. We still miss her.

The Archives

The UPILS in the early 1990's occupied the small hall behind the large UP Oblation on the 3^rd floor of the UP Main Library, Gonzales Hall. Two classrooms, one computer room, one faculty room, one office, one library, and all small. There's a small wooden stairway leading up to part of the University Archives collection on the left as you enter the hall. This was all before the College of Fine Arts transferred to their new building in 1994-95, and before the UPILS took their place in one of the wings of the same floor.

One story often told was about a researcher who had an unforgettable experience during lunch time. He climbed up the stairs and entered the archives. There was a female archivist there ready to attend to him. He asked for the material he needed. The archivist said she'd be right back with what he requested before disappearing into the stacks. A couple of minutes pass and she still wasn't back. The researcher then heard people climbing the stairs, it was another archivist. She asked, "Ano yun? (What can I do for you?" The researcher replied, "Ay, okay na, kinukuha na nung kasama mo. (It's okay, your colleague already got the material.)" The archivist looked at him with knitted eyebrows, "Sino? (What collegue?)" The researcher then proceeded to describe how the first archivist who attended to him looked. The second archivist turned pale, "Ser, yung sinasabi mong babae, sampung taon ng patay. (Sir, the woman you described died ten years ago.)"

Electric fans still turn on by themselves in different parts of the library. No one is that alarmed anymore, what doesn't kill you just makes you stronger.

Small World: Iyra-pot

I know she's going to kill me for mentioning this, but Iyra's story holds a special place in my heart. About 6 or 7 years ago, I was taken aback when I was doing the roll call in one of my classes. I had a puzzled look on my face when I called out, "Ms. Iyra Buenrostro?" She raised her hand. I then proceeded to tell the class a story that always makes Iyra cringe.

You see, the first time I met Iyra was when she was small. Hehehehe. Her father Dr. Buenrostro was one of my mentors, her brother Joel is one of my friends and was also one of my students in my early days of teaching. In the mid-1990's, Iyra was with her family when they attended the Institute's Christmas party. As per tradition, the sons and daughters of the faculty and staff would perform poems or songs. Iyra was one of them. My memory always points to her reciting "All Things Bright and Beautiful".

Iyra is now my co-teacher at the SLIS. She always points out to me that I always confuse her with her sister Janine, who was the one who recited the poem. To this day I am still confused as to whether she recited a poem or sang a song. O_o;;

Tummyache

Zyril is a smiling, beautiful, straight-A student who was always silent in my LIS 71: Reference and Information Sources and Services class in the mid-90's. One day she went to class looking pale and in pain. I asked "Are you alright?" She replied that she was fine, she just walked a kilometer, in the heat of the sun, from the College of Science where she had her Nat Sci class and believed that it will pass. Hearing that, I started with my lecture.

In the corner of my eye I could see her always placing her head on the table while clutching her tummy, nothing serious, she'll be okay. Moments later, the academic ambiance in the room was shattered by her piercing cry while I was in the middle of discussing Jahoda and reference queries. We all turned around to see Zyril crying.

In an instant, I called off the class. I turned to Chito, one of my students, and said "Chito, buhat! (Carry her!)" and rushed to the door. I called Prof. Vina Cruz's attention and informed her that we'll be bringing Zyril to the UP Infirmary. Chito and Tobi, another of my students, carried Zyril down the four agonizing flights of stairs to my waiting little red car. Tobi was a bit frantic too since he closed the car door while Zyril's head was still a bit outside. (Good thing it wasn't a strong slam, otherwise we'd be having Zyril treated for a concussion too.) I broke all the speed limits in the university to reach the infirmary.

The verdict? A mild ulcer. Half of the class came down to the infirmary and we joked about Zyril being pregnant before being shushed and sent out of the emergency room.

Zyril once asked me if I still remember her when we met a couple of months back. I told her that it would be impossible for me to forget her. How could I forget? That was one of the most stressful days of my teaching career. Chito, who is also the brother of Cherry, one of my friends in college, is now my co-teacher. He is also the head of the IT department of the UP Main Library. Dean Cruz passed away a couple of years ago. Tobi, who is also the nephew of Dean Cruz, is now in Canada and still loves to play basketball.

That red car, a Mitsubishi Lancer '78 has been sold many years back. But not before being part of many SLIS activities. It had been used as a hauler, a delivery truck, an ambulance, twice as a lantern and a taxi packing in 11 ILS carolers for Christmas. It joins the ranks of John's yellow Volkswagen Beetle and Dean Cruz's Mitsubishi Galant as one of the most used of ILS cars in the 90's.

I'd Bet My Finger on It

Part of my LIS 71 class would be an info hunt to acquaint students with the different reference and information sources and services. I'd give them a question and they'd have to find the answer and the source. I'd often check up on them at the reference section of the UP Main Library. One time I think it was Chito, Brine and Mae who were telling me that they couldn't find the answer. I told them the answer and the sources were there "Ano, putulan ng daliri pag nahanap ko? (I'd bet my finger that I could find the answer.)" No dice, no one ever did. They would eventually find the answer.

Another fact that I always pointed out in my LIS 71 classes in the mid to late 90's was the possibility that any question, even the simplest directional one (eg, Where's the restroom?), would be asked the reference librarian. Years later, Don approached me and said, "Sir, ngayon lang ako naniwala sa sinabi nyo dati sa LIS 71. (Sir, this is the only time I actually believed in what you told us in LIS 71.)" And what would that be, I asked. As it turned out, Don was assigned to the front desk at the reference section of the UP Main Library for his practicum. And true enough, someone asked him where the restrooms were.

To this day my fingers are still complete and users still ask the reference desk where the restrooms are. Of course now they also ask what the wifi settings on their laptops should be. Mae works in DLSU DasMa and I think Brine works or worked at the British Council. Don I think works in Makati. (Told you I had a faulty memory.)

Banana Peels: As I was Saying

In the late 90's there was a scheduled college-level general assembly GA with computer lab fees as one of the points of discussion. The Institute had just moved in to the new wing and I wanted to reinforce and realign the overhead LCD in computer room 1 before the GA started. I was perched atop a table when Dean Cruz called my attention that the GA was about to start. I said I'd follow in a couple of seconds. As soon as she closed the door I slipped and fell flat on my back. Dean Cruz, with a look of concern on her face, hurriedly entered the Computer Lab and asked me if I was okay. I was. Nothing major. I finished the alignment and went to the GA. Maybe I was a bit shaken up since I wasn't able to answer some of the early questions thrown my way. That was easier to deal with then the second time I fell.

I was in the middle of a discussion, I couldn't remember if the class was LIS 71 or LIS 55: Selection and Acquisition of Library and Information Sources. In the absence of LCD projectors in rooms without PCs, I had to use transparencies and the overhead projector (OHP). I belong to a whole family of professors, aunts and uncles included. From my mom I learned diplomacy, from my dad I learned "chalk talk". I try to make good use of both. Animated chalk talk though doesn't take into consideration bundled up OHP power cords. As I spun around to write on the white board with my marker, my feet got entangled in the wires and I fell flat on my face. I heard a couple of "Ay!"s before I hit the floor, I think they were from the girls in the front row. Falling to the ground was the least of my worries, I was afraid the OHP would fall on me. In half a split second I turned on my butt to catch the OHP if it eventually fell on top of me. Half of my brain was saying "Omigod, if this breaks I'm going to have to pay for this!" while the other half was shouting "Hell, I'm going to get cut if the glass breaks!" Thankfully the OHP didn't follow me to the floor. In the second half of that split second I stood up as fast as I could. I composed myself and calmly said, "As I was saying..." then continued with the lesson. From the corner of my eye as I was finally able to turn successfully to write on the white board, I could see Majane, Mae, Brine and Gemma looking at me in disbelief with mouths wide open. I was told later on that some of the guys in the back rows wondered where I went because I completely disappeared from their view.

Majane, Mae, Brine and Gemma form the "Sailor Soldiers", another clique in the SLIS. They join the ranks of the Kuyukots, Hardbound and the Apat na Maria. Majane is in a library somewhere. Gemma is in the news library of a major media network.

The End of a Rivalry

Pao was always on my case even before I became the boyfriend of her best friend in college. Some said it was because I was stealing away her friend, a normal reaction in relationships. I've always thought of it as a natural rivalry, she was the bookish, straight-A student, I was the happy-go-lucky one who got by and passed all of my majors. We were always at each others throats, whether in or out of class. We'd question each other's sources and methodologies, ask hard questions during reports, etc. All in a stressful display of one-upmanship that stretched for years. It didn't end when we graduated. Pao graduated with latin honors, I didn't. All I got was a swimming medal, I think. It spilled over till we were reviewing for the licensure examinations. (I was hoping for a third place finish, being in the academe and all. But I'd take any place just to shut people up.) In our minds I think we both thought that the placings in the licensure examinations would end it all. It did, but not in the way we thought it would.

I was wasted after the exams. Heck, it was hard on the noggin and on the body. The day the results came I think it was Ate Rhina who congratulated me on my 7th place finish. "Halos lahat ng nasa top ten taga-UP. Seventh ka! Pero may ka-tie ka. (Most of the guys in the top ten were from UP. Guess what, you're tied with someone in seventh place.)" I was wondering, "Sino? (Who?)" Ate Rhina grinned and said, "Si Pao. (It's Pao.)"

I found Pao still reading up in the library (heck, aren't the exams finished already?!?). I congratulated her and in true clueless-little-old-me fashion, I asked her about the details of the oath-taking. And in true dependable-her fashion, she answered. Then she asked, "Ano ngayon? (What now?)" I looked at her with a confused look on my face. Then she said, "Peace." Then we shook hands. And that was the end of it.

Pao is now married and lives in Bahrain.

The UPSLIS is more than just work for me, it's famly. There are more stories to tell, like:

"Okay, who knows what Z39.50 is?"

"Sir, it's a call number!"

"Ooooookay... For purposes of this class it is not a call number, it's a protocol..."

But those will be stories for another day.