National Library of the Philippines (NLP): Library of the Nation and for the Nation-Challenges and Prospects

By: Prof. Antonio M. Santos

Historical Background

Act No. 222 established the American Circulating Library Division Act No. 2572 it was named Philippine Library and Museum Act No. 3477 separated the Museum from the Library EO No. 94 changed National Library to Bureau of Public Libraries RA No. 3873 reverted to TNL RA No. 10087 renamed to NLP

Mandate
NLP has dual function: 1. As a national library
it serves as a repository of the printed

& recorded cultural heritage of the country and other intellectual, literary and information sources provides access to these resources for our peoples intellectual growth, citizenship building, life long learning and enlightenment

2. As a public library
NLP establishes, develops and maintains in cooperation with LGU executives, a system of public libraries and information centers nationwide provides the books and other materials to affiliated libraries nationwide install hardware and software train the librarians

In both dual functions, the development of information and communication technology has been fully utilized to facilitate access through its Information Technology Division (ITD).

NLP as Repository of Cultural Heritage

acquire Filipiniana materials through purchases,donations, complimentaries and exchanges maintain Filipiniana section containing general books, serials, rarebooks and manuscripts, government publications both printed and other multi-media established a conservation section with a conservation room Presidential manuscripts

Rarebooks & Manuscripts Section contains: original manuscripts early printed books (Phil. Incunabula) exceptional collection, artworks other publication of historical importance
Philippine Presidents Room contains: priceless collections/manuscripts and personal accounts of Pres. Quezon, Osmea, Garcia, Marcos and other presidents

Eight Extant Copies of Philippine Incunabula:

1. Becerra, Fernando, O.E.S.A. (1618). Relacion de el martyrio de s.f. Fernando de S. Joseph 2. San Francisco, Diego de, O.F.M. (1925). Relacion verdadera y breve de la presecusion y martirios que padecieron por la confession de Nuestra Santa Fe Catholica 3. Colin, Francisco (1628). Sermon que mando imprimir el ilustrissimo S.D. Fray Miguel Garcia Serrano, Arsobispo de Manila 4. Esquivel, Jacinto, O.P. (1630). Vocabulario de Japon

5. Pinelo, Francisco, O.P. (1634). Vida y Milagros de S. Domingo de Guzman, Patriarca de la orden predicadores 6. Gomez, Andres, O.P. (1638). Sermon predicado en la yglesia de la Encarnacion del real campo de la ciudad de Manila 7. Aduarte, Diego de, O.P. (1640). Vida y sermons del p. Francisco Blancas de San Jose 8. Aduarte, Diego de, O.P. (1640). Historia de la provincial de Sancto Rosario de la orden predicadores en Philipinas, Japon y China

Other Incunabula:
1. De Moluccis Insulis, Villadolid Spain, 1522 2. De Morga, Antonio, Mexico (1607). Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas 3. Pigafetta, Antonio. The First Voyage Around the World 4. Pinpin, Tomas (1593). Facsimile of the Doctrina Christiana

Special Collections Section holds the following collections:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Lope K. Santos Julian C. Balmaceda Raymundo Banas Cirilo Honorio Anita Garcia Amado Hernandez Atang de la Rama Camilo Osias Encarnacion Alzona Leonor Oroza Goquingco Benigno Zamora Paul Versoza Norberto Romualdez Caburian and Tengco

Republic Act No. 10066

An Act Providing for the Protection and Conservation of the National Cultural Heritage, Strengthening the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and its Affiliated Cultural Agencies and for Other Purposes. Philippine Registry Properties (PRECUP) of Cultural

NLP as the Implementer of the Copyright Law

Sections under IP Code about NLP: 1. Section 191 to receive registration of literary and artistic works and deposit with the NLP and SCL two copies or reproductions of the works shall be deposited within 3 weeks after the first dissemination or performances of the work by authority of the copyright owner 2. Section 182 provides that an assignment or exclusive license may be filed in

NLP upon payment of the prescribed fee for registration in books and record kept for the purpose

4. Section 198.1
NLP to receive the written instrument which names the person/s to be charged with the posthumous enforcement of these rights 5. Section 227-29 refers to ownership of deposit and instrument to the government through NLP and SCL the record of the NLP on the matter be opened to public inspection to determine and collect such fees for the discharge of services under the Act

NLP as Implementer of Legal and Cultural Deposit Law

Pres. Decree No. 812
(Decree on Legal and Cultural Deposit) In its preamble, it stated that the acquisition, organization and preservation of a nations intellectual and cultural heritage, which is a prime duty of the State, can best be achieved by providing that all published and printed materials be deposited to NLP and certain government libraries.

 The law states that within one month

from the date any printed book is first delivered out of the press, the publisher of each book shall furnish, free of charge and in the same finish as the best copies of the same are produced, two (2) copies to NLP, and a copy each to UP Main Library, UP Library at Cebu City, MSU Library and CCP Library. Mandated the heads of various departments, bureaus, offices and branches of the government, including province and municipalities, GOCCs, to

furnish NLP two (2) copies of any printed book publish by them and a copy each to the aforementioned libraries. Mandated the departments, bureaus, offices and branches of government including LGUs, GOCCs ordering the printing of any publication are directed to furnish, w/o charge, to the NLP at least fifty (50) copies of all printed reports or document to serve as the mainstay of the exchange commitments of NLP.

Penalties: fine of not less than P50 or more than P500 obliged to deliver the materials published or printed if copy is no longer available, a reproduction thereof, or the value of the work shall be added to the fine

NLP as National Center of Numbering Systems

1. International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
Benefits:

replaces the handling of long bibliographic descriptive records allows compilation and updating of booktrade directories executes ordering and distribution of books

cont
machine-readable thats why this is fast and

avoid mistakes needed for the running of electronic point-of-scale systems in bookshop rights management is mainly done on the basis of ISBN ISBN does sales data monitoring libraries profit from copy cataloguing the national lending right in some countries is based on ISBN

Statistics of issued ISBN

6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Issued ISBN

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2. International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

Benefits:

can identify a title regardless of its language or country of origin can provide an efficient and economical method of communication between publishers and suppliers used in libraries for identifying titles, ordering and checking-in of serials and claiming missing issues simplifies interlibrary loan systems used as standard numeric identification code

Statistics of issued ISSN

500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 Issued ISSN

3. International Standard Music Number (ISMN)

Benefits: identification of all printed and digital music publications facilitate international cooperation and information exchange

Other Special Services:

1.NLP as a Library for the Blind NLP is the only library in the Philippines with a section for the visually impaired people. Services include recording of printed materials, transcribing and embossing into Braille and scanning printed materials, etc. 2. NLP as a Host to Philippine e-Lib Project NLP houses the data center and kiosk of the Phil. e-Lib through a single portal the library collections of five (5) government agencies which include; NLP, UP, DOST, DA and CHED.

3. NLP as Childrens Reading Hub NLP launched the Childrens Library section that provides reading materials for children, a play area, one multimedia computer station, audio listening stations, a video previewing station, etc. 4. NLP as a House for Government Publications, Asia and Oceania Materials, Theses and Dissertations NLP is a repository of the government issuances that include executive and presidential issuances, legislative enactments from early laws of the

Philippine Commission until the present Congress and decisions of the Supreme Court. The Asia and Oceania section of the NLP serves as a repository of selected library materials about countries that form part of Asia and Oceania. The creation of Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations section to the Filipiniana Division of the NLP is charged with the responsibility of protecting, enlarging and safeguarding the collections.

NLPs Plans and Prospects

Revisiting policies on admissions, administrations, its relation to other cultural agencies and other types of libraries Additional book budget to offset the zero book budget of the NLP for the current year Retrofitting of the 50-year old NLP building Establishment of Law Library Section and Digital Library Section Inventory with other types of libraries especially academic libraries Revisiting Copyright Law and Legal Deposit Law

cont
Modernization of its infrastructure and services Develop national strategy for preservation and conservation of library resources Conduct extension services which include seminars, trainings and conferences Establish Childrens section and building childrens literature/collection Linkages with other countries pursuant to our international relations

Conclusion
The NLP, more than any time, needs marketing. We need more exposure for the public to know what NLP has to offer. This we call Public Relations. In the NLP, we have recently created a PR Group to undertake a massive public relations activities which include among others, update of website content, printing and distribution of different brochures and revisiting of different policies. As we embark on all these activities, we invite you all to be our partners in this continuing task of bringing NLP to our citizen. We hope to see you either individually or by group, as visitors and clients of the library of all libraries in the Philippines.

End....

Thank you!