UST Miguel de Benavides Library Assistant Chief Librarian Diana V. Padilla, presented the Lumina Pandit II (Spreading the Light) – Digitization Project of the UST Library at the Conference on Digitization and Digital Preservation Initiatives and Best Practices organized by the University of the Philippines (UP) Library in partnership with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines. It was held at the David M. Consunji Theater, Institute of Civil Engineering, UP Diliman on November 14, 2019.
Padilla’s talk mainly focused on the background, challenges and experiences of UST Library as it implemented its Digitization Project, in which the rare, historical, and fragile books and documents of the University which have been gathered through its long history are being digitized. It is a brilliant endeavor of UST and its benefactor, the UnionBank of the Philippines. The project aimed to convert the Library’s heritage collections to digital format and make them available to a wider public through the world wide web. A digital repository is created not only for preservation but to provide its users with a trusted digital library that helps support information discovery. The UST Digital Library is accessible at digilib.ust.edu.ph.
The two-day conference aimed at bringing together librarians, IT personnel, researchers, and educators to discuss issues and challenges, and learn from the experiences. The participants were welcomed by Embassy of Spain in the Philippines Cultural Affairs First Secretary Ms. Maria Pilar Cuadra Gascon. The attendees from UST were Ms. Padilla, Library Information & Communication Technology committee head Mr. Lejempf de Vera Flores; and UST Archivist Prof. Regalado Trota José. A total of nine lectures and a panel discussion were delivered by resource persons from notable universities and institutions in the Philippines and Spain.
Aside from Padilla, the other speakers were: Science and Technology Information Institute Director, Department of Science and Technology and Chair, Steering Committee, Philippine eLibrary Project Dr. Richard P. Burgos; Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) Rizal Library Director Dr. Vernon R. Totanes; National Library of Spain Processes and Digital Services Division Director Ms. Mar Perez Morillo; Ministry of Culture and Sports, Madrid, Spain sub-directorate general for Library Coordination Ms. Concepción Villariño Periáñez; Family Search International Area Manager Mr. Felvir D. Ordinario; UP Film Institute Prof. Nicolas A. Deocampo; National Library of the Philippines Assistant Director Mr. Edgardo B. Quiros; and University of the Philippines Diliman University Librarian Mr. Chito N. Angeles.
The panel discussion speakers were archivists from UST, AdMU and UP Baguio, namely, Prof. José (UST); Ms. Carina C. Samaniego (AdMU); and Ms. Cristina B. Villanueva (UP Baguio).
