Jonathan Ricardo, 24, librarian. | Picture from Kolor Haus by way of Jonathan Ricardo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Three.
He was three when Lola Matilde referred to as him to take a seat together with her of their lounge and launched him to the encyclopedia.
He was three when Lola Matilde learn the ebook, generally a set of books, to him, which was an uncommon factor to expertise by a toddler that younger.
Whereas different kids his age performed open air, the three-year-old Jonathan Ricardo was ordered to remain indoors and browse books.
In Lola Matilde’s eyes, Jonathan is a quick learner. And behold, twenty-one years later, Jonathan would find yourself within the high three within the licensure examinations for librarians within the Philippines.
However his Lola was now not there when he acquired his most excellent achievement; she died when he was already in his senior yr of faculty and that was in August 2024 on the age 103.
Even after she left the world, Lola Matilde will eternally dwell in Jonathan’s reminiscence as he thought of her a terrific a part of his life.
Navigating his life chapter
Though his love for books was launched at a younger age, when Jonathan began to navigate what he needed, being a librarian was not his first alternative.
The 24-year-old lad from Cebu Metropolis truly needed to be a journalist, on condition that he was additionally energetic in his college’s pupil publications.
However he realized that he didn’t have the fortitude to pursue it. Fortuitously, his elder sister steered that he pursue a level in Library and Data Science in school.
READ: 555 cross September 2023 Librarians Licensure Examination — PRC
It could simply be a passing assertion from her sister, however he took the chance to enroll within the diploma program and allowed himself to find out about it.
“I can’t recall occasions the place I assumed I might shift [into another degree] kay after I began entering into Library Science, I spotted there’s simply a lot depth to this course as a result of it’s so neglected,” Jonathan mentioned.
Simply two weeks after he graduated in Might 2024, Jonathan was lucky sufficient to land a job as a librarian at one of many universities in Cebu Metropolis.
Jonathan Ricardo
Being a topnotcher
Jonathan admitted that he procrastinated when he began making ready for the licensure examination.
When he joined a web-based evaluation in June, he mentioned that he took it straightforward as he needed it to be straightforward. Nevertheless it was in July when he realized that he wanted to get critical about it and self-discipline himself. The Librarians Laptop-Primarily based Licensure Examination was slated for September.
When he took the evaluation severely, he labored onerous to self-review.
A part of disciplining himself was turning over his Swap Video games to his sister and asking her to cover it out of his attain.
Jonathan mentioned he needed to take away all sense of consolation and remembered what his mentor mentioned: “That is most likely going to be your final check, so be sure you don’t remorse something.”
When he went to Manila to take the examination on September 10 and 11, he mentioned he felt uneasy and located it onerous to sleep, frightened that he would possibly damage the examination.
“The worst half was that I used to be pressuring myself as a result of above issues, I did need that kind of purpose, not solely to cross but additionally to high. However I didn’t know if I had it in me. If I did, I might put myself down,” he mentioned.
“In my thoughts, I assumed it was achievable (to high), and it was mine to lose gyud. And all that’s left is naa ragyud nako if I needed to observe via on my need to high,” he added.
It was 1:13 a.m. when he realized that he had not solely handed the examination but additionally topped it. Jonathan didn’t count on the consequence since he additionally doubted all of his solutions at the moment.
“Nakaingon pod ko nga the Lord really is form. Even whether it is such an earthly need, He nonetheless granted it to me. Akong na ask ragud ato niya kay ‘Lord, your will probably be finished, no matter your plan is’ and it was in His will in any case,” Jonathan mentioned.
He additionally felt relieved and realized that if he put his thoughts to one thing, he may do it, even when the voice in his head saved telling him he couldn’t.
“Libraries are there for these individuals who do not need the privilege of going surfing.”
Librarianship
As a librarian, Jonathan believes that librarianship is a profession that’s being subsumed by expertise.
“It’s our problem as Twenty first-century librarians to make the library nonetheless priceless, not solely as a supply of data but additionally as a 3rd area the place folks would go to do issues and socialize. Additionally it is a spot the place tradition, humanity, and creativity are discovered,” Jonathan added.
Furthermore, he additionally believes that it’s within the libraries that the issues that make up the civilization are preserved and continued.
“Libraries are there for these individuals who do not need the privilege of going surfing. Though there are already smartphones, WiFi, there may be nonetheless a sector of society which can’t entry these supplies,” he added.
As a librarian, Jonathan Ricardo noticed that angle as to why libraries stay related within the digital age.
Now that he’s lastly a licensed skilled, Jonathan needs to take his personal tempo and never strain himself. And whereas doing it, he needs to work onerous to enhance within the coming years.
Jonathan sees himself nonetheless a librarian within the subsequent 5 years. Afterward, he would possibly take museum research, anthropology, or different pursuits that hold him near tradition and the humanities. /clorenciana