Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 6966)
The official title is the "Philippine Librarianship Act."
A librarian is a bona fide holder of a certificate of registration issued by the Board for Librarians in accordance with this Act.
It includes holding oneself as skilled in knowledge, art and science of organizing, disseminating, preserving, and conserving recorded information; rendering professional services such as consultations on library management; teaching library and information sciences; and authenticating documents or reports.
The Board for Librarians consists of a Chairman and two members, appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Professional Regulation Commission from among certified librarians representing academic, public, and special libraries.
Board members must be Filipino citizens and residents, of good moral character, holders of baccalaureate degree in Library Science or related fields, at least 40 years old, registered professionals with 10 years active practice including 5 years managerial experience, and must not have conflicts of interest with academic institutions or hold office in the Philippine Librarians Association.
The Board administers rules and regulations, conducts examinations, issues and revokes certificates, maintains professional standards, ensures educational compliance, investigates violations, and promotes the growth of librarianship in the Philippines.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens, at least 20 years old, in good health and moral character, and graduates of recognized programs with degrees such as Bachelor or Master in Library Science or Information Science or related education degrees.
The exam includes a General Information Test and a Professional Test with subjects like library materials selection, cataloguing, indexing, reference services, library management, information technology, and other relevant subjects.
Violators face fines from Five hundred pesos (P500) to Two thousand pesos (P2,000), imprisonment of one month to two years, or both, at the court's discretion.
Certificates can be revoked or suspended for criminal convictions involving moral turpitude, unprofessional conduct, malpractice, incompetence, serious negligence, or fraud in obtaining the certificate.