Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – Mr. Michael A. Pinto, part-time Library and Information Science (LIS) instructor of the University of Saint Louis (USL) has placed Cagayan Valley in the limelight for being the first librarian in the region to be elected as president of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI).
Incidentally, Pinto is the youngest librarian to be placed in such a high leadership position. The election was held during the PLAI Congress and General Assembly on Nov. 24, 2016 at SM Convention, Lanang, Davao City. In the same occasion, Mrs. Venus I. Guyos, current director of the USL Libraries and former president of PLAI-Cagayan Valley Region Librarians Council, was appointed as PLAI corporate secretary. Both Pinto and Guyos will assume the positions for years 2017 and 2018.
Pinto is known for his prolific leadership skills enkindled during his college days as a student-leader. He was former director of the USL Libraries and past president of the Cagayan and Kalinga-Apayao Librarians Association (CaAKAp). In 2013, he was awarded as PAARL (Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians) Outstanding Academic and Research Librarian. He is currently the head of the Cagayan Provincial Learning and Resource Center.
Meanwhile, Guyos was part of the 36th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program in 2009 and a recipient of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 2016 National US Committee Fellowship Grant.
The Incumbent and new set of PLAI Officers for 2017 and 2018
Mr. Michael Pinto (seated, center) with the incumbent PLAI President, Miss Elvira
Lapuz (seated right of Pinto) and Mrs. Venus I. Guyos (seated left of Pinto)
