Name MARTHA E. MCPHAIL

Faculty/Rank Librarian (Full)

Department University Library

Office phone 594-6736

E mail address mmcphail@mail.sdsu.edu

Project title Teach Cataloging at Universidad Panamericana in El Salvador; Develop Travel/Study Program to El Salvador

Country/ies visited El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica

Institution visited Universidad Panamericana, San Salvador

Dates of travel September 8--December 17, 2005

Number of student participants: No SDSU students; 15 UPAN students

Previous IP proposals submitted and grants awarded
(list titles, countries and dates): Alternative Spring Break Experience for SDSU Students in El Salvador, March 13-20, 2004

Have all required reports been submitted? Yes

Other funding for this activity : Sabbatical leave for Fall 2005

Report Abstract

I was invited to teach a course in cataloging for library science masters students at the Universidad Panamericana during the fall 2005 semester. I also was invited to consult on cataloging and preserving rare Central American books at the private Biblioteca Gallardo in San Salvador. While in El Salvador, I laid groundwork to lead SDSU students on a future three-week travel/study course.

Travel report:

I. Opening/overview of activity

When I submitted my request for OIP funds, I did not expect to have my request for sabbatical approved, so the OIP request was for a three-week trip only. After having the sabbatical authorized by Dean Dowell, I expanded my time in El Salvador to match SDSU’s fall semester. I had been invited by the Rector of the Universidad Panamericana to teach a cataloging course in their newly-established master’s program for library science graduate students. Also I was invited by the Director of the private Biblioteca Gallardo to consult on the conservation and recovery of their special library, damaged badly in the 2001 earthquakes. These were my principal areas of focus during my fall sabbatical. I also used my contacts in the library/museum/education disciplines to prepare possible trips for SDSU students in the future. I identified and acquired new materials to add to SDSU Love Library’s collection of Central Americana. I attended professional conferences on library science, Latin American women authors, and Central American archeology.

II. In preparation for the trip abroad

I had made a preparatory one-week trip in February 2005 to meet and maintain contact with key personnel: the Rector of the UPAN, Lic. Oscar Morán Folgar; the head of the program for Bibliotecología, Pedro Pineda, whom I have known through the US Embassy since 1999; Miguel Gallardo, the owner of the Biblioteca Gallardo; and librarian colleagues in El Salvador and Nicaragua. I also was in contact with US Embassy personnel, and a researcher on Central American women writers from New Hampshire, Dr. Janet Gold. I arranged for my three-month rental of an apartment in San Salvador, made arrangements for my San Diego condo to be safeguarded, my mail and bills to be taken care of, and many other logistical details. Of course I helped arrange for my principal responsibilities at SDSU Library to be covered during my fall semester absence. I prepared a syllabus for teaching cataloging, acquired Spanish-language tools and aids, and contacted colleagues teaching similar courses.

III. Upon arrival/specific activity

I met immediately with the Rector, Vice-Rector, and other faculty at the Universidad Panamericana. Pedro Pineda, Director de la Escuela de Bibliotecología y Ciencias de la Información, was my principal contact as he has extensive ties with visiting US professionals due to his past experience at the US Embassy. The program in Bibliotecología is new at the UPAN. For overview of UPAN offerings, see webpage http://www.upan.edu.sv/. Future SDSU students may be interested in studying social sciences, education, accounting, or business administration at the UPAN.

I taught fifteen students in UPAN’s cataloging class. I created several class presentations using PowerPoint which facilitated their visually following my principal points. I made extensive use of the Internet to access electronic cataloging tools such as Classification Web, Catalogers’ Desktop, OCLC Connexion, The Library of Congress website, and SDSU Library’s own electronic resources. I offered ample opportunity for hands-on experience. I presented one illustrated lecture on “Competencies for the 21st Century Librarian.” The students were attentive, responsive, and interested in learning. At term end, I received applause, flowers, and a certificate of appreciation from the students and the Rector. Also, I gave a four-hour workshop on cataloging to library science students at the Universidad de El Salvador. http://www.ues.edu.sv/

I consulted at several university, school, and special libraries while in El Salvador, in the capital city as well as San Miguel, Santa Ana, and Santa Tecla, meeting with Rectors or Directors as well as the library personnel. I offered practical advice for immediate improvements as well as wish-lists for future goals. All seemed to appreciate my coming to help them improve their services and facilities. I spent much time with the owner of the Biblioteca Gallardo, attempting to help solve the problems of preserving and making available the rare books in its collection, while strapped for cash to hire librarians or staff. This proved to be a rather unsolvable challenge, but I continue to correspond with him to offer advice, and have spoken with US Embassy personnel on obtaining funds for specific projects and equipment. http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/news/2004/09/09232004_factsh.html

I visited numerous bookstores over my sabbatical, to identify and acquire new books for SDSU Library’s collection. My principal source is Librerías Roxsil in Santa Tecla; they know me and always greet me with pleasure, as they know I am a serious purchaser of Central American literature. I spent $400 with them, plus $100 shipping; this would have cost SDSU Library $1000-1200 to acquire the same books through our Latin American book distributors.

IV. Conclusion, recommendation, and next step?

The UPAN is a small institution that caters to the working adult. Most classes are taught on the weekends. While I was there, Dr. Jim Winship, a Fulbright Scholar from Wisconsin, was teaching a class in social work methodology. The US Embassy supports the UPAN through funding visiting scholars, through support for workshops, for library materials, and other means. Most of its students are professionals in San Salvador; there are small satellite campuses at San Vicente and Ahuachapán. Many students are bilingual and have family or friends in the US, so the climate for SDSU students would be very comfortable, as it is for visiting faculty. The UPAN is a member of the Asociación de Universidades de América Latina y del Caribe para la Integración. UPAN has already created an agreement with our sister campus, CSU-Dominguez Hills. I can easily facilitate a similar agreement for SDSU.

I may plan a travel/study tour to El Salvador of two-three weeks duration for spring or summer 2007. Students can visit archeological sites, engaging with Salvadoran archeologists and anthropologists; can visit museums, galleries, or writers’ homes; can meet with politicians, educators, expatriates working in NGOs, US Embassy staff; and much more that I can arrange. This will follow up my OIP-funded 2004 Alternate Spring Break trip when I led 6 SDSU students and the pastor of the Wesley Foundation to El Salvador for one week. ll participants enthusiastically endorsed the value of this short visit and encouraged a longer tour for future opportunities.

My sole concern in promoting a future opportunity is the climate of insecurity now pervading Central America. The gang problem is growing out of control. While most tourists are left alone, there have been a few instances of holdups on the highways. This must be monitored before I would feel confident enough to lead another group of SDSU students. I myself experienced no problems during my sabbatical, but I watched where and when I was going about in the region. Other than this unfortunate development, El Salvador, like all the Central American countries, is a beautiful tropical land filled with wonderful people, a vibrant culture, and great adventures.

I feel my fall semester was successfully spent, teaching cataloging and classification, consulting at libraries, attending conferences, acquiring materials, improving my Spanish, and living in a very different culture from SDSU and the United States. I appreciate OIP’s financial support of $3000 towards my travel expenses, and the granting of a sabbatical by the Library and the University. Mil gracias!

V. Additional Information

19-22 October, 2005 I attended the XV Conferencia Anual de la Asociación Internacional Literatura Femenina Hispánica, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. http://ixbalameditores.org/Conferencia/index.htm This was co-chaired by Dr. Janet Gold, a friend/past Fulbright colleague from my 1989 Honduras Fulbright experience. She and I have remained in contact, I have introduced her to a manuscript treasure on the Salvadoran artist/author, Salarrué; I invited her to speak on her research at SDSU and USCD in April 2004. She completed her book and after this conference, came to San Salvador on Oct. 23-25 to make the book presentation at the Museo de la Palabra y la Imágen. http://www.museo.com.sv/ I acquired her book, Sagatara Mío, for SDSU Library and have added it to our collection; she listed me first on the acknowledgment page and at the presentation. Also, while attending the AILFH conference, I met many other Central American women writers and literary critics. As acquiring this literature is one of my principal responsibilities for SDSU Library, this was time very-well spent.

26-28 October, 2005 I attended the Primer Congreso Centroamericano de Arqueología en El Salvador. http://www.congresodearqueologia.org/
This conference brought together archeologists, anthropologists, historians, and other academics from all the Central American countries, the US, and Europe to share their research, digs, expertise, and knowledge about numerous pre-Colombian peoples, their culture, artifacts, influence, etc. I had the opportunity not only to attend some very educational presentations, but also to speak with many of the scholars personally. For instance, I met Dr. Karen Bruhns, professor from San Francisco State, principal investigator at the Cihuatán Site in El Salvador. I examined and bought numerous hard-to-find documents for SDSU Library.

16-19 November 2005 I was invited to Managua, Nicaragua by Connie Mendez Rojas, the librarian at Save the Children Noruega. http://www.cedocsavethechildren.org.ni
She and I have enjoyed a long professional relationship: she stayed at my condo in 1990 when SALALM held its conference in San Diego. I arranged for scholarships for her to attend two professional conferences: the SLA conference in Los Angeles in 2002, and the IFLA conference in Oslo in 2005. In gratitude for this assistance, her superiors offered me lodging and a driver for my three days/nights in Managua. If anyone travels to Managua, I highly recommend Hotel Brandt: http://www.brandtshotel.com.ni/. Connie accompanied me to numerous special, public, and academic libraries, to museums, to a book presentation, and to an evening of Nicaraguan music. On that evening we were joined by my San Diego friend, Sue Howe, who worked at SDSU’s Biology Department and received her MPH here; she is now researching women’s health at a small clinic in rural Nicaragua.

19-24 November 2005 I proceeded on to San José, Costa Rica where I had been offered a position in 1975 at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia; I did not accept that, and have often wondered how my life may have changed had I lived and worked in Costa Rica thirty years ago. I re-visited this university and several others, also the Biblioteca Nacional, and the Museo Nacional. At the latter, I consulted with the two librarians there and have been in email contact with them about their special natural history collections. http://www.museocostarica.go.cr/ As Costa Rica is one of the principal destinations of SDSU students and faculty, I feel it was important for me to renew my knowledge of this small but special country.

GRACIAS POR TODO OTRA VEZ!