Here is the introduction of Ms. Alicia Chavarria Esguerra.
Mabuhay! 
I am Alicia Chavarria Esguerra. I am a Librarian of Bulacan State University, located in the historic City of Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines. I am also an Associate Professor from the same university, teaching Library and Information Science subjects like Information Sources and Services, Organization of Information Sources and Services, Archives and Records Management and Research Methodology for Library and Information Science, among others. It is my first time to be in the beautiful City of Kyoto although it has always been my dream to visit this amazing country which exemplifies the fact that technology and nature can co- exist and share a symbiotic relationship with each other.
I will be working on a research that would attempt to describe library education and practices in Japan and the Philippines, identify similarities and understand differences, with the end in view of finding avenues by which these two great nations can work in mutual cooperation in the field of Librarianship and Information Science. I also hope to finish along the way my research about the history and development of library education and librarianship during the early period of the American colonization in the Philippines. In addition, I will catalog and classify the Ambeth Ocampo Collection available at the CSEAS Library, and work in partnership with Professor Mikiko Ono in the compilation of an annotated bibliography of this rich Filipiniana collection.
The next six months of my stay as a Visiting Research Scholar will be intellectually stimulating and challenging, and I am so thankful for the opportunity given to me to work in this dynamic academic environment. Thank you very much Kyoto University- Center for Southeast Asian Studies for all the support and the wonderful opportunity to be a part of this prestigious institution. I endeavor to learn from this experience as much as be able to share something, albeit little, to the literature and knowledge about South East Asia.
① 
①This is the College of Engineering Library where I work as a Librarian. It caters primarily to the College of Engineering students which is estimated to roughly 5, 000 students. Unfortunately, the Library is small and can only accommodate less than 200 students at at time. So far, this is the biggest Library in the University. The other College Libraries are scattered thoughout the campus and serve their own students. This is the setting now with the absence of a Main University Library which we hope to have by year 2020 if funds would be available.
②Books are easily accessible to students.
③These are the computers that we have for students’ use to access online journals.
Mabuhay!
Ako po ay si Alicia Chavarria Esguerra. Ako ay isang laybraryan mula sa Pambansang Pamantasan ng Bulacan na matatagpuan sa makasaysang Lungsod ng Malolos, Lalawigan ng Bulacan sa Pilipinas. Ako po ay isa ring Associate Professor mula sa nasabing pamantasan, at nagtuturo ng mga asignaturang pang Aklatan at Impormasyong Agham gaya ng Pinagkukunang Impormasyon at Paglilingkod Pang- Aklatan, Pag-sasaaayos ng mga Pinagkukunang Impormasyon at Paglilingkod Pang- Aklatan, Pamamahala ng mga Talaan at Sinupan, Pananaliksik para sa Aklatan at Impormasyong Agham, at iba pa.
Ito ang unang pagkakataong ako ay makarating sa magandang Lungsod ng Kyoto bagama’t malaon ko nang pinapangarap na makarating sa bansang Hapon na mainam na patunay na ang teknolohiya at kalikasan ay maaring manatiling magkasama ng walang sagabal o negatibong epekto sa isa’t isa.
Ang aking pagsasaliksik ay nakatuon sa paglalarawan sa pag-aaral pang aklatan at kagawian patungkol sa paglilingkod pang-aklatan sa bansang Hapon at Pilipinas, upang matuklasan ang pagkakahalintulad at maunawaan ang kanilang ipinagka-iba, na ang hangarin ay higit na mapalawak ang pag-tutulungan ng dalawang bansa sa larangan ng aklatan at laybraryanship. Nais ko ring tapusin ang aking sinimulang pagsasaliksik patungkol sa kasaysayan at pag-laganap ng pag-aaral patungkol sa aklatan at laybraryanship noong panahon ng kolonisasyon ng Amerika sa Pilipinas. Gagawin ko rin ang pagka- catalog at pag-aayos ng Ambeth Ocampo Collection ng Aklatan ng CSEAS, at makikipag- tulungan kay Propesor Mikiko Ono sa pag- hahanda ng talaan ng mga aklat na kabilang sa Ocampo Collection na isang mayamang pagkukunan ng kaalaman patungkol sa Pilipinas.
Ang anim na buwang pananatili ko dito sa pamantasan bilang isang Panauhing Iskolar sa Panaliksik ay isang malaking hamon ngunit napaka-inam na pagkakataong bihirang makamtan ng sinuman at siyang lubos kong ipinagpa- pasalamat sa buong pamunuan ng Sentro ng Pag-aaral Patungkol sa Timog- Silangang Asya ng Pamantasan ng Kyoto. Gagawin ko ang lahat upang matuto mula sa karanasang ito upang may maibahagi ako sa mga kapwa ko Pilipinong laybraryan sa aking pagbabalik sa Pilipinas matapos ang anim na buwan. Gagawin ko rin ang aking makakaya upang makapag- ambag ng kahit munting karunungan patungkol sa panitikan at kaalaman ukol sa Timog- Silangang Asya.
Maraming salamat po!