Mrs. LILIA “Lily” F. ECHIVERRI built a hugely respectable career in the University of the Philippines Law Complex, Law Library and used her talents to contribute significantly both to the growth of the Institution, and to the growth of the Librarianship profession and the 46 different professional organizations. In the past 45 years in the government, she upheld the highest standards in all her work as Professional Law Librarian.
Rising through the ranks, she works diligently as clerical staff and later on, as past Professional Law Librarian, Special Assistant to the Dean, Consultant and Community Servant. Through a combination of passion, talent, hard work, innovative, integrity, creativity, collaborative involvement in various professional organization and genuine display of excellence in the conduct of her profession, ushered her reins the said positions. As part of leadership, she was able to further expand and establish the U.P. Law Library as “National Legal Library” not only in Diliman but also in University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City (UPBGC).
Lily was involved in the mission of the law school and library and information science, to place greater emphasis on skills training, to be actively engaged in the teaching of information skills and involved in the management, organization and delivery of electronic information locally and internationally, collaborate in constructing a portal or a virtual learning or research environment, and assist in the selection and administration not only of information products but also the delivery mechanisms.
She was in the forefront of transforming the U.P. College of Law Library and U.P. Information Communication Telecommunication Office (ICTO) into a modern IT facility for law researchers being recognized locally and globally law library. With a distinguished career as professional librarian, she has been known nationally and internationally through her successful projects, extension and professional engagements. She is a relentless advocate of the modern information professional and resource speaker, author and trainor on continuing professional education programs.
Moreover, in this age of digital disruption caused by emerging innovative technologies and digital research institution models, Lily focused upon the integration of digital solutions into U.P. Law Complex existing products and services to cater and increase their value in the professional services and space. One such solution is to digitize the important U.P. Law Complex publications and collections to enable faculty, researchers, students, member of the bench and the bar and staff to use information finds easy and better answers. The hub serves as a catalyst for digital transformation. It is a platform that U.P Law Complex in delivering advanced technological services to stakeholders. Additionally, he leads in the renovation and improvement of the U.P. Law Library’s offices, space and facilities, in order to provide the law library personnel with a safe, state-of-the-art and conducive studying and working environment.
Lily has made the librarianship profession stand proudly side by side with the other professions. Above all, she performs her tasks excellently that brought the name of U.P., likewise the library profession to greater honors and excellence.
Lily was graduated from Baguio Colleges Foundation (University of Cordilleras) in 1970 with Associate of Commercial Science (ACS), and Philippine School of Business Administration in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). She completed the Master of Library Science (MLS) degree in University of the Philippines (UP) in 1996.
Attended local and international trainings and to mentioned a few are: Training-Workshop on Digitization. Digital Preservation, and Access, U.P. Main Library (2017); Train-the-Trainors Workshop in Internet Manifesto sponsored by IFLA-FAIFE held in Wesleyan University, Middletown Connecticut and New York (2007); Electronic Library Resources sponsored by ASTRAN Asia-Pacific Technology and Research in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2000); Emerging Technologies for Automated Information Services and Management sponsored by U.P. held at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), CLAIR, Bangkok, Thailand (1997).
Lily is a Screening and Selection Committee Member in the deliberation of the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) “Outstanding Professional of the Year” award to exceptional professionals recognizing their excellence achievements in their respective professions and their significant contributions and services to fellow professionals, the profession and the nation; and to adopt the new design for the trophy for the Outstanding Professional of the Year award. She complies with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and set an example for professionals by encouraging to comply as well as to advance through their own careers. Chair the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)-Committee on Nomination for the Professional Regulatory Board (PRB) for Librarians; and Member of PRC-PRB-BFL – Committee on Continuing Professional Education/ Development. Moreover, she served as Executive Committee Member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts – Committee on Libraries and Information Services (NCCA-NCLIS) for two terms.
Throughout her career, Lily has been part of organizations that are dedicated to improving the profession and various leadership and membership roles as President, Vice-President, Board of Trustees, Chairperson of the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI), Philippine Group of Law Librarians (PGLL), Association of Special Libraries of the Philippines (ASLP), founder of SLA-Asia Chapter and Member on International Programme Committee on the theme “Shaping the Future of Special Libraries: Beyond Boundaries, New Delhi; University of the Philippines Library Alumni Association, Inc. (UPLSAA); Founder, President and Vice President of Asosasyon ng Aklatan at Sinupan ng Diliman, Inc. (AASDI); Vice-President of Philippine Society of Librarians and Information Specialists (PSLIS); and Founder and Adviser of Network of Academic Law Librarians (NALL).
In the international involvement, she became as the First Filipino law librarian Officer and Scholarship Committee Member of International Association of Law Librarians (IALL). Likewise, introduced the Philippine Group of Law Librarians (PGLL) as local chapter of IALL and uplifted and helped the four Filipino law librarians in the IALL Scholarship (Bursary) Annual Course held in different years and countries; Committee Member and Chaired the IFLA-FAIFE Internet Manifesto Philippines Project, and Standing Committee Member of IFLA - Law Division.
After her retirement from U.P., she is still active in the profession being the first librarian President of the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations, Inc. (PFPA), to bind the 46 accredited professional associations for expediency in coordination and cooperation. She Chaired the Selection and Evaluation of PFPA Excellence Awards and publication of the PFPA Souvenir Program for two terms.
Through his dedicated leadership, Lily led the unmatched efforts at spearheading the continuous fund campaign for the Balai Ti PLAI Project (PLAI Headquarters); Initiated the PLAI, ALA and IFLA Philippine Library Relief Fund; Train the Trainers Workshop of IFLA-FAILE-PLAI cascaded to CONSAL member countries and different 16 regional councils; the establishment of the PLAI-NCCA-NCLIS National Book Week activities nationwide; leads the Implementation of the PLAI and ASLP New By-Laws; PRB-BFL Standards for Philippine Libraries; Librarian’s Code of Ethics; Outreach and Scholarship Program to several schools in Metro Manila; and Outreach Program by donating books to several regional libraries.
In addition to devoting her time to U.P. Law Library, Lily make it a point to be involved in the development of the profession and mindful of the needs of the professionals and researchers through various publications such as PLAI Handbook of Information (2009); Library Education in the Philippines published by CONSAL entitled The Profiles of Library Education in Southeast Asia (2013); Law Librarianship in the Philippines : The IALL International Handbook o Legal Information Management published by Ashgate Publishing Limited (2011); Report: IFLA-FAIFE Train-the-Trainers on Internet Manifesto: Philippine Project (2008-2009) published at IFLA-FAIFE website: http://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-internet-manifesto-train-the-trainers-workshop-manila-philippines; Index to Annotations in the Supreme Court Reports Annotation (SCRA) and Philippine Law Reports, published by U.P. Law Center (1997-2014); Evaluation of Legal Periodical Collections of Selected Law School Libraries in Metro Manila, U.P. Institute of Library Science, Quezon City (1996); U.P. Collection Development Policy (CDP) and Library Rules and Regulations (2012) published by U.P. Main Library Diliman; and the PFPA Excellence Souvenir Program (2000-2001).
She receives several awards and recognitions/appreciations from her institution and professional associations local and international for her untiring efforts in advancing the library profession in general, and law librarianship in particular, in her capacity as Law Librarian, Officer, Committee Member and Community Service of different associations and institutions such as: EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER (REPS Category) in recognition of her OUTSTANDING performance, a MODEL public servant awarded by U.P. Law Complex; GAWAD CHANCELLOR (Reps Category) awarded by University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman; SCHOLARSHIP AWARD given by University of the Philippines Diliman; GAWAD PAGPAPAHALAGA awarded by Pambansang Komisyon Para Sa Kultural At Mga Sining; PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION awarded by Association of Special Libraries of the Philippines (ASLP); PLAQUE OF RECOGNITION awarded by Philippine Group of Law Librarians (PGLL); HALL OF FAME AWARD, Service Award, Gabriel A. Bernardo Award, Cirilo B. Perez Award awarded by Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI); CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION for the OUTSTANDING lectures on the Introduction to Philippine Legal Materials Focusing on Rules and Regulations Emanating from the Executive Branch of Government given by the Office of the President; IFLA-FAIFE TRAINOR GRANT COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE awarded by Federation of Library Association and Institutions – Committee on Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression, SCHOLARSHIP AWARD given by IFLA, Asia-Pacific Technology and Research Network (ASTRAN); IALL Professional Development Award awarded by International Association of Law Librarians; SLA Global Fellow awarded by Special Libraries Association (SLA); Fellowship Grant given by American Association of Law Librarians and the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL). She was also awarded as Ulirang Ina Awardee 2013 for having proven worth as a response led and committed mother, thus, giving inspiration to her family and to other members of the community; and several appreciation for her significant services of the community towards the furtherance of God’s Kingdom.
Lily significantly contributed to the effective discharge of the profession’s social responsibility through meaningful contribution and participation in socio-related activities. As Founder and President of Pook Amorsolo Residence Association – U.P. (PARA-UP); Steward of The Lord’s Flock Catholic Charismatic Community in UP Pook Amorsolo, Krus Na Ligas and the 8 government chapters; and a Member/Secretary of Rotary International District 3780, the Rotary Club of Kalakhang Katipunan (RC2K), she established a Multi-Purpose Building (Fernando Hall) for the community. The mission is to promote camaraderie among the community and to help fellow kababayan in the works and social life and welfare. These include campaign in keeping its members healthy, physically fit, train, teach, evangelize and uplift Spiritual and Moral Values to the community.
