By Karren Jay G. Asgar

Assistant Professor Vince Ervin V. Palcullo, MAIS, presents the paper titled “Shelves, Skills, and Inclusion: The Development of a Workplace Immersion and Literacy Project of Henry Luce III Library for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities” at CONSAL XIX 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.

Assistant Professor Vince Ervin V. Palcullo, MAIS, representing Central Philippine University, joined the Philippine delegation at the 19th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians General Conference and Meeting (CONSAL XIX 2025) held from June 16 to 19, 2025, at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The conference, themed “Inclusive Knowledge: Bridging Divide, Empowering All,” gathered library professionals from across Southeast Asia to discuss advances in librarianship and information services.

Asst. Prof. Palcullo presented a research paper titled “Shelves, Skills, and Inclusion: The Development of a Workplace Immersion and Literacy Project of Henry Luce III Library for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.” The paper was co-authored by Dr. Merle L. Junsay, Dean of the CPU-College of Education; Prof. Ma. Cynthia T. Peleña, Director of Libraries; and Joan Iven Abello, a faculty member of the CPU-College of Education.

Under the conference subtheme “Building knowledge ecosystems for the Disabled and Marginalized,” the paper highlighted the library’s role in advancing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 10 (Reduced Inequality). It detailed a collaborative initiative with a Transition Center to implement workplace immersion and literacy projects aimed at individuals with developmental disabilities.

CONSAL, established in 1970, is a regional organization connecting library associations and institutions from ASEAN countries to foster cooperation and professional development. The biennial conference attracts delegates from nations including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.