DOST launches Mt Prov digital library

By Alfredo Gallardo

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- A team from Science and Technology Information Institute of the Department of Science and Technology Mountain Province launched here Wednesday a digital science library which could be accessed even through sell phones. 

DOST officials held orientation on DOST STARBOOKs here at XiJen College of Mountain Province, Inc. main library which boosted its library collection. 

Dubbed, Philippine’s First Digital Science Library, STARBOOKS  contains  thousands of digitized science and technology resources in various formats (text, audio/video).  

STARBOOKS is acronym for Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station also known as "Library in a box."

Annielyn D. Bacani, STARBOOKS administrator and coordinator of DOST-STII central office and her team led installation and presentation of the main features of the project digital library that will boost the library of XiJEN College of Mountain Province, Inc., one of the institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region that was recipient of STARBOOKS digital library project.

XiJEN College applied and availed of the STARBOOKS project of the DOST last June 2014.

Also present during the launching and installation were librarians from Mountain Province General Comprehensive High School, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, Tadian School of Arts and Trades, Guinzadan National High School, Bontoc Municipal Library, Provincial library and the library hub.  

The contents of STARBOOKS library can be accessed from the mobile phone of students through wifi or through a local area network.

XiJEN College’s library had also done innovations earlier on through the implementation of infolib free software that simplifies the book borrowing process.

Bacani said STARBOOKS intends to serve as information access portals in key areas in the Philippines. 

To avail of STARBOOKS project, a request letter to the office of the DOST-STII is needed and having a computer unit with at least 500 GB hard disk.