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DOST's STARBOOKS now in SOCCSKSARGEN schools
Wednesday, February 25, 2015 10:52 PM Views : 547Philippine Information AgencyKORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Feb. 25 (PIA) -- DOST's Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Stations (STARBOOKS) are now in two state-owned and a Catholic Church- run higher education institute (HEI) in SOCCSKSARGEN Region.
Dr. Zenaida P. HR Laidan, regional director of DOST 12, explained STARBOOKS is an educational innovation in line DOST's aim to provide the public with relevant and timely S&T information. It is a one-stop repository for science and technology and livelihood data.
This stand-alone, on-site research and information kiosk provides free access to information, and is highly appropriate for public libraries, Dr. Laidan said.
"This is one of DOST's strategies in making S&T information accessible and available to our citizens, geared towards the needs of students, researchers, and entrepreneurs, especially those from the countryside. The content of the library is continuously built up to ensure that the material offered is updated, rich and appropriate," she continued.
STARBOOKS is not accessed online, and does not require an internet connection. Its built-in server can provide simultaneous access to users, who can save the digital materials they need on their standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) drives, or by printing them out.
State-run schools that have already availed of the STARBOOKS are University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato headed by its president, Dr. Francisco Gil Garcia and the Cotabato State Polytechnic College in Cotabato City under Dr. Dammang Bantala.
STARBOOKS has also been installed at the Notre Dame University (NDU) in Cotabato City.
"Information nowadays is right at one's fingertips" says Dr. Laidan told students, faculty members and officials at the launching of the STARBOOKS in CCSPC on February 11.
Emphasizing the massive information contained in the system, the DOST director noted that currently the digital library holds over 500,000 500,000 titles of digitized journals, serial publications, reference materials, annual reports, theses and dissertations, technical and project reports, and directories of DOST-STII's library materials.
"It also contains over 170 technology and livelihood videos from the different DOST agencies for aspiring entrepreneurs. The video topics range from food processing to laundry soap manufacturing and other livelihood materials," she continued.
At the launching in CCSPC, President Bantala said, " "We are very thankful for DOST in responding immediately to our request of availing this STARBOOKS", emphasizing further that the "upgrading of our library is one of the core components and requirements for our school's accreditation program."
Louise Ian Delos Reyes, DOST-STII team leader at the portal STARBOOKS deployment for Cotabato City, in her presentation said the installation of the kiosk is free.
Reyes elaborated that interested companies, local government units, non-government organizations, and educational institutions only need to provide their own computer units to be used as STARBOOKS units.
To maintain the uniform look and design, clients will have to construct their own STARBOOKs pods, with specifications to be provided by STII, she added.
Availment of the STARBOOKS requires signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the stakeholder's commitment. The co-signers will be the DOST 12 Regional Director, head of the recipient institution and the DOST-STII designated team leader.
"While many institutions have signified intentions to avail of the STARBOOKS, we have to fast track the establishment to shift from the book shelves to paperless and digitized libraries ". (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from BKTagitikan-DOST 12)