Story By Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga
Photos By Ma. Nita Bolo & Rachel Mae De Gracia
Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly-Operated KioskS, popularly known as STARBOOKS, is now in the St. Thomas of Villanova Library of Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos, Inc.
Thomasians are now free to access at least 8,000 science and technology resources including interactive demonstrations of science experiments, published dissertations and thesis, and audio-visual documentations of Philippine natural protected areas.
Mass Installation
Last May 13, 2024, the Department of Science and Technology-Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII) installed STARBOOKS to five desktop units of CST-R, three of which are now in the school library while the other two will be placed in the faculty rooms.
CST-R also hosted the installation of DOST’s e-Library to three other private Catholic schools including Colegio de Sta. Rita de San Carlos, Inc. (CSR), Mt. Carmel College of Escalante City (MCC) and St. Augustine Academy, Inc. of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
Twenty-four laptops of the Department of Education Division of San Carlos were also installed with STARBOOKS. The said units are now in different public elementary and national high schools across San Carlos City.
CST-R Partners with DOST
CST-R is now the official partner of DOST in advancing STEM education after a Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement was signed between DOST-STII, DOST Regional Office VI and the school last May 15, 2024 at the CST-R Cultural Hall.
“With this collaboration, CST-R is now a recognized partner of DOST-STII and DOST VI and a legitimate promoter of their projects and programs that put forward the advancement of science, technology and innovation,” Rev. Fr. Cristopher C. Maspara, OAR, CST-R President, said during his inspirational message.
DOST-STII Director Richard Burgos made the collaboration possible as he sought to give back to his Alma Mater in a profound way 50 years after his high school graduation.
“It is a good feeling to give back to the [CST-R] community that raised us,” Director Burgos proclaimed during his address. He is a member of CST-R Batch 1974.
Meanwhile, Fr. Maspara emphasized that the collaboration with DOST-STII is a “journey towards mutual development [that] comes with a greater sense of shared responsibility.”
STARBOOKS Certified
STARBOOKS Unit Head Marivic Narquita led the orientation of the schools’ focal persons on the basics of the e-library and on its value as a resource for pupils and students in high school and college.
Reynaldo Morales, STARBOOKS Unit IT, gave a step-by-step run through of the program including the generation of its usage reports and statistics and navigating science and math e-quizzes.
Science and Math teachers and IT staff form CST-R and CSR navigated STARBOOKS in actual during the demonstration proper.
STARBOOKS as Innovation
The digital repository of the DOST Library will be celebrating its 13th year in June 2024. It is free and can be used even without internet connection. STARBOOKS is constantly updating its contents. STARBOOKS Nature in collaboration with Silliman University and Negros Oriental State University is its latest audio-visual content.
