Two (2) library personnel namely: Fely A. Akilith and Virginia C. Kilito attended the 2018 STARBOOKS convention. DOST-CAR Regional Director Dr. Nancy A. Bantog welcomed the organizers headed by the DOST Science and Technology Information Institute and participants from regions 1, 2, 3 and CAR to the event, saying that everyone should work together to create a science culture in the regions.

STARBOOKS is an acronym for Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosks, the first Philippine S&T digital library, is a standalone information source designed to bring S&T information to the grassroots. It aims to provide S&T-based educational and learning resources in various formats to geographically-isolated schools and local government units throughout the country as well as to enhance the educational competence of students in its beneficiary schools.

Meanwhile, Mr. Alan Taule of DOST-STII read the message of USec Brenda Nazareth-Manzano who extended her greetings to all participants, saying that STARBOOKS is an innovation that could benefit those in the GIDAs especially since access to information is possible even without an internet connection.

In his message, DOST R3 Regional Director Dr. Julius Caesar V. Sicat challenged the participants and STARBOOKS beneficiaries to own the science digital library as we are all partners in bringing needed information especially in the regions.

Finally, Hon. Cresencio C. Pacalso, Governor of Benguet province extended his appreciation for bringing the STARBOOKS to CAR, particularly Benguet. He committed to work with the DOST in bringing the science digital library to the municipalities even as currently, Benguet has the highest number of STARBOOKS beneficiaries in the region.

Inputs from key partners such as Knowledge Channel, Children's Hour, FrontLearners, and a lot more.

One of the highlights of the convention was the appearance of Ms. Hillary Diane Andales from Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines, alumna of Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) – winner of 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge with her winning 3-minute video on Relativity and the Equivalence of Reference Frames. The awarding ceremony was held in Mountain View, California, USA. As part of her price, she won a scholarship and will take up BS Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2019.

The convention was attended by around 200 delegates from DOST key officials and representatives, deployment officers and beneficiaries in the Northern Luzon Cluster.

STARBOOKS is deployed in over 2,662 sites nationwide. Interested institutions may avail of the said project through DOST-STII (www.stii.dost.gov.ph) or visit the nearest DOST regional/provincial office in the area. The Super STARBOOKS version is available online and a mobile application is already being developed to make STARBOOKS more accessible to more people.

For more information about STARBOOKS, email all inquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or call telephone numbers (632) 837-2071 local 2135, (632) 837-2191 to 95 local 105/106, (632) 837-2071 local 2130.