Two public elementary schools and a private college in Davao are the latest partners of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as it continuously expands its flagship project STARBOOKS, an initiative launched in 2011 that makes science end technology more accessible to Filipino learners. 

DOST Region XI, through separate events in early May 2024, has formalized its newest partnerships involving the agency's multi-awarded academic e-library, Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly-Operated Kiosk Stations, popularly known as STARBOOKS. 

All three campuses of The Holy Child College of Davao - Trinity, Kalayaan, and Green Meadows - will be benefitting from the collaboration. 

Meanwhile, P. Changco Elemenary School and Katualan Elementary School, both rural schools in Panabo City, also received units with the help of a partner foundation.

In an official DOST report, Regional Director Dr. Anthony Sales said the agency remains committed to its mission of bringing the vast ocean of scientific knowledge closer to members of the academia, which he believes is greatly possible through collaborative projects such as STARBOOKS.

"We are very happy with this partnership. We believe that the installation of STARBOOKS will nurture a vibrant academic community conducive to research and learning for the faculty members and students," Dr. Sales said during the signing ceremony with The Holy Child College of Davao.

STARBOOKS is an ongoing digital library project spearheaded by the Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) of DOST, the agency’s attempt to address the declining patronage for physical libraries. 

Launched in 2011, the project is dubbed as the first “Philippine Science Digital Library” in line with DOST’s intention to increase the number of information access portals in the regions through digitalization.

Davao City and DOST Regional Office IX were the first adopters of STARBOOKS, but it was not until 2012 when the project was mass-deployed in 44 public schools in Leyte. 

In 2014, DOST-STII announced that all regions across the country had at least one STARBOOK station installed.