Roxas Campus Library launches DOST's 'STARBOOKS' offline digital library

September 10, 2025

by Louie Jay T. Boscato

Access to scientific information online has been made easy.

As the Campus Library of Roxas Campus aims to bring information, science, and technology closer to its constituents, it launches the DOST's digital information access STARBOOKS. This standalone information kiosk can work even without internet access.

Witnessed by the PTC Board of Directors, the Campus Director, and some other guests, Roxas Campus Library formally introduced the innovation on September 5, 2025, through a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with a theme "Bringing Science and Technology closer to the Campus Community."

"This project shows and implies our goals and objectives to continuously provide accessible and free learning materials to support the lifelong learning of our stakeholders," according to Roxas Campus Library Staff Jeram Q. Ladrillo in a separate interview with The Voice team.

In this quest, PSU-Roxas was the first external campus of the Palawan State University to embrace the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program, which is aimed at being helpful to the campus community, students, faculty, and staff. STARBOOKS is the first Philippine Science Digital Library and a remarkable milestone for the nation's science and technology department.

The acronym STARBOOK stands for "Science & Technology Academic and Research Based Openly Operated KioskS." It contains hundreds of thousands of digital science and technology resources in text, video/audio, and specially designed "pods" with a user-friendly interface.

Besides science and technology, this portal provides e-learning materials on K12, financial literacy, social studies, nature documentaries, and research.

The kiosks special features are: it is a standalone information kiosk hence information access is possible without internet connection, information available is on "read only" which can be printed out but not downloaded, it is a compendium of S&T information gathered from all over the world as a one stop S&T information source, and it features videos dubbed "Tamang DOSTkarte" livelihood videos to stimulate every Filipinos entrepreneurial capacity.

"Magagamit rin po ito ng mga estudyante ng BEED at BSED 'pag magka-craft na po [sila] ng lesson plan," Landrillo said.

Ladrillo added that this initiative can help PalawanSU-Roxas Campus community access a vast collection of digital academic learning resources for free.

"This project aims to motivate our learning community to value the essence of reading and to enhance their interest in Science and Technology.

"STARBOOKS is now available in our Campus Library. Please visit and try to explore the user-friendly features…. Let's explore and dive into the world of Science and Technology…. It is also your weapon to unlock your potential in science and technology," Ladrillo added.

Justine Rey E. Bagalay/The Voice Publication