5 gov’t agencies launch electronic library project

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – Five government agencies and institutions have launched an electronic library project to help accelerate the country’s development.

Behind the project, launched recently with the signing of a memorandum of agreement, are the Departments of Science and Technology and Agricul-ture, University of the Philippines System, National Library (NL) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The MOA signatories were Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro, Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr., UP System president Dr. Francisco Nemenzo, NL director Prudenciana Cruz and CHED chairman Bro. Rolando Dizon.

The project, called "Philippine eLib," aims to provide a portal that contains a union catalogue of the holdings of the five government institutions and agencies, and links to these resources.

The cooperating entities will also digitize resources that are produced locally such as, but not limited to, dissertations, scholarly publications in the humanities, social sciences and science and technology, and materials that represent the county’s cultural heritage.

They will also share subscriptions to online databases and make these available to a wider audience. They will also facilitate access to these resources, particularly to state universities and colleges (SUCs), and to the general public.

Further, a mechanism of income generation to sustain the project will be established.