On June 7, 2005, Dole Asia formalized a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Education (DepEd) of the Republic of the Philippines in support of the Library Hub Project. The Dole Asia Library Hub is the first to be established in Mindanao, and the second one to be launched in the entire country, as a pilot project.
The Dole Asia Library Hub Project
The original Library Hub Project was conceptualized in 2004 by the office of then DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz in response to inadequate supply of storybooks and supplementary reading materials in the Philippine public school system. DepEd aims to put up 300 library hubs nationwide by 2010 to promote the love of reading in children and supplement the goal of “Every Child a Reader by Grade 3” – the nationwide curricular program launched to “raise reading and comprehensive levels of Filipino students as a requisite for lifelong learning and achievement”.
Through Library Hubs, DepEd hopes to help schools establish their own reading corners, train teachers to develop and implement reading programs in their respective schools, and build relationships with donors, NGOs, and local government to source private and public funds for establishing local school libraries.
The Library Hub is a part of the Adopt-A-School Program , or AASP, which was established through Republic Act 8525 or the Adopt-A-School Act in 1998 allowing private organizations to assist public schools in ensuring their access to quality education. AASP addresses problems in infrastructure, increased drop-out rates, the decreasing over-all quality of education, as well as nutrition and poverty.
How it works
The Library Hubs are housed in existing public or private buildings with an area of at least 250 - 300 square meters. They are accessible or strategically located near public schools and usually idle structures that have been identified by a DepEd regional office or division with an Engineering team to meet the Library Hub requirements.
Upon approval and signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between DepEd and the sponsor, the refurbishing and conversion of the old building to a Library Hub takes place.
A Library Hub functions as a warehouse that can store 10,000 to 25,000 books in smaller divisions to as many as 50,000 to 200,000 books in larger divisions accommodating anywhere from 30 to 100 public schools in any given district. A librarian, library clerk, and utility staff run the Hub.
A Hub lends books to schools, and schools in turn lend these books to their students. Each school can borrow a bundle and store them in their own libraries or reading corners for up to 30 days. These books are then returned to allow other schools access to the same materials.
Dole’s Commitment
In addition to donating P 2 million to refurbish the place, Dole also facilitated and covered the cost of transporting the books from the DepEd Head office in Manila to Davao. The company also shouldered the Hub’s 2006 operational expenses, particularly the salaries of the Library Hub personnel.
The eye-catching yellow-colored Dole Asia-sponsored Library Hub, which became fully operational at the opening of the school year on June 1, 2006, is strategically located at the heart of Davao City near several public schools. It currently serves the entire City School District -- 307,800 students in 285 schools. Since 2007, it has been entirely run and funded by DepEd Davao.
The Davao Hub houses 76,548 books with 281 titles as of August 2008. It has all the basic features typical of a Hub plus a reading corner. American history books have also been added to the bundles – a special request of Dole Chairman David H. Murdock.
To-date, DepEd has opened almost one hundred library hubs.
Sources: www.adopt-a-school.ph, www.deped.gov.ph, www.inquirer.net, www.mb.com.ph, www.davaocity.gov.ph,
Marge Barro (DepEd consultant)