ICT-Davao mulls e-library for young IT enthusiasts

THE Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Davao is planning to put up a cutting-edge facility in Davao City to attend to the needs of young information technology (IT) enthusiasts in terms of development and research.

ICT-Davao executive vice president Bert Barriga said the facility -- an electronic library -- entails transforming the traditional libraries in the city to a more advanced one and turning this to a more usable tool than what the existing libraries can provide.

A library intended for incubating just mere ideas will provide an innovation space for IT players, according to Barriga.

Barriga said the challenge of materializing such an e-library was the challenge of Beyond Access, which is composed of 35 countries, including ICT-Davao. The challenge was posed during the US mission last September 28 to October 4.

"The theme really was empowering libraries all-over the world, especially making this to innovation spaces. The challenge is how we can transform our libraries to innovation spaces," Barriga said.

Being the ones behind the skyrocketing improvement in the industry, Barriga said ICT-Davao will craft a program design to set up the e-library. He said a team from Beyond Access will arrive in Davao City late next month to formally forge an agreement with ICT-Davao.

"Apportion of that will be funded by the Beyond Access," he said, referring to the funds necessary for the establishment of the facility in the city.

Barriga explained that the e-library will be an idea center that will provide a zone for aspiring IT players and encourage them to make an effort to invent and innovate more that is geared toward boosting them in terms of skills and technical ability.

"What's your traditional perspective of a library? You go borrow books and read. Now, it's going to be different. This e-library is a center where they can use their creative juices," he said.

Barriga underscored the importance of putting up an e-library in the city since there are a lot of potentials who need a place where they can fine-tune and make more researches about their ideas.

He cited Roderick Dayot, the developer of the PyroClave, a technology which decomposes infectious wastes through the use of Pyrolosis. Dayot is now drawing more attention from other industry players abroad who are interested on his invention.

PyroClave is now undergoing incubation for three months in Silicon Valley in United States of America where several other inventions are also being fine-tuned there.