COLINET Launches New Project to Bring Filipino Heritage Works Online The University of Southern Mindanao (USM) formally launched a new project through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with the members of the Cotabato Libraries and Information Netwaork, Inc. (COLINET), together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Committee on Library and Information Services (NCLIS) at the Kundo E. Pahm Learning Resource Center (KEPLRC) on July 23, 2026. USM serves as the lead institution for the initiative, bringing together representatives from 18 schools that make up COLINET to work as one team for the program. The project “Filipiniana Online: Digitization and Online Accessibility of Filipiniana Resources,” aims to turn valuable but often hard-to-find Filipiniana materials such as old books, local records, historical accounts, and research works about the Philippines into digital copies. At present, many of these important works are kept only on shelves, stored in different libraries across the province, and can be easily damaged or lost over time. Through this project, all these resources will be carefully copied and uploaded online. This way, students, teachers, researchers, and anyone interested will be able to read, study, and use them anytime and anywhere, without having to visit the library personally. Dr. Anita C. Sornito, project leader, shared “We are very fortunate to receive this funding for digitization nationwide. This is not just for one school it is for the whole province, so our heritage can be preserved and accessed by everyone.” The signing of the MOU signals the official start of this shared effort. All member libraries will work hand-in-hand to collect, preserve, and share these treasures, ensuring that the rich heritage of Cotabato and the whole country remains safe, seen, and valued for many generations to come.

USM Hospital Wins DOH Region XII CQI Video Contest

July 23, 2026

SOXAARRDEC Welcomes Collaborators

July 24, 2026

Published by Loynei Frias Sumalinog at July 23, 2026

The University of Southern Mindanao (USM) formally launched a new project through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with the members of the Cotabato Libraries and Information Network, Inc. (COLINET), together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Committee on Library and Information Services (NCLIS) at the Kundo E. Pahm Learning Resource Center (KEPLRC) on July 23, 2026.

USM serves as the lead institution for the initiative, bringing together representatives from 18 schools that make up COLINET to work as one team for the program.

The project “Filipiniana Online: Digitization and Online Accessibility of Filipiniana Resources,” aims to turn valuable but often hard-to-find Filipiniana materials such as old books, local records, historical accounts, and research works about the Philippines into digital copies.

At present, many of these important works are kept only on shelves, stored in different libraries across the province, and can be easily damaged or lost over time. Through this project, all these resources will be carefully copied and uploaded online. This way, students, teachers, researchers, and anyone interested will be able to read, study, and use them anytime and anywhere, without having to visit the library personally.

Dr. Anita C. Sornito, project leader, shared “We are very fortunate to receive this funding for digitization nationwide. This is not just for one school it is for the whole province, so our heritage can be preserved and accessed by everyone.”

The signing of the MOU signals the official start of this shared effort. All member libraries will work hand-in-hand to collect, preserve, and share these treasures, ensuring that the rich heritage of Cotabato and the whole country remains safe, seen, and valued for many generations to come.

Loynei Frias Sumalinog

Loy has a habit of buying books more often than actually reading them. Also, he sets reminder to only drink two cups of coffee in a day, and forgets it every time.