Protocol on the Evaluation of Supplementary Reading Materials (SRMs) for the Library Hub Project

The Library Hub is an innovative project of the Department of Education (DepEd) under the Office of the Undersecretary for Finance and Administration. The main objective of the Project is to develop the love for and habit of reading among pupils and students in public elementary and secondary schools by building "warehouse" libraries equipped with supplementary reading materials (SRMs). The Library Hub provides reading and reference materials to be borrowed by the public school teachers for distribution to their pupils/students to support their lessons and help improve reading skills, vocabulary, knowledge, perspectives, and critical thinking. Therefore, the SRMs procured by the Library Hubs must be in sets of fifty (50) copies each, so that these can be distributed to a class. After use, these books are returned to the Library Hubs so that these can be borrowed by other teachers and used by other students.

To ensure the Project's success, the DepEd has organized and mandated the Library Hub Technical Working Group (TWG), composed of highly qualified and credible individuals from the government and the private sectors, with no conflict of interest, to perform the following functions:

1. provide technical assistance to the National Project Team;
2. develop the criteria and evaluation tool for SRMs for the Hubs;
3. facilitate the evaluation of SRMs exclusively for the Hubs; and
4. provide technical processing of SRMs for the Hubs.
   

The TWG derives its mandate from the following issuances:

Issuance	Title
a. DepEd Memorandum No. 269, s. 2009	Creation of Project Team for the Library Hub
b. DepEd Memorandum No. 434, s. 2009	Reconstitution of Library Hub Project Technical Working Group (TWG)
c. DepEd Memorandum No. 159, s. 2010	Strengthening the Library Hub Project Technical Working Group (TWG)
d. DepEd Memorandum No. 129, s. 2011	Reconstituting the Composition of the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Library Hub Project

To ensure that all SRMs for the Library Hubs adhere to the objectives of the Project and the needs of its target clientele, the Library Hub TWG is deputized to conduct evaluation of SRMs exclusively for Library Hubs. In selecting the SRMs for the Library Hubs, the TWG shall consider the following:

1. objectives and design of the Library Hub Project;
2. monitoring and evaluation of actual experiences in existing Library Hubs;
3. curriculum of the DepEd; and
4. needs of the students in the public school system.
   

The Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (IMCS) shall facilitate the publication of the SRM Call in leading newspapers to invite private publishers, suppliers or distributors to submit SRMs for the Library Hub TWG's consideration.

In selecting SRMs for the Library Hubs, the TWG may consider the SRMs included in the pre-approved lists such as those in DepEd Order No. 112, s. 2009, DepEd Order No. 48, s. 2011, and similar lists, provided that these lists satisfy the Project's objectives and the criteria set by the TWG.

The additional titles selected by the TWG, however, would only be for the purpose of the Library Hub Project, and for a particular procurement. The TWG is authorized to add new titles or to exclude certain titles for future procurements based on the evolving needs of the Library Hubs. The TWG-selected titles may not be procured by other DepEd units and projects unless separate approvals are obtained for that purpose.

After the selection of the SRMs, the list of the TWG-based SRMs shall be forwarded to the IMCS for appropriate action such as, but not limited to, providing the technical specifications, preparation of allocations, funding, and coordination with the Procurement Service (PS) for requirements in accordance with Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9184.
- https://www.affordablecebu.com/