The University of the Philippines Diliman College of Engineering Library successfully held its eResources Day 2026 from June 30 to July 2 at the Engineering Learning Commons. The three-day event highlighted the library’s commitment to advancing teaching, learning, and research through the strategic development of its electronic resources and services. Organized by the College of Engineering Library in coordination with the Library Faculty Committee and its representatives from the College’s departments and institutes, the initiative was led by Ms. Sharon Maria S. Esposo-Betan, Head Librarian, Co-Chair of the Library Faculty Committee, and Chair of eResources Day 2026.

This year's eResources Day commenced with a mini-conference and fellowship cocktail centered on the theme, "The AI and Open Access Paradox: Navigating Complexity in Teaching and Learning." The conference explored the opportunities, challenges, and emerging strategies surrounding artificial intelligence and open access in higher education, research, and scholarly publishing. Held on June 30, the first day featured experts in engineering, education, and research who shared insights on the responsible use of AI, the evolving landscape of open access, and the transformative role of these technologies in contemporary research and academic publishing.

Dr. Louie Danao, Chair of the Library Faculty Committee, welcomed participants by highlighting eResources Day as a venue for faculty members, librarians, and resource providers to explore emerging technologies and innovative solutions that support teaching, learning, and research. University Librarian Ms. Elvira Lapuz followed with opening remarks, emphasizing the Library's evolving role in providing digital resources while promoting information literacy and the ethical use of information.

Representing Dean Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling is Dr. Leslie Joy Diaz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who shared the College's vision of becoming the National Institutes of Engineering (NIE) through strengthened graduate education, research, and innovation. The mini-conference featured presentations from local and international library partners on artificial intelligence, research, and scholarly communication. During the morning session, Dr. Wong Woei Fuh discussed responsible AI adoption in academia, while Mr. A.B. Gideon N. De Castro demonstrated access to engineering resources through Tuklas, OpenAthens, and EZproxy, explained the Library's electronic resource evaluation process, and Ms. Iris Hsu of iesResearch presented AI-assisted research workflows.

For the afternoon session, it was followed by Dr. Johan Jang of Elsevier Southeast Asia, who examined the opportunities and challenges of generative AI in research. Mr. John Morris, Manager of Open Research for APAC, highlighted developments in open access publishing, and Mr. Eric G. Eugenio of CE Nexus Pte. Ltd. introduced digital tools that support research and scholarly writing.

The conference was followed by a Passport Activity, where participants visited partner booths to explore electronic resources and research tools. The first day concluded with a Fellowship Cocktail and a ceremonial toast led by Dr. Louie Danao and Ms. Jacqueline Sia of Wiley, celebrating the College's continued collaboration with its local and international library partners in advocating for academic excellence.

For Day 2, on July 1, the eResources Fair brought together the College's library partners—MegaTEXTS Phil., Inc., CE-Logic Inc., LibTech Source Philippines Inc., and Academic Paradigm Inc.—to showcase the latest electronic resources, databases, digital platforms, and research solutions. Through product presentations, live demonstrations, and consultations, Library Faculty Committee (LFC) members evaluated resources that support engineering education and research while engaging directly with library partners and international publishers. The activity also strengthened institutional partnerships and encouraged discussions on collection development, subscription planning, and emerging trends in scholarly communication.

The final day, July 2, was dedicated to the Library Faculty Committee's evaluation and deliberation of the electronic resources presented during the fair. Guided by insights from the conference and product demonstrations, committee members assessed each resource based on its relevance to the College's instructional, research, and extension needs, as well as its usability, accessibility, and long-term value.

Overall, eResources Day 2026 reaffirmed the College of Engineering Library's commitment to providing high-quality digital resources that support teaching, learning, and research while strengthening collaboration among faculty, the library, and its library partners.