Resources - Resource centre manual
Over the years, Healthlink Worldwide has received many requests from organisations working in primary health care and related fields for advice in setting up resource centres.
In response, the resource manual was created. Much of the information is drawn from the experience of Healthlink Worldwide and its partners in developing resource centres specialising in health and disability issues.
The manual contains practical information on all aspects of setting up and managing a resource centre: from planning, fundraising and finding a suitable location, to collecting and organising materials, developing information services, and monitoring and evaluating the work of the resource centre. It includes information on how to use computers, get the most out of the Internet and select database software.
The practical information includes checklists, tips, examples and illustrations, which can be used for reference or training.
The manual is available in print or can be downloaded as a PDF, or is available on line on the Source International Information Centre, of which Healthlink Worldwide is a founding partner (See right hand side links on this page).
Readers of the manual are welcome to print out the pages for use as handouts or adapt any of the content for other materials (provided it is for educational purposes and the source is acknowledged).
The manual provides the answers to many of the questions we are asked, such as:
- What issues should we consider when setting up a resource centre?
- What classification scheme should we use?
- Do we need to have a computer to run a resource centre?
- How do we get people to use our resource centre?
Healthlink Worldwide has supported the development of resource centres in
a number of countries, primarily in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and
has provided training for organisations developing new resource
centres, as well as giving hands-on technical support for those with existing
resource centres, this includes developing information and knowledge management
systems and organisational guidelines on good practice.
Recently our resource centre training has included the following projects, more information is available in the Projects and Issues section:
Supporting nine National AIDS councils in Africa (as part of the SIPAA programme)
Needs assessment of the Mekong Malaria Documentation Centre
Supporting 43 district resource centres in Tanzania
Connecting 5 HIV and AIDS resource centres in the Baltic Sea region
Supporting a disability information system in South East Europe