7.13 Newsletters
Newsletters can be a useful way to disseminate topical information
about local health issues and activities. They may include news
about the resource centre, articles about local health problems
and projects, research updates, details of new publications,
training opportunities and conferences, and letters and questions
from readers.
Newsletters have become easier to produce and more attractive
to look at with the use of computers. To make a newsletter into
a lively forum for the exchange of news and ideas, resource
centre staff could involve local health workers or community
groups in planning and providing information.
A few words of caution, however. A newsletter needs to have
clear aims. It needs to be properly funded and staffed over
a long period. Otherwise it can turn into a chore or a drain
on resources. It is important to:
- identify who the readers will be, what their information
needs are, and the purpose of the newsletter
- identify who will be responsible for planning, writing,
editing, layout and administration (including staff and others
who may be commissioned), what expertise they have and what
training they may need
- decide how to distribute the newsletter (for example, by
post, at the health centre, hospital, community centre or
chemist)
- develop a realistic budget that takes into account all production
and distribution costs, including salaries
- allow a realistic amount of time for the work and draw up
a realistic schedule
- plan several issues in advance to avoid gaps.
next: Section 8. Making links
and promotion
top of page
