About this manual
Over the years, we have received many requests from organisations
working in primary health care and related fields for support
in setting up resource centres, such as: What issues should we
consider when setting up a resource centre? What classification
scheme should we use? Should we set up a resource centre, although
we don’t have funds for a computer? What software would
you advise us to use? How can we get people to use our resource
centre? What ideas do you have to help us raise funds?
This manual provides the answers to these and many more questions.
It 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 assumes that most readers
will use manual systems for organising information, but also explains
how computers can be used in resource centres, including e-mail,
Internet and databases. It describes how to select database software,
and contains a detailed review of three leading database programs.
It includes a list of organisations and publications that can
provide further information.
The content includes practical information, checklists, tips,
examples and illustrations, which can be used for reference or
training. Any pages may be photocopied to use as handouts or adapted
for other materials, provided it is for educational purposes and
the source is acknowledged.
This manual will be of use to people who are involved in setting
up a resource centre, whatever its size. Some of the procedures
described are more applicable to large resource centres containing
several thousand materials - for example, a resource centre supporting
a health service training institution - but much of the information
also applies to smaller collections. The list of recommended reading
in the Further Reading section includes publications that are
relevant to different sizes of resource centre.
The information in this manual is drawn from our experience and
the experience of our partners in developing resource centres
specialising in health and disability issues. Although it includes
many references to the health sector, the same principles apply
to resource centres specialising in other areas, such as education,
environment or agriculture. It is hoped that this book will also
be useful to those working in other sectors.
If you have any comments or suggestions for how to improve future
editions, these would be very welcome.
next: Acknowledgements
top of page
Source
enourages the reproduction of material for non-profit uses. If you
would like to use any of the information in the resouce centre manual
please clearly credit Healthlink Worldwide and send a copy of the
publication to Healthlink Worldwide. 
