Guidelines for the development of local documentation centres which can be maintained with minimum effort, and provide useful information on water and sanitation to colleagues and the local community without the help of professional librarians or documentalists. Concentrates on the basic tasks needed to set up and operate a small documentation centre at the local level. This second edition has been revised to take account of the developments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) which have revolutionised information provision during the past ten years. The revised guidelines continue to cover manual systems, but also include more detailed guidance on computer applications and access to the Internet
This is the introduction to a set of tools that form the draft Toolbox on Streams of Knowledge (SoK). The toolbox is a work in progress. Its use results in learning among partners in the SoK coalition that work together to strengthen resource centres' contributions to improved water and sanitation delivery. The learning process emerged from the project Study into Resources and Management (STREAM) of drinking water supply and sanitation centres in four continents. This brought together IRC's long standing partners and new ones in a joint learning process of what makes effective resource centres. Tools include: 1. Diagnostic study; 2. Understanding the resource centre concept; 3. Assessing the potential of a resource centre; 4. Gender scan guideline; 5. Consolidating resource centres; 6. Electronic information services; 7. Evaluating effectiveness of resource centres and their partners; 8. Self-assessment guide; 9. Improving management & control functions; 10. Quality assurance; 11. Impact Assessment