Common humanitarian technical library Tom Corsellis, Shelter Centre

Content of this presentation A proposal for the formation of a common humanitarian technical library, with the aim of gauging interest and setting up a working group Current initiatives Updates from the field New and existing publications An ‘open source’ database Easy navigation The current Shelter Centre library What stage are we at? Plenary

1. Current initiatives There are dozens of existing or planned open source technical libraries and knowledge capturing initiatives: OneResponse website Shelter Cluster library CCCM Cluster library WASH Cluster library Shelter Centre library Agencies libraries Urban Task Force library Early Recovery Cluster library

1. Current initiatives ... and a number of knowledge based libraries from academic institutions: WEDC - Loughborough University, UK Lund University, Sweden

1. Current initiatives There are (rightly) major overlaps in the content of all of these libraries

2. Updates from the field There is also a wealth of information gathered and formed in the field, much of which is not made available online

Common Humanitarian Technical Library 3. New and existing publications Why not support all these initiatives by providing access to all this information in one database which can be exported to anywhere it is needed? A platform for local knowledge capture + live uploads from the field Common Humanitarian Technical Library

4. An ‘open source’ database The library would be available as an ‘open source’ database, free for anyone to: copy into their own library embed as a functioning library into their own website view on the Common Humanitarian Technical Hub Copied Organisation’s own library resource Organisation’s own live library resource Common Humanitarian Technical Library Embedded (auto update) Common Humanitarian Technical Library website

5. Easy navigation The library would have an interface which is easy to navigate...

5. Easy navigation ...a faceted search function to avoid information overload... Amazon has thousands of options but you can still find what you want Recreation Outdoors equipment Tents Multicoloured tents

5. Easy navigation ...and geo-referencing of all content World Asia South East Asia Thailand

6. The current SC library Shelter Centre has already adopted this type of interface in our new library

6. The current SC library A faceted search function allows users to narrow their search gradually...

6. The current SC library ...“related documents” are suggested for each search...

6. The current SC library ...users have the option to browse more documents by the same author or publisher...

6. The current SC library ...and all documents are geo-referenced, allowing users to search for documents by country

Common Humanitarian Technical Library 7. What stage are we at ? + + + = Common Humanitarian Technical Library

8. Plenary Question 1 Do you think that this resource would be useful? Do you want to join the working group? Question 3 Would you contribute documents for the library?

8. Plenary Do you think that this resource would be useful? Do you want to join the working group? Would you contribute documents for the library? Please don’t forget to fill in your feedback form and return it to a Project Assistant assistant before leaving For more information, questions and comments, contact info@sheltercentre.org