1. Common humanitarian
technical library
Tom Corsellis, Shelter Centre

2. 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

3. 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

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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18. 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?

19. 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?
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