GUIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIRTUAL LIBRARY IN HEALTH

GUIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIRTUAL LIBRARY IN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT Marta Bryce January, 2003 World Health Organization Pan American Health Organization Division of Health and Environment PAN AMERICAN CENTER FOR SANITARY ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Los Pinos 259 Urbanizacion Camacho, Lima 12. PERU P.O.Box 4337 Lima 100. PERU Fax: (511) 4378289 Telephone: (511) 4371077 cepis@cepis.ops-oms.org http://www.cepis.ops-oms.org Guía BVSA 3 Abril 2002 Table of contents Pág. 5 7 13 15 17 20 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 39 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 1 2 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 2.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 4 Annex Annex Annex Annex Annex Annex Annex Annex Annex Introduction........................................................................... . The VLHE in perspective............................................................. Architecture of the VLHE............................................................ Sources of information in the VLHE............................................. Bibliographic database and factuales........................................ Full texts and their production.............................................. Directory of Institutions ands Specialist......................................................... Directory of courses and events................................................... Directory of academic studies.............................................. Directory of `investigators` and specialists Research project directory Journals Data base............................. SciELO.................................................................................... Legislation to full text...................................................... Indicators............................................................................. Sources of information on support for the education and for the decision-making.................................................................... Selective dissemination of the information................................. News................................................................................... Communication...................................................................... Environmental health thesaurus............................................... LISA - Information localizer in health and environment................ Search service....................................................................... Steps for the implementation of the VLHE.................................. 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: Model of principal page of the VLHE.................................. Matrix of responsibilities of the VLHE................................. Project model for the development of the VLHE.................... Indicators of evaluation of national development of the VLHE Program of the course on the methodology of the VLHE........... Evaluation of the course on the methodology of the VLHE....... Form for the Directory of Institutions of the VLHE......... Programs of the pre-course on ISIS and package automation Book marker model of the VLHE-Bolivia Guía BVSA 4 Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 5 Abril 2002 Introduction This guide is an adaptation of the BIREME’s handbook. The purpose of this guide is to provide ideas for the implementation of the Virtual Health Library on Health and Environment (VLHE) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The guide aim to strengthen and expand the operational capability of the VLHE and should thus be evaluated, adopted, and implemented according to specific local conditions in each country. The guide tries to reflect the experience and the progress achieved in the conception of the development of the VLHE as common space of producers, intermediaries, and users of scientific and technical information in environmental health and, as well as in the formulation of policies and procedures for their implementation and, in more specific way, in the methodologies for the creation and operation of sources of information. It is important to mention that the process of construction of the VLHE in the countries is based on the infrastructure of the Pan American Network of Information in Environmental Health (REPIDISCA). Guía BVSA 6 Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 7 Abril 2002 1. The VLHE in perspective The VLHE operates under the Internet information and communication paradigm. Internet users have demand online contact with networks of information sources and with other users, in a dynamic context transcending the limits of geographic space, time, size, and extension that have characterized access to the information products and services operated within the physical constrain of traditional libraries and documentation centers. Internet provides users with the unique power to radically increase their individual and collective decisions-making capacity based on up-to-date information. At the same time, information producers and intermediaries are under pressure to offer new, more efficient and more attractive options for dissemination, interaction, integration, mediation, and navigation with a wide variety of information in order to responde to the growing demand for information from the broadest possible range of users communities in diverse contexts. In the VLHE, the confluence of producers, intermediaries, and users of scientific and technical information is translated in practice into a dynamic network of sources of information, that are created and operated cooperatively and decentralized and with explicit quality controls. In the VLHE, the convergence of producers, intermediaries, and users of scientific and technical information is expressed in practice as a dynamic information network, created and operated through a cooperative and decentralized approach with explicit quality controls. The Internet information and communications paradigm is universal, in that it applies to all areas of knowledge and all countries in their different stages of social and economic development. The Internet has provided the first real possibility of universal and equitable dissemination of up-to-date scientific knowledge. However, progress in Internet coverage requires targeted public policies and especially significant investments in information and communications technology infrastructure and in the creation and operation of networks for provision and access to local, regional, and international contents. Major segments of the population, particularly the developing countries, are excluded from Internet access and contents. In other words, their decisionmaking capability based on up-to-date information is reduced as compared to the Internet-using portion of the population. Overcoming this phenomenon, known as digital exclusion or the digital divide, is crucial for social development and also for environmental health. The VLHE is thus an integral part of the flow of scientific and technical environmental health information in the Latin American and Caribbean countries, continuously helping expand and strengthen this flow with the goal of equitable and universal access to relevant sources of information for Guía BVSA Abril 2002 8 environmental health and development. To overcome the digital divide it is not enough to provide access to international information sources. Digital inclusion means enjoying the local capability to operate information sources based on local contexts and which are linked to the mainstream international flow. The basis of VLHE lies in the fact that access to scientific and technical information is a determinant and essential factor, indispensable to social development. Environmental Health-related decisions have their efficiency increased and their uncertainty decreased when based on the best evidence provided by current scientific knowledge, applicable to specific contexts. Consequently, to promote environmental health development it is indispensable that scientific information in different media, packages, and languages permeate environmental health-related activities, including decision-making in environmental health planning, management, research, education, services, and care. The VLHE contribute to the creation, consolidation, and functioning of scenarios in which environmental health decisions are increasingly based on scientific and technical information. The VLHE is both an evolution and legacy of more than two decades of cooperative work to expand and strengthen the flow of scientific and technical environmental health information in Latin America and the Caribbean under the leadership of PAHO, through CEPIS. From the beginning, this cooperative work has been renewed continuously based on new models for managing, organizing, and handling information. The VLHE proposal was presented by BIREME at the 6th Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Information System held in San José, Costa Rica, during the 4th Pan American Congress on Health Sciences Information on March 23-28, 1998. The Pan American Center for Sanitary Engineering and Environmental Sciences (CEPIS), considered beneficial this proposal for development and modernization of REPIDISCA. Furthermore, it took on the challenge of the implementation of the VLHE with the necessary adaptations for our area of environmental health, previously known as sanitary engineering and environmental sciences The VLHE adopt the same principles of the VLHE: The pursuit of equitable access to environmental health information Promoting alliances and consortia for maximizing resource-sharing Promoting cooperative work and exchange of experiences Decentralized development and operations at all levels Development based on local conditions Establishing and applying integrated mechanisms for evaluation and quality control Guía BVSA 9 Abril 2002 Four years have passed from the launching of the proposal of the VLHE, during this period, after being convinced that that is the model of cooperation in information within PAHO, it was decided to adopt it, which means that during the year 1999 started to utilize the technological tools of the VL and its process of adaptation for our environmental area. During the year 2000 there was finished the implementation of all the models of the VLHE in the CEPIS’s www, which means that they currently are already ready the computer programs and telecommunications, as well as the reference manuals to the implementation of the VLHE in the countries of the Region. Eleven countries have made significant progress in implementing the VLHE: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Perú, República Dominicana y Venezuela. Planning and implementation of the VLHE considers the same three major periods or scenarios of the VLHE: • During the first period (1998-2001), what has prevailed has been the scenario called "setting the VLHE in motion", basically involving the dissemination and adoption of the VLHE paradigm, linking and coordinating collaboration among information producers, intermediaries, and users with the objective of launching the cooperative operation of information sources, highlighting the realignment of existing information products and services for operation within the VLHE context. During this period, promotion and training have characterized the technical cooperation activities. From 2001 to 2003, what will predominate will be the scenario known as "the VLHE gaining its own momentum", whose main characteristics are to strengthen and expand the decentralized nodes in the network of information sources and the emergence of the virtual space of the VLHE. This period is expected to witness significant growth in the number of new institutions and/or information sources independently incorporated into the VLHE. Integrated operation of the network of information sources and the promotion and networking of new initiatives and players should characterize the activities in technical cooperation. Finally, beginning in 2004 the prevailing scenario will be the VLHE constituting a (self) reference for scientific and technical environmental health information in the Region. The fundamental characteristic of this ideal scenario will be the consolidation of VLHE as a common virtual space for the task of environmental health information producers, intermediaries, and users. During this period, technical cooperation in scientific and technical environmental health information will acquire its own dynamics which will coincide with the very operation of the VLHE. • • The adoption and implementation of the VLHE definitely poses a huge challenge for institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. First, operating a network of data sources using an electronic format in the VLHE demands an increasing command over advanced information methodologies and technologies. Second, the VLHE requires expansion of the range of alliances to Guía BVSA Abril 2002 10 promote convergence among information producers and intermediaries in a common space for operating the flow of scientific and technical environmental health information. Meanwhile, there is a radical process of de-intermediation. On one hand, what predominates is the user’s initiative in direct interaction with information sources, and on the other, the demand for information sources whose contents, structure, accessibility, and presentation add value to the user’s time. Overcoming such challenges is an intrinsic part of the VLHE. Part of building the VLHE is to develop capabilities in the command over new information and communications technologies by all players in the information flow. It is extremely important that there is no turning back on the change introduced by the Internet, Institutions that produce and intermediate information and fail to promote this change in their modus operandi will fail to serve their users efficiently and will see their leadership and survival threatened. Resistance to change in defense of outmoded operational models can penalize the user community by restricting its access to information sources in the Region, running against the international trend. Adopting and implementing the VLHE has shown that it is possible to evolve towards the new paradigm. In general this process has taken the following path: (a) Linking and establishing an agreement among the institutions that produce, intermediate, and use environmental health information. In general, one or more institutions take the leading role in the networking process. (b) Establishing a VLHE Advisory Committee aimed at coordinating the cooperative work, defining and orienting the quality criteria for information sources, setting priorities, establishing the division of responsibilities in the cooperative operation of information sources, monitoring and evaluating the VLHE’s overall performance of each of the information sources. The Advisory Committee represents and provides authority to the VLHE as a space for scientific and technical information. It acts as a VLHE editorial board. An operational coordinating body or executive secretariat should be established, in general represented by an institution with the capability (in political, institutional, and economic terms, as well as that of human resources and information technology) to take the leadership in operating the VLHE. It is up to the coordinating body or executive secretariat to foster the effective functioning of Advisory Committee, organizing regular meetings and performing the VLHE coordination and promotional functions as agreed upon by the Committee. Whenever necessary and or convenient, the Advisory Committee may decide to share the coordination tasks and to rotate for a period of time among the different institutions. The Committee also plays an advisory role and coordinates the cooperative work. Guía BVSA 11 Abril 2002 (c) Drafting a plan for development the VLHE. The plan orients the cooperative work and defines the specific objectives, expected results, and institutions responsible for each of the information sources operated in the VLHE. The plan should describe the specific projects for one or more information sources in detail so as to facilitate their decentralized implementation. The plan may include a matrix for sharing responsibilities, indicating the coordinating and member institutions of each information source. (d) Creating and operating a VLHE page serving as a portal or site for the coordination and integration of REPIDISCA network. The VLHE page should be operated by the institution or institutions in charge of the operational coordination and under the assistance of the Advisory Committee. The page should follow the standard VLHE model, to ensure its integrated functioning within the VLHE sphere. For example, its sections should include a description of the VLHE, the Advisory Committee, and minutes of the Committee meetings, in addition to identifying and integrating specific information sources, etc. The standard model for the VLHE portals or coordination sites will evolve with experience and with technological advances. Conceptually, each of these portals can and should operate progressively as a portal for all or part of the VLHE. In other words, as a common space, the entries or portals to the VLHE are infinite. (e) Decentralized operation of the network of information sources at the national or regional level. Each information source is operated by one or more institutions, in all cases with a specific institution in charge, which should report periodically to the Advisory Committee on its development. The network is dynamic, so that new modalities of information sources appear regularly. This VLHE modus operandi stimulates cooperative, democratic, and decentralized development. The individual information sources constitute nodes that integrate and intertwine to form the VLHE network of information sources. Guía BVSA 12 Abril 2002 2. VLHE Architecture The VLHE architecture organizes and structures the information sources based on their characteristics. The architecture facilitates the identification and operation of information sources and facilitates cooperation both in the division of labor and its integrated operation, including retrieval of decentralized sources and dynamic links among them. The architecture also promotes Internet transition of traditional sources originally produced on paper or in isolated electronic format. Finally, the architecture creates a common language, including methodologies and tools for the decentralized operation of information sources. Under the VLHE architecture, an information source is any resource that responds to a demand for information by users, including information products and services, persons or networks of persons, computer programs, etc. The architecture is currently organized in six types of information sources: 2.1. Secondary sources: Indexes, databases, and directories whose records make reference to environmental health-related primary sources, organizations, and events. Also included are information services associated with these sources. In broad terms this set is reminiscent of the reference units in the traditional library Primary sources: Fulltexts according to the classical types of scientific literature (journals, monographs, theses and dissertations, etc.), as well as other and new original sources of hypertext and numerical data Tertiary sources: Generated with added value based on primary and secondary sources and having didactic and support objectives for decision-making in different user communities Selective dissemination of information: Updates users based on specific profiles of interest. This source of information is also a mechanism for providing VLHE information to user communities that lack or have constraints on communication via the Internet News and communications among persons, including discussion lists, forums, and virtual communities in general Integrating components that ensure the integration of decentralized VLHE information sources, like the REPIDISCA Thesaurus and the Health and Environment Information Localizator. 2.2. 2.3. 2.4. 2.5. 2.6. Part of building the VLHE is the development, adoption, and adaptation of the tools to operate information sources under the VLHE architecture. Guía BVSA 13 Abril 2002 3. Production of information sources in the VLHE VLHE content is a collection or network of information sources on the Internet. Information sources are created and operated under the principles of cooperation and decentralization. These VLHE principles aim to develop local capabilities in the operation of information sources and to help expand and strengthen the health sciences information flow in the Region. The continuing development of local capability in the operation of information sources will help contextualize the VLHE contents to respond efficiently to local demands for information. The VLHE architecture aims to ensure that information sources produced through this decentralized approach will be connected in a network and thus maximize their visibility and accessibility while avoiding duplication of work. Information sources should thus be created, organized, structured, and fed according to compatible methodologies developed within the VLHE context. Each source has its elements or data fields defined, along with the coding standards, data entry and tagging, and content selection criteria. The methodologies include computer programs that facilitate their implementation. An underlying premise of the VLHE methodologies is that the production of information sources is decentralized, under the coordination of an institution designated by the VLHE Advisory Committee at the national level. The coordinating institution is responsible for the integrity of the information source and its compliance with the corresponding methodology. An important characteristic of the production of information sources in the VLHE is quality control of its contents, preservation of collections, and guaranteed access to documents in electronic format or on paper. Production of dimensions: information sources in the VLHE includes the following a. Criteria for content selection from the information sources. For example, the Guidelines for Selection of Documents included in the Biblographic Data Base Manual; b. Information sources are organized in one or more electronic files, and each of their units is structured in elements or data fields. For example, the REPIDISCA bibliographic format; c. Content of the elements or data fields follows standards for coding, cataloguing, tagging, etc. For example, content indexing fields should comply with the REPIDISCA Thesaurus; d. Local, national, subregional, or regional production of an information source should come under the responsibility and coordination of an institution with the function of ensuring data integrity and compliance with the respective standards. Production can include periodic transfer of records among local units and the respective coordinating unit. For example, the REPIDISCA Bibliographic database is coordinated by CEPIS at the regional level, in Nicaragua the database is coordinated by INAA at the national level. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 14 e. The VLHE Advisory Committee at the national level is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the production of information sources. It is suggested that the National Advisory Committee define the responsibilities in the development of information sources and prepare a matrix of specific projects to be developed in the country, identifying the institutions involved in each project and their levels of responsibility (coordination, participation, etc.) In CEPIS we have create our software for the creation of the VLHE, using the BIREME’s utilities, each information source has their own program and manual, and also there is a Manual for the Instalation and Configuration of the programs for the VLHE 3.1. Bibliographic database The bibliographic database is a secondary information source according to the VLHE arquitecture, that have been realigned to operate in the VLHE. The main purpose is to record the scientific and technical documentation related to environmental health produced by the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. We refer to all sorts of documents: journal articles, books, thesis and dissertations, papers presented in scientific meetings, technical and scientific reports, projects and nonconventional documents. REPIDISCA (Pan American Network of Information in Environmental Health) bibliographic database was developed by CEPIS in 1981. Is compatible with LILACS - Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences, that coordinates BIREME. The bibliographic database, coordinated at the regional level by CEPIS is a result of a cooperative effort of over 350 Cooperating Centers from 23 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. National Coordinating Center of REPIDISCA is the one responsible by the bibliographic database and identifies and selects the Cooperating Centers to participate in the activities of identification, selection, bibliographic description, and indexing the national production. The VLHE should renew and strengthen the existing networks for feeding the bibliographic database. Scientific and technical production indexed by the bibliographic database comes basically from the following document-producing areas: Academic area (universities, colleges, schools) Regulatory entities of the sector Supplier service companies Divisions of environmental health of the ministries Nongovernmental organizations International organizations Guía BVSA Abril 2002 15 It is suggested that Cooperating Centers are identified in these institutions and establish mechanisms for compiling and processing the literature produced by them. It is recommended to identify aproportional number of Cooperating Centers, among the various types of information producers, in order to guarantee a broad coverage of the scientific and technical literature produced in the country. To become a Cooperating Center the institution should have the available human resources to compile, select, process, and index the bibliographic documents, computer equipment allowing installation of the VLHE application, and leadership in the area so as to establish contacts with institutions for the identification of relevant technical literature. From the onset the Cooperating Centers commit themselves to select and process the scientific and technical literature and send the records to CEPIS regularly and in updated form. It is suggested that the country’s Cooperating Centers share responsibilities so as to allow for a broad coverage of the national scientific production while avoiding duplication of efforts. The Cooperating Centers should also commit themselves to record the location of the processed documents in order to guarantee access to them. The Cooperating Centers receive training and software of the VLHE Methodology from the coordinating institution or CEPIS. They can install and work in their computer, only if the cooperating center want to use the software for the institutional web, they require to ask for a password. The VLHE Methodology CD-ROM includes the software and the respective manuals and handbooks. The bibliographic data base flow for feeding documents is as follows: Each Cooperating Center processes documents and enters records in a local database according to its area of activity, using the VLHE software and complying with the respective selection criteria; The entered records should be sent periodically by the Cooperating Centers to the national coordinating institution, which in turn can create and maintain a national or specialized database. The coordinating institution should monitor the updating and quality of document indexing as well as decentralization of document indexing in the country (distribution of journal titles, types of documents, thematic areas, etc.); After updating and quality control, the coordinating institutions validate the records processed by the Cooperating Centers, maintaining the identification of the Cooperating Center that processed the record in the respective field, and they send those that comply with the REPIDISCA selection criteria to CEPIS. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 16 With the VLHE software, the Centers can create their own local databases with their own document selection criteria (for example, to register the existence of their collections). In this case, the Cooperating Centers should be familiar with the procedures for updating and maintaining bibliographic databases, and in case of creating new data fields, they should be familiar the formats and structure of the database indexes. 3.2. Full texts and their production In the VLHE, the bibliographic database is also used to store the address of the full texts. In CEPIS the full texts are currently processed utilizing the program Acrobat. For technical details, refer to the Manual for the Incorporation of Full Texts in the VLHE. It is expected that in the future the methodology SciELO can be utilized for the generation of electronic journals and its later integration with the bibliographic database. The full texts in the VLHE are published in different formats, including HTML, PDF, WORD, etc. However, the trend is to treat the texts utilizing the text structuring languages as SGML and XML, as it is the case of the methodology SciELO for the publication of scientific-electronic journals. The expectation is to generate collections of full texts structured with the possibility of recovery, according to the various bibliographic elements (author, title, summary, etc.), of establishment of dynamic liaisons with other sources of information and to measure the statistics of use and appointments. 3.3 Directory of Institutions and Specilists Directories are databases with records on researchers, institutions, events, courses, projects, etc. Each directory requires the definition of the necessary data fields to record the respective information. Feeding the directories is totally decentralized and should thus follow the compatible methodology for the creation of VLEH, see the Manual for the Data base Institutions and Specilists. Directories created under the database concept are not merely lists of addresses, since the directory search interface allows for selection and access through different data fields. Directories of institutions can be developed at the national, regional, or thematic level. Their objective is to provide information on the environmental health institutions in the countries, their complete names and acronyms, administrative hierarchies, physical addresses including identification of the Guía BVSA Abril 2002 17 country, State, Province, city, etc., and areas of research and/or other activity, with links to the institutional sites. As with other VLEH information sources, an institution should be designated by the National Advisory Committee to be in charge of updating and maintaining the directories of institutions in the VLHE. Feeding the directories of institutions is decentralized and can be done by the institutions themselves that access the VLHE. The form for entering or updating data should be available in the national, regional, or thematic VLHE. The institution in charge of coordinating the directories of institutions should validate the incoming records and enter them in the database, monitoring the quality of the available information. This institution will also be responsible for maintaining and updating the database of directories of institutions in the VLHE. The national VLHE site should mainly record the institutions in that country, allowing for searches by State, Province, city, type of institution, and area of activity. 3.4. Directories of Courses and Events Their objective is to provide information on scientific events (congresses, seminars, conferences, etc.) from the environmental health area promoted mainly in the Latin American and Caribbean countries, in addition to dates and venues, with identification of the country, State, Province, city, etc., program and thematic areas, with links to the sites for the events when they exist. As with other information sources in the VLHE, an institution should be designated by the National Advisory Committee to take charge of updating and maintaining the directories of events in the VLHE. Feeding the directories of events is decentralized and can be done by the institutions themselves that promote the events. CEPIS prepared the Manual of the database Courses and Events in Health and Environment with all the guidelines. The institution in charge of coordinating the directories of events should validate incoming records and enter them in the database, monitoring the quality of the available information. This institution is also responsible for maintaining and updating the events database in the VLHE. Insofar as possible, proceedings or papers from scientific events entered in the events directories should be recorded in the bibliographic database. In this case, links should be established between the events directory and the bibliographic database, as well as to the fulltexts of the papers, when they exist. Events already held are available for consultation in the events database with a selection allowing for back searches. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 18 3.5. Directory of Academic Studies AQUI It is part of the course and event database and it has been divided only for purposes of presentation into the VLHE. In the countries that is considered appropiate, it can be administered independently. An institution should be designated by the National Advisory as responsible Committee for the updating and maintenance and ideally a university is that responsible 2.1.3.1 Directories of Specialists and/or Researchers Directories of specialists are developed by and for specialized areas in the VLHE. Their objective is to provide information on professionals working in different thematic areas, including where they can be found (complete addresses, identifying the States or Provinces) and their areas of work or specialties. In general, directories of specialists are created from the registers of Professional Boards or Associations and should if possible be integrated with the curriculum vitae databases of the National Scientific and Technological Research Councils. Feeding the directories of specialists is decentralized and can be done by users themselves on the Internet. The institution in charge of the directory should validate the records entered by users and enter them in the database, monitoring the quality of the available information. Directories of researchers are developed at the national level and aim to provide information on researchers working in the different thematic areas and where they can be found (complete addresses, identifying the States or Provinces). Directories of researchers are created from database records in the respective National Scientific and Technological Research Councils and other institutions supporting scientific research. The project entitled CVLACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Curricula Vitae) is developing a methodology to register resumé data for researchers, based on the Lattes Platform of the Brazilian National Research Council, CNPq (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.). This project is a joint initiative of the PAHO Health Research Program, CEPIS, and CNPq/Brazil. 2.1.3.3 Research Project Directories Research project directories can be developed at the national, regional, or thematic level and aim to provide information on research projects under way Guía BVSA Abril 2002 19 or completed in different areas of Health Sciences as well as the various groups of researchers. In general, research project directories should be created on the basis of records from the respective National Scientific and Technological Research Councils and other institutions supporting scientific and technological research in the countries, and insofar as possible should integrate with national databases of curricula vitae of the researchers and research institutions. An example of integration is the Lattes Platform of the Brazilian National Research Council, CNPq. In this sense, CEPIS is considering the adoption of the SHARED proposal (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.) as a solution for mediation and integration of information sources for institutions, researchers, and research projects. Feeding the directories of projects is decentralized and can be done by the research groups themselves on the Internet. Therefore, it is important for research project directories that the form for entering or updating data be available in the VLHE. The institution in charge of coordinating the research project directories should validate the incoming records and enter them in the database, monitoring the quality of the available information. This institution will also be responsible for maintaining and updating the project database in the VLHE. The projects should be classified as “under way” or “finalized”. Interim or final project reports should be entered in the bibliographic databases and as fulltexts in the VLHE. The research project directory should establish a link to the bibliographic database and/or to the fulltexts of the reports, when they exist. An example is the integration of the CNPq/Brazil curricula database with SciELO and LILACS. 6. `Investigator` and specialist directory They have as a purpose conveying who are the professionals that act in the environmental health and where there are found (complete directions, with identification of the states or provinces) and its areas of action or specialties. In general, the directories of specialists are created based on records of the advice or professional associations and owe, if were possible, to be integrated in databases of résumé of the National Research Councils Scientific and Technological (CONYCITs). The feeding of the specialist directories is decentralized and can be made by the users himself on the Internet. The institution responsible for the directory should validate the records entered by the users and to enter them in the database, performing quality control of the available information. Guía BVSA 20 Abril 2002 The directories of `investigators` are developed in its national area and they have as a purpose conveying who are the `investigators` that act in the different issues, where there are found (complete addresses, with identification of the states or provinces). The researcher directories can be created based on records of Scientific and Technological databases of the National Research Councils (CONYCITs) and other institutions of support for scientific research. The CVLACS Project - Latin American Curriculum Vitae and of the Caribbean in Health Sciences, is developing a methodology for the curriculum data recording of `investigators`, based on the Platform Lattes de CNPq/Brazil. That project is a joint initiative of the Program of Health Research of PAHO, BIREME, and CNPq/Brazil and the coordinations were already established in order to work on the area of environmental health. 8. Research project directory Its objective is to convey the projects of research on process or finalized in the different areas of the environmental health. In general, the directories of projects should be created based on records of the National Research Councils Scientific and Technological (CONYCITs) and other institutions of support for scientific and technological research in the countries and, insofar as possible, should be integrated in the national databases of curriculum vitae of the researchers and of institutions of research. The feeding of the project directories is decentralized and can be made by the groups himself of research on the Internet. As a result, the project directories will have the form for data introduction or updating from the www. The institution responsible for the coordination of the directories of projects should validate the received records and to enter them in the database, performing quality control of the available information. The projects should be classified as “in process” and “finalized.” The partial or final reports on the projects should be entered in the bibliographic databases and as full texts in the VLHE; as a result, the respective liaison will be established. 10. Academic study directory It is part of the course and event database and it has been divided only for purposes of presentation into the VLHE. In the countries that is considered appropiate, it can be administered independently. An institution should be designated by the National Advisory as responsible Committee for the updating and maintenance and ideally a university is that responsible. 11. Database printed and electronic journals Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 21 It has as a purpose conveying the journals on environmental health that the latter that are received by the Cooperating Centers in form printed occur electronically. The database contains, in addition to the bibliographic description of the titles of the journals, information referring to the availability of the electronic version on the journal and the form of access to the full text. Thus, hence a liaison can be done for the electronic address of the journals and for the description of the collective catalog collections, if it was available. As in all the databases of the VLHE, the National Advisory Committee should ratify the institution that assumes the responsibility for the development of this database. Guía BVSA 22 Abril 2002 12. SciELO The Model SciELO–Scientific Electronic Library Online (Electronic Scientific Library on Line) is oriented to the publication of scientific journals on the Internet, with emphasis on the Ibero-American countries. In the area of the environmental health publishing houses that are willing to apply this methodology are being sought. The methodology SciELO includes a set of policies, standards, guidelines, procedures, and tools for the execution of the functions of journal evaluation and selection, as well as for the preparation, storage, publication, preservation, control of use and impact of scientific journals operated through the sites SciELO. Guía BVSA 23 Abril 2002 13. Legislation to full text For the access to full texts of Legislation in Health and Environment is utilized the Methodology for Treatment of Full Legislation Texts - YOU (Electronic Health Legislation), developed by BIREME. That methodology was based on the methodology SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) for electronic journals and in the data base LEYES (developed by the Program of Public Policies and Health of PAHO) and is a proposal for the preparation, storage, and dissemination of full text legislation, bringing together advanced information technology resources. It permits the electronic publication of the collections integrated of texts of legislation, its organization on the basis of data of (hyper-) full and referential text and the preservation of the electronic files. In the coming years, the database in full texts should ensure the visibility and the universal access to legislation of health and environment in full and electronic texts of the Region. As in all the databases of the VLHE, the National Advisory Committee should ratify the institution that assumes the responsibility for the development of this database. Guía BVSA 24 Abril 2002 14. Indicators The VLHE worked jointly with the Division of Health and Environment (HEP) of PAHO in the Global Evaluation of the Services of Water and Sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean in the year 2000. In this section of the VLHE, there is presented the information on the closing of the 20th century of 45 countries of the Region. This evaluation has been done by all the countries of the world, providing the data to 14 forms designed especially to this end. Furthermore, under the leadership of the Division of Health and Environment (HEP) the Information System in Environmental Sanitation (SISAM) is in development in order to keep up-to-date the information on the Evaluation 2000. Guía BVSA 25 Abril 2002 15. Sources of information on support for the education and for the decision-making It is included here the wide spectrum of sources of information on teaching character and/or oriented to the processes of decision-making in health and environment. For the support for the education, there are considered development and operation of electronic collections of texts and multimedias that operate with free access on the Internet and/or in the intranets of the centers of teaching. These collections support on-site traditional courses and/or courses in teaching distance. The development of a network of sources of support for the education will make it possible that these are reused by countless courses, enhanced in its content and form, expanded in its scope, avoiding duplications and dispersion. In few years, the VLHE can become the common space of excellence for the producers, intermediaries, and users of materials of support for the education. The VLHE can also contribute to the processes of evaluation of different systems and methodologies for the distance teaching. With regard to development and operation of sources of information on support for the decision-making processes in health and environment, the proposal of the VLHE includes the most different contexts, situations, and users, as authorities, managers, professors, professionals, and the general public. They are included here texts and multimedia of scientific dissemination oriented to publics and specific situations, manuals, guidelines for the professional practice and for the general public, accounts of experiences that can be replicated or should be avoided, collections of responses to more frequent questions in specific matters, interviews with specialists, materials of support for public services of queries on line, etc. The National Advisory Committee should designate an institution that is made responsible for the development of this database. Guía BVSA 26 Abril 2002 16. Selective dissemination of the information The selective dissemination of information is a service of the VLHE designed to alert every 15 days to signed users, in accordance with predefined thematic profiles. The VLHE develops subject or specialty profiles, for the purpose of responding efficiently to the needs for professional updating of specialized communities or interested parties in specific subjects. The process of subscription of the users at the service of selective dissemination of information is on line. The alerts are sent to the users by means of an and-mail that indicates you an electronic address where they are recorded the new records of all the databases that form the VLHE related to its profile of interest. Guía BVSA 27 Abril 2002 17. News The VLHE has designed a database where the current news registers; as a result, its maintenance is daily. In her there register news of journals, newspapers, announcements of positions, etc. As well as all the databases of the VLHE, the National Advisory Committee should designate an institution that is made responsible for the development of the same. 18. Communication One of the basic characteristics of the paradigm of Internet is intensive and fast communication between people and the formation of virtual communities regarding matters or specific interests. It is a communications medium operated directly by the user that it has given to this the power of the initiative and the capacity to operate directly networks of sources of information without the space and time limitations. In the VLHE, communication encompasses the sources of scientific and technical information that promote and carry out direct and indirect communication between users. They are included here, for example, lists of discussion, teleconferences, interviews on line, forums, queries to specialists, etc. They remain ready of discussion opened the general public, as well as closed lists, like that of REPIDISCAS in which only participate the National Coordinating Centers. 19. The integrating components A characteristic of the VLHE is that in all the databases the Thesaurus of Environmental Health is utilized; as a result, of this model of Virtual Library the Thesaurus is regarded as an integrating component. The second component is the information localizer in health and environment that links to the other www related to the subject. 20. Environmental health thesaurus It is the controlled vocabulary of the VLHE, operated in a database in five languages: English Spanish, Portuguese,, French, and German. It is compatible with the DECS that produces BIREME. It contains more than 3,000 terms per each language, with their corresponding hierarchical relationships and shipments. The database of the Thesaurus is coordinated by CEPIS and its continuous development is directed to serve all the issues of the environmental Guía BVSA Abril 2002 28 health. The suggestion of new terms or of changes in terms can be made so much individually utilizing the option of“suggestion of new terms” in the VLHE. From the Database Thesaurus, it is possible to retrieve in all the sources of information on the VLHE by descriptors and by the non-descriptors. Furthermore, the same program translates each term into the five languages. 21. LISA - Information localizer in health and environment It is a database that brings together other sources of information on the Internet in the area of environmental health. The objective of Lisa is to know the existence of other sites on the Internet related to the area, the same that are described and indicate. The content of the SMOOTH database is made up of metadatos that describe sources of information on the Internet, based on the GILS–Global Information Locator Service, adopted as model by the Overall Program of the Society of Information and in the Dublin Core. The feeding of Lisa is decentralized and, as in other sources of the VLHE, the National Advisory Committee of every country should designate an institution responsible for its administration and maintenance. In Lisa, a www can have several records, depending on all the existing technical contents in the site. Thus, the www of the Agency of Environmental Protection (EPA), for example, can contain so many records in Lisa (publications in full text, bibliographic databases, indicator, news, legislation, etc.), beginning by the record of the institutional site. The national sites Lisa of the VLHE should register mainly the information resources produced by the country and CEPIS emphasizes in registering the sites from outside of the Region. The SMOOTH methodology was developed, together, with the National Information Center in Medical Sciences, Ministry of Health of Cuba. 22. Search service The databases are presented independently for the search in the VLHE. There exist two possibilities of search through the option for services or in each portal subject, where there only appear the records of each database on the subject. CEPIS continually is improving the programs for search for the databases, for example the development of the program that, connected to the Thesaurus, generates the narrow terms and non-descriptors of each descriptor, in addition to the translation into the three languages. Furthermore, there are enhanced the mechanisms of search, as well as the listed of presentation. Guía BVSA 29 Abril 2002 23. Service of access to documents The increase in the technical production published, the greatest easy access to bibliographic indexes, the increase of the demand of access to complete documents and the reduction of the purchasing power of the libraries, they are some of the elements that frame the current environment of the libraries, affecting directly in the maintenance and development of collections generally. Thus, the access to the full text of the referenced documents in the bibliographic databases in the VLHE is made through the direct liaison for the electronic text, when it is available, or by means of a service of supply of copies of documents. Within REPIDISCA there exists a coupon system for the copy payment and in tandem an "electronic debit" system has been set up, that is, that there is filled the account to each Cooperating Center with the copies to which has credit. It is also possible the payment by the photocopy service or digital reproduction (scaneo) of the documents. AQUI 2.1.2 Collective Catalog of Scientific Journals The VLHE includes collective databases of scientific journal collections. The scientific journal collection database coordinated by CEPIS is the SeCS base, or Health Sciences Serials, produced cooperatively by the Cooperating Centers. The SeCS database records bibliographic data for scientific journals from the health sciences area indexed in the LILACS and MEDLINE databases, as well as the respective collections from the Cooperating Centers. For the description of the titles and collections, the SeCS application is used, developed by CEPIS and distributed to Cooperating Centers as part of the LILACS Methodology. Each month the libraries update their SeCS collections and send the respective data to CEPIS. The main objectives of the SeCS are visibility and accessibility to existing collections in the libraries and their shared use, seeking rationalization and efficient access. The database is integrated into the SCAD (Cooperative Service for Access to Documents) in order to help automatically locate the library which has a given journal or issue and consequently help transfer photocopy requests to the libraries cooperating in the Service. 2.1.2.1 Contribution to the SeCS database Guía BVSA 30 Abril 2002 It is suggested that the Cooperating Centers commit themselves to recording at least the respective existence of journal titles indexed in LILACS that are under their responsibility. For example, if Cooperating Center "X" has the responsibility for indexing journal “Y” for LILACS, this center should also assume the responsibility for sending the record of its collection of journal “Y” to the SeCS database. This guarantees that every journal indexed in LILACS will have at least one collection described in the SeCS database and will thus also guarantee access to fulltexts of articles through SCAD. The Cooperating Centers receive training in the SeCS application either from the SeCS coordinating institution at the national level or from CEPIS. Each Cooperating Center receives a code and password from CEPIS for installing the application and a manual for its use, included in the LILACS Methodology CD-ROM. The SeCS flow for feeding information is as follows: Each Cooperating Center records the existence of the scientific journal in its collection of LILACS journals whose indexing comes under its responsibility, using the SeCS application; Cooperating Centers should periodically send the entered records to both CEPIS and the SeCS coordinating institution at the national level, if the country has a Collective National Catalog. It is important to highlight that the Cooperating Center can use the SeCS application to record its entire journal collection, generate its catalog, generate lists of missing issues, and use all the collection management functions available in the application. Nevertheless, for the purposes of the SeCS database, only the collections of journals indexed in LILACS and/or MEDLINE are relevant. These titles should be identified at the moment of recording the bibliographic description, using the respective data fields (related systems and SeCS number). 2.1.2.2 Portal for scientific journals In addition to the bibliographic description of journal titles, the Portal for scientific journals contains information on the availability of the journal’s electronic version and the mode of access to the fulltext. Thus, users can link from the Portal to the electronic description of the journals and to the description of the collective catalogs, when available. The VLHE Portal includes information on the journals indexed in MEDLINE and LILACS, as well as some other titles that are relevant to VLHE thematic areas, like adolescent health, toxicology, and public health, with links to collections in the SeCS database. Guía BVSA 31 Abril 2002 The Portal can also be found through a national and/or thematic VLHE, either as a link to the regional VLHE site or through a personalized search form. For example, the national VLHE portal may list only that country’s journals. The portal for a thematic VLHE can include journals from the respective thematic area, like the VLHE Portal on Adolescence (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.). 3.1 SciELO Model for Publication of Scientific Journals The SciELO Model – Scientific Electronic Library Online - ¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia. - is oriented towards the publication of scientific journals on the Internet, with an emphasis on the Ibero-American countries. The SciELO Methodology is the first component of the SciELO Model. The second component is the SciELO site, which operates decentralized collections of selected scientific journals based on established criteria, and the third component is the SciELO Network, integrating the individual SciELO sites. The SciELO Methodology includes a set of policies, standards, guidelines, procedures, and tools for performing the functions of evaluation and selection of journals, as well as the preparation, storage, publication, preservation, and control of the use and impact of scientific journals operated through the SciELO sites. Development of the SciELO Methodology is the result of a collaborative project involving CEPIS, FAPESP (São Paulo State Research Foundation), and editors of Brazilian scientific journals, launched in 1997 and adopted subsequently by other countries from the Region. In the health area, the SciELO Model operates within the VLHE sphere, and the SciELO Methodology constitutes the common methodology for publication of scientific journals on the Internet. The methodology has or considers extensions and adaptations for other types of literature, like monographs, theses, dissertations, etc. In the SciELO Model, the methodology is applied to establish and operate collections of electronic journals organized according to a geographic and/or thematic scope. A particular collection operated on the Internet constitutes a SciELO site. Examples of SciELO sites operating at the national level in all areas of knowledge are: SciELO Brazil¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia. (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.) and SciELO Chile (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.). Examples of SciELO sites operating at the national level and restricted to health sciences are: Costa Rica (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.) and Cuba (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.). SciELO Salud Pública (Public Health) (¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.) is an international SciELO site that operates a selected collection of Ibero-American scientific journals in public health, besides including the PAHO and WHO bulletins. Guía BVSA 32 Abril 2002 It is important to note that the SciELO Methodology can be applied to the operation of any individual journal or collection of journals. However, establishing a collection recognized as a SciELO site requires that the titles be selected according to quality criteria specified in the document “SciELO Criteria: criteria, policy, and procedures for scientific journals to enter and remain in the SciELO collection” (http://www.scielo.org/metod.html). Journal collections that fail to comply with SciELO quality criteria may operate on the Internet utilizing the SciELO Methodology, but in this case they are not recognized as SciELO sites. For implementation of the SciELO site, refer to the “Handbook for Installing SciELO sites” at http://www.scielo.org/metod.html 3.2 Other fulltext documents The VLHE should progressively operate with collections of fulltexts for different types of literature, including single texts. In the case of monographs, the collections are preferably operated by the producer or intermediary institutions, like Ministries of Health, scientific research and research support institutions, universities, etc. These institutions should establish editorial committees to review and monitor the quality of papers published on the sites. These papers should also be referenced in the VLHE bibliographic databases. Collections of theses and dissertations in fulltext should preferably be operated by the institutions where they have been presented, at the national or thematic level. Fulltexts of legislation should be operated by the institutions that publish them, like Ministries or Secretariats of Health and also intermediary institutions that guarantee that updated texts be published. 4. Integrating components of the VLHE The VLHE space is defined by the network operation of decentralized information sources. The network is made up of defined static or dynamic links among the information sources, as well as by the responses by information sources to content searches and navigation. In the latter case, the network is built on the basis of response capabilities by information sources to requests for content. Use of the terminology or controlled vocabulary to describe the information sources as a whole and the records they contain is the VLHE mechanism to maximize the capacity to respond to content requests. Integration and definition of the VLHE space as well as referencing sources external to the VLHE is provided by use of the DeCS vocabulary (Health Guía BVSA Abril 2002 33 Sciences Descriptors), the LIS (Health Information Locator), and the sets of common methodologies for operating information sources. 4.1 DeCS - Health Sciences Descriptors The VLHE controlled vocabulary is the DeCS (Health Sciences Descriptors), which operates in a database in 3 languages, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Its basis, in terms of a terminological body and structure, is the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), allowing its participation with the Portuguese and Spanish language terminology in the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) of the NLM. DeCS contains more than 25,000 entries, including the terms from the MeSH as well as terms added by CEPIS for the description and retrieval of information sources in public health and homeopathy. In the area of public health it contains more than 6,000 terms and covers specific areas like health services administration and health sector reform, environmental sciences with terminology in sanitary engineering, environmental health, natural and manmade disasters, etc. The DeCS database is coordinated by CEPIS, and its ongoing development aims to serve all the thematic areas in the VLHE. Suggestions for new terms or changes in terms in the DeCS can be provided individually using the option “suggested new terms” in the DeCS Server in the regional VLHE site. In addition, a complete review of a thematic area can be performed by a specific project in a specialized area of the VLHE. Suggestions for new terms in the DeCS, both individually and in a given thematic area, can be sent to CEPIS, which submits the suggested terms to approval by experts collaborating in terminology development. Inclusion of new terms in the DeCS database should follow the same hierarchical structure of the terminology and the same principles for creating terms. CEPIS is developing the Geographic DeCS, a specific section for identifying the geographic and administrative divisions of the various Latin American and Caribbean countries. Its production is decentralized, with the Cooperating Centers helping record the geographic and administrative divisions of the respective countries. An area for “Health Terminology” with a link to the DeCS Server in the regional VLHE site can be included in the national VLHE or in the thematic VLHE areas. 4.2 LIS - Health Information Locator Reference catalogs for information sources both inside and outside the VLHE space are operated by the LIS (Health Information Locator). LIS allows for the description and retrieval of information sources in a mode compatible with international standards. It is possible to operate catalogs covering different geographic areas, like country territories and groups of countries both inside and outside the Region. It is also possible to restrict the operation to thematic areas. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 34 LIS is the health area information source portal on the Internet, principally for sources operated in the countries of the Latin America and Caribbean Region and Spain. The purpose of the LIS is to contribute to the visibility and accessibility of information sources produced in the Region, selecting technical and scientific contents on the existing Internet sites according to quality criteria, describing and indexing them with a common methodology and the DeCS terminology to facilitate navigating in the VLHE. The content of LIS databases consists of meta-data describing information sources on the Internet, based on the GILS (Global Information Locator Service), adopted as the model by the Global Information Society Program and the Dublin Core. Data entry to LIS is decentralized, and as in other VLHE sources, the National or Thematic Advisory Committee in each country should designate an institution in charge of managing and maintaining it. Validation of the information resources registered in the LIS can be done by specialists selected by the institution in charge of the LIS. The LIS can be developed at the national, regional, or thematic level. Information resources can belong to one or more levels, and the LIS types are identified when the information resource is described. An important characteristic of the LIS is that it records all the existing scientific and technical contents in the sites, in addition to recording the institutional sites. For example, a Ministry of Health site can contain as many records in the LIS as its content sites (publications in fulltext, bibliographic databases, health indicators, etc.), beginning with the record of the institutional site. National LIS sites in the VLHE should mainly record the information resources produced by the country, while the regional thematic sites should mainly record information resources of regional interest produced in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. The Regional LIS in the VLHE integrates the regional, national, and thematic LIS, besides recording resources from relevant health-related international or regional agencies in the Region. The LIS Methodology was developed jointly with the National Center for Information in Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Cuba. 5. Cooperative Online Access Services VLHE cooperative information services can be grouped as follows: Search in information sources Document access services Guía BVSA Abril 2002 35 Selective dissemination of information The services are operated in the national, regional, or thematic VLHE sites. 5.1 Search in information sources The bibliographic databases and general or specialized national, regional, and international health references that are realigned for operation on the Internet and with access available to the general public can be included and targeted from the national and/or thematic VLHE webpage, under the item "scientific literature". To have this search service available from the webpage of a national and/or thematic VLHE, there are two possibilities: a) include the search form directly on the webpage, according to the instructions indicated on the site ¡Error! No se encuentra el origen de la referencia.. b) set up a link to the VLHE search system for each available database. National and/or thematic databases generated cooperatively and that follow quality control criteria should also be available for access through the national and/or thematic page, if possible using the same IAH search mechanism developed by CEPIS. 5.2 Document access services The increase in published scientific production, greater ease of access to bibliographic indexes, increased demand for access to fulltexts, and decreased purchasing power by libraries are some of the elements in the current library environment that directly influence the maintenance and development of collections in general. Thus, access to fulltext of documents referenced in the VLHE bibliographic databases at the regional, national, and thematic levels is obtained as follows: direct link to the electronic text, when available; or link to a document photocopy supply service. For electronic access, it is recommended to form consortia among libraries. Access to paper collections uses SCAD (Cooperative Service for Access to Documents), which is the VLHE service for searching and supplying full documents and articles by sending photocopies via post, fax, or e-mail. Integration of the bibliographic databases with SCAD requires some adjustments and definitions, for example, to which library one transfers the request for a document and the parameters for identifying the document’s data. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 36 5.2.1 SCAD in the VLHE SCAD is a management system for bibliographic exchange between libraries and information users, operating through the Internet in a client-server mode. It involves libraries with important collections and that have the infrastructure to offer the document supply service to other libraries or end users by mail, fax, e-mail and/or Ariel. The VLHE SCAD is integrated with the bibliographic databases and the collective catalog SeCS (Health Sciences Serials) and is operated under the coordination of CEPIS. This integration allows for automatically generating a document photocopy request, including transfer of the identifying bibliographic data and location of the document in one or more libraries cooperating in the service. The VLHE offers SCAD to any library or professional from the Latin American and Caribbean Region who is a registered user of the service. 5.2.2 National SCAD The implementation and operation of this service at the national level is complex, since it requires a high degree of organization and integration of libraries, an agreement defining the service’s operating policy, an agreement on common fees, standards, and procedures, etc. In addition to these organizational and policy aspects, the infrastructure needed to operate and maintain the service involves other requirements, such as: Central administration: the service must operate under a Center or Institution with proven leadership on issues related to document access, like interlibrary loans and bibliographic exchange services. This Center is responsible for the service’s policy issues, including the fees for services, development of cooperative plans and agreements, definition of a hierarchy, and submittal and transfer of requests for documents and identification of sources; definition of standards, norms, and procedures; compilation of statistics; preparation of manuals and guidelines for using the service; and overall coordination of the service. It is recommended that the SCAD be installed on an Internet server in the coordinating institution; Institutional resources: a document access service presupposes the existence of documents and collections in libraries. To organize a document access service involves designating a library or libraries in charge of systematically acquiring and storing documents and/or specific collections. This relates more directly to a policy for developing collections, but it is important to guarantee broad, organized, and rational availability of the existing scientific and technical information resources in libraries cooperating in the service; Guía BVSA 37 Abril 2002 Identification and location of the documents: when a specific document is requested, there should be tools in place to allow for the document’s bibliographic identification and its location in one of the cooperating libraries. It is important that there be a collective catalog or tool allowing for the identification of journals/issues, whose integration with the system allows for the automatic generation of requests, including their location. In the case of national and thematic bibliographic databases, it is possible to have a specific field identifying the library responsible for recording the document/article, which theoretically is where the document is located; Technological resources: an available UNIX, NT, or LINUX-type Internet server is needed to operate and manage the service, preferably installed in the Central Institution in charge of coordinating and maintaining the service. All the libraries and users of the service need is Internet access. Cooperating libraries, that is, those that will be responding to requests, need both Internet access and resources to make photocopies of the requested documents/articles, mail and fax service, and preferably a scanner and a software allowing electronic transmission of documents (for example, Ariel); Fees, billing, and payment system: there are always costs involved in reproducing and sending documents, and these costs can be transferred to the requesting parties. A fees policy should be set in agreement with the libraries cooperating in the service so as to provide for common fees and to allow for the implementation of a clearing system for requests between the cooperating libraries. In addition to setting fees for the service, it is important to provide mechanisms for billing, control of payments received, etc. Recommendations: To implement the National SCAD System, a pilot project is recommended based on a selection of 5 libraries at most. For a period of 6 months, this group should: explore the SCAD System; define policies for the service, including rates, billing policy, mean service time, identification of the libraries, and whether the service will be provided to individual users and/or other libraries; define standards and procedures for the service; prepare work procedures (pertaining to the service as a whole, help texts, and a system manual); review and adapt the texts to the Spanish language; define mechanisms for generating bills and payment controls; draft a project for implementing SCAD at the national level. CEPIS is committed to: Guía BVSA Abril 2002 38 provide support and technical assistance for implementing SCAD; configure the SCAD system according to definitions in the pilot project (fees, codes for libraries, links to databases, etc.); transfer documentation used for SCAD implementation and user training; and prepare instructions for SCAD configuration, operation, and maintenance. 5.3 Selective Dissemination of Information Selective dissemination of information is a VLHE service designed to alert usersubscribers to the new information sources included and/or referenced in the VLHE, according to defined thematic profiles. The VLHE will develop a network of profiles for themes and specialties, with the objective of responding efficiently to the needs for professional updating of specialized communities or those interested in specific themes. The profiles will be adjusted as they are used. User subscription to services involving selective dissemination of information and the process of recommending and/or defining new profiles will be performed online. The alerts will be sent to users through Internet services like e-mail, the Web, and PUSH. The DSI methodology is currently under development at CEPIS. Initially it will be applied to bibliographic databases and subsequently to the different types of information sources in the VLHE. Guía BVSA 39 Abril 2002 24. Steps for the implementation of the VLHE The National Coordinating Center of the VLHE should be the most suitable institution of the country, since it will assume the leadership of the implementation of the VLHE, having the support of the other national institutions. It is suggested to follow the following steps: 1. Identification of the productive institutions, intermediaries, and users of environmental `scientific and technical health information`. Model in Annex 7 is suggested. Meeting of the institutions for the understanding joint of the proposal of the VLHE, visando its adoption as model and common cooperative work space, being based on the national network of REPIDISCA in the country. In Annex 2 it can be observed how the responsibilities can be divided. Identification of the institutions that stand out in infrastructure, human resources, and leadership in the area for the establishment of the National Advisory Committee that should be formed by representatives of the principal institutions related to scientific and technical information in environmental health. Establishment of the National Advisory Committee, formed by representatives of the principal institutions related to scientific and technical information in health and environment in the country. Discussion and preparation of the National Plan for the implementation of the VLHE by the National Advisory Committee. The national plan is developed via specific projects, whose implementation will be the responsibility of one or more institutions. The Advisory Committee is responsible for the coordination of the division of the responsibilities among the institutions. In Annex 3 a project model is presented. Implementation decentralized from the National Plan, under the responsibility of institutions and with monitoring of the Committee that are or not integrated in the National Advisory Committee. In Annex 4 the indicators of evaluation of the national development of the VLHE are presented. The National Coordinating Center of the VLHE should house the Page Internet of the National VLHE (the model is presented in Annex 1) to this end should have at the very least: Server (Windows NT 4.0) with the following characteristics: • 128 Mbytes of memory RAM • 500 MHZ of processing speed • 4 Gygabytes of capacity for storage on disk 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 7.1. Guía BVSA 40 Abril 2002 • Administrator of Web pages programs as: Internet Information Server, Apache server, etc. 7.2 Microcomputers to feed the databases, queries, etc. with a configuration minimum of: • Operating system Windows • 64 Mbytes of memory RAM • 500 MHZ of processing speed • 4 Gygabytes of capacity for storage on disk 7.3 8. Access to Internet by devoted line of 128 K The minimum technical profile of the professionals involved in the construction of the VLHE should be as follows: • Professionals of engineering sanitary and environmental, as well as related sciences. • Librarians, specialists in information. • Computer. It is indispensable that in the National Coordinating Center of the VLHE there is, at least, a computer trained in the software of the VLHE and there is made responsible for the maintenance of the system at the national level. Receive the course on the methodology of the VLHE, whose program is attached as Annex 5 and the form of evaluation of the course is presented as Annex 6. This course is programmed for librarians and computer that have knowledge of the CDS/ISIS software and know the structure of the Package of Automation of the REPIDISCA> Those which do not meet that requirement have to attend to a previous course, whose program is presented in Annex 8. The country should cover the travel expenses of the two instructors of CEPIS, as well as the realization of the course: site, refreshments, computers, and reproduction of materials. The local where it is carried out the course should count with: • Flip chart with abundant role and color markers. • A Date Show for the presentations and Internet connection for the Laptop that CEPIS takes with all the material). • A computer per each participating institution and , at the most , 20 computers with the same configuration with: • Administrator of Web pages programs as: Internet Information Server, Apache server, Savant server, etc. • Operating system Windows (If it is Windows 2000, they should count Internet Information Server). • Exit Internet (optional, since they work with a simulator). • Internet Explorer, Power Point, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word, and Front Page. Guía BVSA Abril 2002 9. 41 10. Periodic feeding of each source of information on the National VLHE and weekly sending to CEPIS of the new records. • • Each VLHE will record mainly the information from its country in each source of information that form the VLHE. The National Coordinating Center of the VLHE should send all Fridays, the new records/updates entered every database. The methodology of the VLHE includes an automatic process for the shipment CEPIS. 11. It is suggested that each Cooperating Center installs the programs of the VLHE in a computer with a configuration minimum of: • Windows 95 • It programs simulator of Web pages as: Internet Information Server, Apache server, Savant server, etc. • 64 Mbytes of memory RAM. • 500 MHZ of processing speed. • 4 Gygabytes of capacity for storage on disk. This equipment does not need to be connected to Internet, it can current as "Local Host." The Cooperating Center should feed directly in its computer each database and weekly to send the information to the VLHE-National. Periodic follow-up meetings and evaluation. Constant promotion of the VLHE through pamphlets, markers of books (in Annex 9 is presented the designed by PAHO of Bolivia). planners, schedules of the year, pad for mouse of computer, etc. 12. 13. Guía BVSA 42 Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 43 Abril 2002 ANNEX 1 Model of principal page of the VLHE Guía BVSA 44 Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 45 Abril 2002 ANNEX 2 Matrix of responsibilities of the VLHE in _____________________ (country) # Institution A Institution B Institution C Institution n Activities/Name National Page Coordination/organization Methodology Text preparation Bibliographic database Full texts `Investigator` directory Institution directory Research project directory Course and event directory Academic study directory Journal database SciELO Legislation Indicators Support for the education and decisionmaking DSI News Communication Thesaurus Information localizer Training of users Marketing Institution … 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 • • Coordination and/or Executive Secretariat Participation Guía BVSA 47 Abril 2002 ANNEX 3 Project model for the development of the VLHE Introduction Purpose of the document. Expected time and estimated cost of the project. Participating institutions. Background What is the VLHE, its development, etc.? Justification for the development of the VLHE in the country. Existing sources of information in the national area that can be integrated the VLHE. General objective Contribute to development of the environmental health by means of the promotion of intensive use of up-to-date and relevant scientific and technical information. Maximize the use of information technologies, operating on the Internet, in order to promote the universal access to sources of information. Specific objectives and expected results Detail one or more specific objectives. Principles, methodology, and macroactividades of implementation Principles and general methodology of the VLHE: a) Promote the equitable and universal access to sources of scientific and technical information. b) Operate in decentralized form the sources of information with a view to promoting the active participation of the related institutions. c) Obey quality criteria that certify the authorship or the review of the sources of information. Methodology of development of the project: a) Creation and operation of a National Advisory Committee of the VLHE. b) Identification of the institution that will coordinate the operation of the project. Guía BVSA 47 Abril 2002 c) Preparation of a detailed plan of implementation of the VLHE: the detailed description of the projects with expected results and the responsible institutions should appear as Annex. d) Operation on line with universal access of a network of sources of information: define the types of sources that will be developed. 5. Macroactividades Detail the macroactividades based on the methodology of development of the project and the time that will be devoted to each activity. 7. Budget Total estimated cost. Distribution of the costs (contracting of human resources, consultancies, sources of information, technologies of information, etc.). Add 10% for administrative expenditures and non-foreseeable expenditures. Proposed projects: VLHE - 0: National page of the VLHE VLHE - 1: Bibliographic and factuales databases VLHE - 2: Directories VLHE - 3: Numerical indicators VLHE - 4: Information for decisionmakers in environmental health VLHE - 5: Selective dissemination of information VLHE - 6: Communication: news and lists of discussion VLHE - 7: Environmental health thesaurus VLHE - 8: Exhibits and virtual seminars in the VLHE VLHE - 9: Information localizer in health and environment VLHE--10: Training of intermediaries and users VLHE--11: Marketing VLHE--12: Specialized spaces VLHE--13: Full text VLHE--14: Support for the education For each project there is included the description of the project and its subprojects, the expected results and the responsible institutions. Guía BVSA 48 Abril 2002 ANNEX 4 Indicators of evaluation of the national development of the VLHE 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 Page of the National VLHE: Does there exist the Web page for the national VLHE? If so, the URL reports on the Web page: Is the structure in agreement (galleries and sub-galleries) with the model suggested by BIREME/CEPIS? National Advisory Committee of the VLHE: Is the National Advisory Committee formed? If so, the integral institutions are representative in the national area? Please, inform the names/institutions that form the Committee. As many times did the Committee meet? In what dates? Please, send proceedings of the meetings with the principal decisions and recommendations of the Committee. National Plan of the VLHE: Does the National Plan already exist? If so, please attach it to this survey. Is the National Plan in agreement with the guide of the VLHE? Is a timetable of activities? Bibliographic Database Full texts `Investigator` Directory Institution Directory Research Project Directory Course and Event Directory Academic Study Directory Journal Database SciELO Legislation Indicators Support for the education and decision-making DSI News Communication Thesaurus Information Localizer Training of Users Marketing Infrastructure and technological resources: Is the VLHE in own server? 49 Abril 2002 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 5. 5.1 Guía BVSA 5.2 5.2 6. 6.1 6.2 Specify: odelo: - CPU/Clock: - Memory: - Disk: - Operational system: - URL: If the response to item 5.1 is negative, are Not plans to acquire an own server? When? Conectividad: Do there exist problems of conectividad? Specify: On the connection of Internet, specify: - Speed: - Provedor: - Devoted line: Principal problems and difficulties for "the implementation and operation of the VLHE:" Political support Financial resources Human resources Computational infrastructure Internet Tools/methodologies for the implementation of the products and services of the BVS Others 7. 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Guía BVSA 50 Abril 2002 Program of the Course on the Methodology of the Virtual Health Library and Environment Hour 08:30 Monday Inauguration VLHE Presentation Services, Manuals Software (CEPIS-INF). Coffee Instal. /Configuration: It structures Directory and Adapciones operators Web pages (CEPIS-COM). Luncheon Thesaurus Database: Bibliographic. Package Automation. (CEPIS-COM and CEPISINF) Coffee Charge of bibliographic Database to the server (CEPIS-COM). Exit Tuesday Full texts Database: Journals Database: Institutions (CEPIS-INF) Coffee Database: Events and Academic Programs Database: News (CEPISINF) Luncheon Database: Lisa and Materiles Educativos. Legislation text comp. SCIELO(CEPIS-INF) Coffee Regional VLHE demonstration (CEPIS-INF) Exit Wednesday Microisis--winisis. Files (mst, xrf, ifp, fst, pft, cnt). Indexing techniques. (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Thursday Pages html. Relation of marks more used the Web. (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Preparation of Web pages basically. (CEPIS-COM) Luncheon Communication between Isis and Html. `Visualization` formats combined with marks Html (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Practice of `visualization` formats with HTML. (CEPISCOM) Exit Friday VLHE Installation in each computer. Charge of information to the different services (CEPIS-COM) Coffee National and regional VLHE export. Generation Backup (CEPISCOM) Luncheon Solution to frequent problems List of discussion of the VLHE. (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Evaluation of the course. Work plan for the development of the bvs and VLHE (PAHO) Closure Exit ANNEX 5 10:20 10:40 `Visualization` formats. (CEPIS-COM). Luncheon Management of the MX (CEPIS-COM) 12:30 13.30 14:50 15:10 17:00 Coffee Practice of the MX Programs: Links Descriptors and Conversion data to Isis (CEPIS-COM) Exit Requirements of the participants: They can be any of these three professionals: • Professionals of sanitary and environmental engineering: with knowledge of management of bibliographic information and notions of computation. • Librarians, specialists in information: with knowledge of computation. • Computer: with knowledge of processing of information from libraries and/or documentation centers Requirements of the Classroom: The site where there is offered the course should have: • Flip chart with abundant role and color markers • A Date Show for the presentations and access to Internet in order to connect the Laptop that CEPIS takes with all the material of the course • 20 computers as maximum: a computer per each participating institution. All should have all the same configuration with: • Operating system Windows (If is Windows 2000, should utilize the Internet Information Server as administrator of Web pages) • Administrator of Web pages programs as: Internet Information Server, Apache server, Savant server, etc. • Internet Explorer, Power Point, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word y Front Page Guía BVSA 52 Abril 2002 Guía BVSA 53 Abril 2002 ANNEX 6 Evaluation of the Course on the Methodology of the VLHE Our objective is to know his opinion on the course that is concluding. The information on this questionnaire will be carefully analyzed and will provide us with means to evaluate and enhance our courses. Write the letter that identifies its response. Explanation Use in institution 1. Presentation of the VLHE, Services, manuals, Software 2. Installation and Configuration, Structure Directories and adaptations 3. Database: Bibliographic. Package Automation. 4. Charge of bibliographic Database to the server 5. Connection to full texts 6. Database: Journals 7. Database: Institution Directory 8. Database: Events and Academic Programs. 9. Database: News. 10. Database: Localizer of information and Educational Materials 11. Database: Legislation to full text. 12. Demonstration of the Regional VLHE. 13. Microsis - Winisis: Files 14. `Visualization` Formats 15. Management of the MX 16. Programs: Links, descriptors, and Conversion of data to ISIS. 17. HTML Pages. 18. Preparation of Web pages. 19. Communication between ISIS and HTML 20. `Visualization` formats with HTML 21. Installation of the VLHE in each computer. 22. Charge of information to the different services on the VLHE. 23. Export of the information for national and regional VLHE. Backup 24. Solution to frequent problems. List of Discussion 25. Work plan for the development of the bvs and VLHE. Time INSTRUCTIONS Explanation : And = Excellent B = Good R = Regular M = Bad Assigned time: D = Too A = Adequate I = Insufficient Use in institution: Assign 1 to the database that intends to implement first in its Institution and 8 to the last. And = Excellent B = Good R = Regular M = Bad 1. In accordance with its expectation, this course was: 2. The course expanded/updated its knowledge of form: 3. What is learned in the course to be applied in its work is: 4. The provided services (attention, coffees, secretariat, etc.) they were: 5. In general the course it would qualify it as: In your institution you carry out works related especially to: ( ( ( ( ( ) ) ) ) ) Processing of technical information Computer programming Telecommunications Administrative works Another one: Specify: _______________________________________________ Indicate on what module he would like to receive a second more detailed training and assign the number of hours that would consider necessary: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Please, indicate any suggestion to improve the next courses: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Calificación INSTRUCTIONS ANNEX 7 INSTITUTION DIRECTORY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VLHE ACRONYM INSTITUTION DEPARTMENT DIVISION, SCHOOL DENOMINATION ACRONYM ACRONYM Ej. Library ADDRESS CITY, COD.POSTAL STATE, PROVINCE POSTAL BOX INSTITUTION TELEPHONE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF ITS INSTITUTION: Mark with "X." International National Provincial/Civil Servant/Departmental SECTOR OF ITS INSTITUTION: Mark with "X." Private Public NGO CITY COD. BOX FAX COUNT RY Site Another one: specify: AREA OF ACTION OF ITS INSTITUTION: Mark with "X." Urban Rural Urban fringe TYPE OF ITS INSTITUTION: Mark with "X." Associations Consultants Sewerage companies Refuse collection companies Supplier water companies Teaching and Research Regulatory entities Ministries Municipios Agencies Universities ANOTHER ONE SPECIFIES: AREAS IN WHICH WORKS ON ITS INSTITUTION: Mark with "X." Supply/ Quality of the water Citizen participation Wastewater Pesticides `Primary environmental care` Indigenous populations Air quality Water resources-management Health districts Hazardous residues Soil contamination Solid waste Institutional development Environmental health/ Generalities Disasters Workers’ health Epidemiology `Health in Housing` Environmental impact assessment Appropriate technology Information and documentation Toxicology Laboratory Water treatment MAXIMUM AUTHORITY OF THE INSTITUTION: Name E-mail Positio n DATA OF THE INFORMATION UNIT: Name Responsible Direct telephone E-mail WWW of the Institution Positio n Fax In case of not having WWW, development plans: ( ) 6 months ( ) 1 year ( ) does not know Resources of the information unit related to Ambinetal Health Number of books and/or monographs Number of serial publication titles Number of computers in the library for technical processes Number of computers in the library with access to Internet Number of computers in the institution with access to Internet Number of scanners for the use of the library Name of the automation software Indicate number of personnel: Professionals ( ) Technicians ( ) Others ( ) Quantity VLHE COMPONENTS: B aces of data that currently the information unit administers: If so, indicate number of registrations related to environmental health Bibliographic Information localizers (other www) Courses and events Specialists Institutions Legislation Educational materials News Journals Full texts Other databases or sources of information: Name of the person who filled out the form Position Date / /2002 April 2002 Guiding BVSA 58 ANNEX 7 ANNEX 8 Program of the Course on the Methodology of the Virtual Health Library and Environment with Updating in ISIS Hour 08:30 Thursday Inauguration VLHE Implementation Introduction to the ISIS Files of the ISIS (Information) 10:20 10:40 Coffee Installation of the WINISIS Directories Services (Information) Luncheon Creation of a simple database with the instructor (Information) Friday Resúmen of the previous day Data Entry (Information) Monday Summary Thursday and Friday (Information) Inauguration VLHE Presentation Services, Manuals Software (CEPIS-INF). Coffee Instal. /Configuration: It structures Directory and Adapciones operators Web pages (CEPIS-COM). Luncheon Thesaurus Database: Bibliographic. Package Automation. (CEPIS-COM and CEPIS-INF) Tuesday Full texts Database: Journals Database: Institutions (CEPIS-INF) Wednesday Microisis--winisis. Files (mst, xrf, ifp, fst, pft, cnt). Indexing techniques. (CEPISCOM) Thursday Pages html. Relation of marks more used the Web. (CEPIS-COM) Friday VLHE Installation in each computer. Charge of information to the different services (CEPIS-COM) Coffee `Visualization` Formats (Information) Luncheon Indexing Techniques Information Recovery (Information) Coffee Database: Events and Academic Programs Database: News (CEPIS-INF) Luncheon Database: Lisa and Materiles Educativos. Legislation text comp. SCIELO(CEPIS-INF) Coffee `Visualization` formats. (CEPISCOM). Luncheon Management of the MX (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Preparation of Web pages basically. (CEPIS-COM) Coffee National and regional VLHE export. Generation Backup (CEPIS-COM) Luncheon Solution to frequent problems List of discussion of the VLHE. (CEPISCOM) 12:30 13.30 14:50 15:10 Coffee Coffee Practice in the creation Export and Import of of a database data. (Information) Solution to frequent problems (Information) Coffee Coffee Charge of bibliographic Regional VLHE Database to the server demonstration (CEPIS-COM). (CEPIS-INF) Coffee Practice of the MX Programs: Links Descriptors and Conversion data to Isis (CEPIS-COM) Exit Luncheon Communication between Isis and Html. `Visualization` formats combined with marks Html (CEPIS-COM) Coffee Practice of `visualization` formats with HTML. (CEPIS-COM) 17:00 Exit Exit Exit Exit Exit Coffee Evaluation of the course. Work plan for the development of the bvs and VLHE (PAHO) Closure Exit Requirements of the participants: They can be any of these three professionals: • Professionals of sanitary and environmental engineering: with knowledge of management of bibliographic information and notions of computation. • Librarians, specialists in information: with knowledge of computation. • Computer: with knowledge of processing of information from libraries and/or documentation centers Requirements of the Classroom: The site where there is offered the course should have: • Flip chart with abundant role and color markers • A Date Show for the presentations and access to Internet in order to connect the Laptop that CEPIS takes with all the material of the course • 20 computers as maximum: a computer per each participating institution. All should have all the same configuration with: • Operating system Windows (If is Windows 2000, should utilize the Internet Information Server as administrator of Web pages) • Administrator of Web pages programs as: Internet Information Server, Apache server, Savant server, etc. • Internet Explorer, Power Point, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word y Front Page Guiding BVSA 60 April 2002 Guiding BVSA 61 April 2002 ANNEX 9 Book Marker Model of the VLHE-Bolivia Guiding BVSA 62 April 2002