RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
7.13 Newsletters
Newsletters can be a useful way to disseminate topical information about local
health issues and activities. They may include news about the resource centre,
articles about local health problems and projects, research updates, details of
new publications, training opportunities and conferences, and letters and
questions from readers.
Newsletters have become easier to produce and more attractive to look at with
the use of computers. To make a newsletter into a lively forum for the
exchange of news and ideas, resource centre staff could involve local health
workers or community groups in planning and providing information.
A few words of caution, however. A newsletter needs to have clear aims. It
needs to be properly funded and staffed over a long period. Otherwise it can
turn into a chore or a drain on resources. It is important to:
• identify who the readers will be, what their information needs are, and the
purpose of the newsletter
• identify who will be responsible for planning, writing, editing, layout and
administration (including staff and others who may be commissioned), what
expertise they have and what training they may need
• decide how to distribute the newsletter (for example, by post, at the health
centre, hospital, community centre or chemist)
• develop a realistic budget that takes into account all production and
distribution costs, including salaries
• allow a realistic amount of time for the work and draw up a realistic
schedule
• plan several issues in advance to avoid gaps.
SECTION 7: INFORMATION SERVICES
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