RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
Commercial publishers are organisations that produce materials for profit.
Commercial publishers that produce materials on health and development
include Butterworth-Heinemann, Macmillan, Oxford University Press (OUP)
and Zed Books. Some of the larger publishers, such as Macmillan and OUP,
have offices in developing countries, which support local production and
distribution of materials. Publishers’ catalogues are available free on request.
Most United Nations agencies, such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, WHO and
the World Bank, and NGOs, such as AMREF, Healthlink Worldwide,
INTRAC, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Oxfam, Save
the Children (SCF) and Women INK, produce materials, often free or at low
cost. Most produce catalogues or publications lists that are available free on
request. Government documents from ministries such as the Ministry of Health
include important policy documents, guidelines and training manuals.
Professional associations of, for example, doctors, nurses or librarians, produce
materials including books, guidelines and newsletters.
Training institutions may produce training materials, including distance
education materials.
Subscription agents, such as Swets Blackwell, organise subscriptions to
periodicals.
Details of key producers and distributors of materials are given in Section 4.9.
4.3.2 Bibliographic sources
Bibliographic sources include:
• resource lists and bibliographies
• bibliographic databases
• acquisitions bulletins
• book reviews and summaries
• sources of information for articles
• Blue Trunk Library lists.
Some publications are a combination of different types of material providing
bibliographic source information.
Resource lists are publications that contain details of materials, usually on a
specific subject such as diarrhoeal diseases, disability issues, or reproductive
and sexual health. They usually include a brief description of each material, the
price, and details of how to obtain the material.
Bibliographies are similar to resource lists, but do not necessarily include
information on how to obtain materials. Resource lists and bibliographies are
usually available in print or electronic format.
6 SECTION 4: DEVELOPING THE COLLECTION