This page provides links to a range of source material developed to support the creation and sustainability of community-based resource centres.

We are members of the ALADIN Network, dedicated to the promotion of libraries and resource centres supporting adult education.

*This page was originally created for the Coady certificate program, Managing NGO Resource Centres / Resource Centres for Learning and Change.

Field Visits

• Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia
• Ecology Action Centre
• Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre

Manuals for Resource Centres

• Adams, A. & MacLean, E. (2006). Experiential exercises for resource centres training. (577K pdf)
• Carrel, M. & Wadsworth, G. (2013). Sustainable library development: Training package. Washington, DC: Peace Corps. (7.62 Mb pdf)
• Grenier, L. (1998). Working with indigenous knowledge: A guide for researchers. Library has hard copy, 333.7 G865w.
• Hughes, S., Eashwar, S., & Jennings, V. (Eds.). (2004). Community multimedia centres: How to get started and keep going: a guide. Paris: UNESCO. (2.33 Mb pdf)
• International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR). (1996). Recording and using indigenous knowledge: A manual. Library has hard copy, 001.43 Int8r.
• Jensen, M. & Esterhuysen, A. (2001). The community telecentre cookbook for Africa: Recipes for self-sustainability: how to establish a multi-purpose community telecentre in Africa. (512K pdf)
• Mchombu, K., et al. (2004). Sharing knowledge for community development and transformation: A handbook.
• Moore, N. (2007). Community information and technology centres: Focus on South-East Asia. Bangkok: UNESCO.
• Peace Corps. (2012). Sources of donated books for schools and libraries. (Information collection and exchange publication no. RE003). Washington, DC: Peace Corps. (1.22 Mb pdf)
• Wendell, L. (1998). Libraries for all: How to start and run a basic library. (9.21 Mb pdf)

Accessibility

• Accessibility tips to navigate websites with ease. Published by the Centre for Equitable Library Access.

Action Planning

• Commonwealth of Australia. (2005). The logical framework approach. (266K pdf)
• Logical Framework Analysis, BOND Guidance Notes 4. (179K pdf)

Collection Building

• Collection Development Policies
  • Electronic Resources Collection Development Policy – University of Hong Kong
• Das, A., Sen, B. & Josaih, J. (2008). Open access to knowledge and information: Scholarly literature and digital library initiatives: The South Asian scenario. Published by UNESCO.
• Farm Radio International, a Canadian organization working with broadcasters in African countries to fight poverty and food insecurity.
• Johnson, S., et al. (2012). Key issues for e-resource collection development: A guide for libraries. Published by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (178K pdf)
• Publishers Links
  • BookAid International works with organisations in developing countries to support local initiatives in literacy, education, training and publishing.
  • Practical Action publishes books on microfinance, microenterprise, organizational development, capacity building, civil society and other international development topics. (StFX access link)

Cataloguing and Classification

• Course materials from the Library of Congress’ Cataloguers Learning Workshop (CLW). Site contains PDF documents on cataloguing skills, digital library environment skills, and serials cataloguing.
• Glassel, A. (1998). Was Ranganathan a yahoo?

Database Management Systems

• Cardbox for Windows
• CDS/ISIS
• Microsoft Access tutorials

Indigenous Knowledge/Global Knowledge

• The Development Gateway
• InsightShare’s participatory video tools for building skill, self-confidence and trust.

Information Literacy

• Chong, R. (2021). Indigenous information literacy. Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
• IDS. (2012). Training toolkit: Monitoring and evaluation for information literacy training initiatives in Africa: a journey approach. Brighton: IDS. (2.53 Mb pdf)

Introduction to HTML and Website Creation

• HTML-Kit, highly regarded HTML editor which is freely available for downloading.
• HTML tutorial (HTML5 compliant), W3Schools.com teaches you everything about HTML.
• Search engine registration, easy way to submit your web page URL to multiple search engines.

Records Management

• Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA International), organisation that develops standards on records management.
• How to manage your information, guidance, tools and templates that can help with the process of managing your information.
• National Archives of Australia. (2004). Digital recordkeeping: Guidelines for creating, managing and preserving digital records. (660K pdf)

Sustainability

• Rural Education and Development (READ Global) combines education and private enterprise to make rural communities places to learn, build, and prosper.

Supplementary Links

Readings

• Richard, J., & Adams, S. (2009). Partners in libraries. APLA Bulletin, 72(4), 5-9.
• Krolak, L. (2019). Books beyond bars: The transformative potential of prison libraries [e-book]. [n.l.]: UNESCO.

General Development Websites

• CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
• Marilyn Waring: Sex, Lies & Global Economics: How to change a system that causes misery, a podcast of the feminist economics film about the New Zealand author and former member of parliament, Marilyn Waring.
• OneWorld.net brings together the latest news and views from organizations promoting human rights awareness and fighting poverty.
• Third World Network (TWN) joins organizations and individuals involved in issues relating to development, the Third World and North-South issues.

Electronic Resource Centres

• Aluka: Building a digital library of scholarly resources from and about Africa
  • Heritage sites (StFX only)
  • Struggles for freedom (StFX only)
• ASK-us, ARROW’s Digital Resource Centre with a collection of resources on sexual and reproductive health and rights and related thematic areas.
• The Digital South Asia Library
• Internet Archive: a digital library of Internet sites
• Network Startup Resource Centre (NSRC) provides assistance to networking initiatives building access to the public Internet.
• New York Public Library (NYPL) Digital Gallery
• Pluto Press – open access books
• TVO.org offers a catalog of documentaries that delivers learning inside and outside the classroom.
• World Bank Open Knowledge Repository (OKR) is the World Bank’s official open access repository for its research outputs and knowledge products.

Networks

• ALADIN: Adult Learning Documentation and Information Network
• The NGO Café, links to various NGO indices and resources on the internet.

Search Tools and Internet Use

• Mannix, K. (1999). The Busy Women’s Guide to the Internet: Activism and Research On-line. Information and links to women’s human rights as well as tools for the Internet. (211K pdf)

Subject Specific Sites

• BRIDGE provides a central point for gender and development information to support gender mainstreaming needs.
• FinDev Gateway connects global financial inclusion and microfinance community.
• International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide.
• INTRAC (International NGO Training and Research Centre)
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) creates solutions to solve the planet’s environmental challenges.

Funding Sources and Fundraising Strategies

• Foundation Directory, access the information you need for funding requests.
• The Virtual Foundation, supports grassroots initiatives seeking funding by posting project proposals on the website for donors to read.

Electronic Journals

• Directory of Open Access Journals includes a large number of free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals.
• New Internationalist
• Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, issues available: 1(2006)-current.
  • Special issue on Canadian library associations, 15(1), 2020.