The Window of Knowledge is a resource of the Virtual Health Library that aims to give visibility and access to the main documents and other information resources in a priority issue in health sciences.
The pilot for the Windows of Knowledge was applied to the VHL Regional Portal, initially with the topic Sustainable Health Agenda of the Americas 2030 (ASSA 2030), launched during the 10th edition of the Regional Congress on Health Sciences Information (CRICS10). The collection ofwindows of knowledge can be accessed on the windows of knowledge area available on the aforementioned Portal.
Rosemeire Pinto, Training and User Services Supervisor, emphasized: “Differently from a spotlight, a Window of Knowledge presents, besides the VHL documents on the main topic and associated topics, special components such as direct access to referential documents, to Open Educational Resources – OER, to information sources such as blogs, epidemiologic bulletins, news, illustration and multimedia elements (videos, infographics, infometric studies) and/or other resources that allow users to access relevant and trustable information on the topic in a fast and effective manner, thus facilitating information use for a diversity of ends”.
The process of construction of the Windows of Knowledge provides the support of specialists in the subject that will be highlighted for indication of content and / or review of the contents previously selected in terms of its relevance and adequacy. Another feature of the Window of Knowledge is the periodic updating of the contents, considering the period of relevance of the topic and also its registration as a source of information, using the methodology of the Health Information Locator specific for windows of knowledge.
The main dates and health celebrations in the Region of Latin America and the Caribbean orient the launching of new windows of knowledge in the Regional VHL.
According to Dr. Diego González, Director of BIREME, “Windows of Knowledge constitute an excellent information product that may be used to highlight the health priorities identified in the Country Cooperation Strategies that our PAHO Country Offices outline along with the Ministries of Health and other sectors. Furthermore, the Windows of Knowledge are a tool that can be very useful for any end user of the information, but above all for Primary Health Care workers, as they require fast and organized information”.
The methodology for the construction of a Window of Knowledge can be accessed on the VHL Network Portal, under Products and Services.
The Windows of Knowledge have a compatible open source plugin with Word press 4.7.11 or higher, available at https://github.com/bireme/wp-vitrines, which may be installed on the VHL.
We invite users and coordinators of the VHL Network to access and integrate this new and important resource on health information in their VHL.
