Biblioteca Virtual en Salud

Biblioteca Virtual en Salud (BVS) is a model for the operation of a network of information sources. It was developed by the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), a specialized center of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The BVS model is oriented towards the development of a network of producers, intermediaries, and users of information, integrating resources, services, and flow of scientific and technical health information.

History

The BVS was created in 1998, as a development of the Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) project, which was initiated by BIREME in 1982. The BVS model was proposed as a solution to the challenges of universal access to health information, in a context of technological changes and the growth of the Internet.

Objectives

The main objective of the BVS is to promote the development of an information culture in health, contributing to the democratization of information, knowledge, and scientific evidence. It aims to facilitate decision-making in health, based on the best and most current scientific evidence available.

Operation

The BVS operates through a network of information sources, which are organized in a decentralized manner, but operate under a common methodology. The network includes libraries, documentation centers, and information units, as well as producers and users of information. The BVS promotes the use of scientific and technical health information, through services such as search and retrieval of bibliographic references, full text documents, and other types of information resources.

Impact

The BVS has had a significant impact on the access to health information in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has contributed to the democratization of access to scientific knowledge, and has facilitated the use of evidence in decision-making in health.

See also

• Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information
• Pan American Health Organization
• World Health Organization
• Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences