Help

This is the Help section of the Humanitarian Library, where you can find answers to frequently-asked questions. If you want to find out more about the Humanitarian Library’s rationale, mission, history and added value, see the About Us Section.

 

Getting started

1. Who can create an account on the Humanitarian Library ? Who is eligible to register?

All non-profit humanitarian stakeholders can create an account and freely access the Humanitarian Library and, correspondingly, share knowledge. See below for eligibility.
We kindly ask that those applying for accounts are involved in the humanitarian sector or will be during a humanitarian crisis. In order to prove your eligibility, in your application for an account, you will be asked to provide two referees who will be contacted by email prior to your account being validated.
Before you get started, here is some relevant information as to who is eligible and not eligible to apply for an account on the Library:
  • Eligible to hold an account on the Library, in order to create Channels, create Collections, upload Resources, make comments and like Channels, Collections and Resources, are: local government, government line ministries and government humanitarian task forces; donors and International Financial Institutions; IASC clusters; United Nations bodies; International Organisations; the Red Cross Movement; national and international Non-Governmental Organisations; development actors; Civil Society Organisations; and independent humanitarian specialists.
  • Ineligible currently for an account on the Library, although we are seeking funding to be able to support appropriately all these stakeholders, are: affected populations and populations at risk; academics and academic research bodies; and profit-making organisations, including the private sector. Also ineligible are members of the armed forces or foreign offices of governments as, in accordance with the Red Cross Code of Conduct, the Library endeavours not to act as an instrument of government foreign policy.

2. Is it free? Will it always be?

The use of this Library to find and download Resources is FREE and OPEN to all humanitarian stakeholders. The Humanitarian Library is strongly committed to ensure that this will always be the case.

3. How do I log in?

Users need to log in in order to upload Resources, create Collections and Channels, as well as to make comments. Login is not needed to view content.
If you are eligible to create an account on the Library, please follow these steps:
 
    • There are two ways to create an account. Either login in using an OCHA Humanitarian ID, or by signing up to the Library. Both ways are valid and imply equal access to the Library’s features. Click on the option you prefer.
       

      Login or SignUp

       

      The Humanitarian Library admits OCHA's Humanitarian ID as a way to login, recognising it as the primary coordination tool for humanitarian responders during disasters and crises. The Humanitarian ID provides up-to-date contact lists practitioners can resort to during emergencies.

 
    • Should you decide to login in by using an OCHA Humanitarian ID, you can either use your existing OCHA Humanitarian ID or you can register one. When you click on “Login using Humanitarian ID”, a new window will pop up, showing the following:
       

      Humanitarian ID

       

      Log in with your existing OCHA Humanitarian ID or register a new one Humanitarian ID Account. This will grant you access to the Library.

 
    • Should you not have an OCHA Humanitarian ID or should you prefer to apply for an account directly to the Library, click on “Login or sign-up to the Library”. You will be directed to the following page. Click on “Apply for an account on the Library”.
       

      LogIn page

 
    • Further, fill in the details that appear below (your personal details and your referee contact details). Should your application for an account on the Library be successful, you will be contacted by email. Aware that your referees may take time to respond, please allow five working days for this review and check your spam folder before contacting the Library.
       

      Personnal Informations

 
    • In order to prove your eligibility, in your application for an account, you will be asked to provide two referees who will be contacted by email prior to your account being validated.
       

      Information from organisation

 
  • Optional: Once you have completed the form, you can click on the box ‘Request trusted account’. With a trusted account you can temporarily promote your resource by boosting its popularity. This will give it a higher ranking in the search results, make it appear in the featured area and make it stand out by adding a green checkmark next to the title. Please note that if the amount of people viewing or voting for your resource is not sufficient to maintain its popularity, the resource will be automatically downgraded to a normal resource.
     

    Request Confirmation

     
  • You are almost there! Agree to the terms and conditions, enter the answer to the CAPTCHA, and click on ‘Apply for an account’. CAPTCHA is a system to make sure you are not a robot and you simply need to follow the instructions. You will hear from us very soon on the status of your account (allow for up to 5 working days).
     

    Apply for Account

4. Who owns the Intellectual Property of the contents of the Library?

The recognition of Intellectual Property (IP) is mandatory for all uploads, whether or not you hold copyright.
There is a field for the publisher on every item uploaded, so you can find more from them, or promote your own work. This also contributes towards mapping the humanitarian space.
The open IP of most humanitarian publications for non-profit use enables the Humanitarian Library to exist. This ability to share freely the lessons we have all learned is also unique to the sector and offers possibilities for us all in knowledge management.
The majority of humanitarian publications can be disseminated freely, as long as no profit is derived. Only these publications should be shared through the Library, and their Rights should be acknowledged fully when uploading, using the functionality described. For further information on this, please read the following question.

5. How do I find out more about who published what is on the Library and what else they have published?

In order to find out more about the publisher of a Resource, you only need to follow two easy steps:
    • Go to the page of the Resource in question and spot the tag ‘Publisher(s)’. This tag shows the entity responsible for the publication of the said Resource. Please note that the author and the publisher do not have to be the same. A resource might have been produced by one or several authors or agencies, and then be published or commissioned by a different entity. The rights should be acknowledged to both author(s) and publisher(s), as such. The image below shows a circle around the ‘publisher(s)’ tag:
       

      Publisher Tag 1

 
  • To see other resources from that same publisher that have been added to the Library, just click on the name of the publisher (next to the relevant tag, ‘Publisher(s)’). This information will be available for no matter how many publishers the Resource might have. In the example above, the Resource has two publishing agencies: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Norwegian Red Cross. In case you want to have displayed all the existing IFRC publications in the Library, click on its name tag. You will be directed to a list showing your search request, as shown in the following image:
     

    Publisher Research

Using the Library & finding knowledge

6. How do I find documents in the Library ?

The Humanitarian Library’s knowledge management follows these categories:
  • Channels are the highest level of knowledge within the Library. They can contain several Collections, which is useful to organise areas clearly into topics. Using Channels, organisations, initiatives and individuals can create a space they can manage, developing its own identity and linking back to their own libraries.
  • Collections are the second highest level for organising resources and knowledge within the Library. Collections, however, do not need to be included under the umbrella of a Channel. Only when the topic is broad enough and there is sufficient resources available should users create a Channel.
  • Resources are single items of knowledge, such as documents and presentations. Registered users can easily upload free-access resources to the Library, by following several easy steps. Once a Resource has been uploaded, it can be added to one or several Collections and Channels.

Having stated that, there are three alternative options to find documents in the Library.

 

Option one is by sector. All the different sectors encompassed by the Library’s content is represented in the upper bar, which includes different types of Libraries. The upper bar is the following:

 

SubLibraries

 

This bar includes the following Humanitarian subsectors and Areas of Responsibility, following IASC Cluster classifications:

  • Humanitarian Library (which encompases all the below)
  • Camp / Coordination Management
  • Early Recovery
  • Education
  • Emergency Telecommunications
  • Food Security
  • Health
  • Logistics
  • Nutrition
  • Protection
  • Shelter and Settlement
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
  • Accountability to Affected People
  • Age
  • Environment
  • Gender
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Mental Health/Psycho Social
 

Once you have clicked in the sub-sector of your interest, you can conduct your search by listing all existing channels, collections or resources on the topic, or by keywords. There is a search bar that enables you to do the latter.

 

HL Menu

 

The second option to search is by existing Channels or Collections. By clicking on “List channels” or “List collections”, from the Humanitarian Library landing page, all existing channels or collections will be displayed, without attention to the Humanitarian sub-sector they address.

 

For instance:

 

Example Channel

 

This method enables you to further filter your search by location, sector and keywords.

 

Filter

 

The third and last way to find documents is by keywords. To do this, use the search bar to enter your keywords. For instance, this is what happens if we introduce the keyword ‘children’:

 

Search Resource, Channel, Collection

 

All results within the Library containing your keyword(s) will be displayed. You can further filter your results by using the sidebar features, which will contain the following:

 

Research

 

You will always be able to clear the criteria you selected, in order to refine your search to your needs as much as possible.

7. How do I localise my search results?

Other than type or sector, users might want to localise their results by location, be it by region or by country. For instance, this might be useful if the subject area of interest is context-specific.
The Library’s search filters enable users to get localised results. To that end, follow these steps:
 
    • Enter the desired keywords in the search bar.
       

      Search bar

       
    • For example, you can enter the keyword as “conflict”. Once the search tool has displayed the existent results for that search order, click on “Location”, which appears in the side bar.
       

      Location Search

       
    • The feature “Location” will unfold, categorising resources by location. This might be regional or national tags, depending on what publishers of the said resources may have deemed as more adequate for the resource in question.
       

      Result of research

 
  • Select the location(s) that are more pertinent to your search objectives.

8. What are all the different sub-Libraries for?

There are different icons located on the upper bar, such as ‘Education Library’ or ‘Protection Library’.
The Humanitarian Library’s knowledge is divided in subsectors and areas of responsibility, which are represented in the upper bar, including the different types of Libraries. The upper bar is the following:
 

Sub Libraries

 

The Humanitarian Library follows the Cluster Approach ––the international humanitarian coordination system of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) that enhances predictability, accountability, partnership and effectiveness (For more information on this, visit: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/about-clusters/what-is-the-cluster-approach).

 

Applying a Cluster Approach logic to its knowledge management, the Humanitarian Library selected the Clusters it deemed most relevant to its subject-areas (i.e., Camp / Coordination Management; Early Recovery; Education; Emergency Telecommunications; Food Security; Health; Logistics; Nutrition; Protection; Shelter and Settlement; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene).
In addition to the Cluster structure, cross-cutting areas of responsibility have been added (i.e., Accountability to Affected People; Age; Environment; Gender; HIV/AIDS; Mental Health / Psychosocial support).
Each sub-library enables users to see the trendiest knowledge in their area of interest, as well as to find resources on a topic faster and easier. Thereby, the libraries located in the upper bar can also be used as search-term tools.

9. What is a ‘Channel’?

A Channel is the highest level and broadest category of knowledge within the Library. They can contain several collections, which is useful to organise areas clearly into topics.
Should you wish to create your own Channel to organise available knowledge on a certain topic, read Question 16.

10. What is a ‘Collection’?

Collections are the second highest level and broadest category for organising resources and knowledge within the Library. Collections however, do not need to be included under the umbrella of a Channel. Only when the topic is broad enough and there is sufficient resources available, users should create a Channel.
Should you wish to create your own Collection to organise available knowledge on a certain topic, read Question 17.

11. What is a ‘Resource’ and what types of resources are supported by the Humanitarian Library?

A ‘Resource’ is a single document, video or presentation, which is the simplest category of knowledge within the Library. All registered users are able to upload Humanitarian Sector resources to the Library, as well as comment and provide feedback on already existing Resources.
Furthermore, all uploaded Resources can be added by any registered user to their into Collections and Channels, which are the two larger categories of knowledge within the Library.
The Humanitarian Library supports files (PDF, MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel), websites and videos as resource types. Find the instructions on how to upload these by clicking “How do I share knowledge”?
Should you wish to create your own Collection to organise available knowledge on a certain topic, read Question 18.

12. What is the system that the Humanitarian Library uses for tags and keywords?

Prior to the launch of the Humanitarian Library, the Library team carried out extensive research on which were the words and categories most commonly-used by international humanitarian organisations, creating a series of ‘tags’. Thereby, the Library endeavours to be representative of widespread practices and terminology within the humanitarian field.
When uploading, you may select the tags most appropriate to your resource from this list offered. This will enable other users to find your uploads and it will also help the algorithm that powers the innovative search of the Library to propose your content as related: your content will be suggested on the right hand side of the website as relevant to the user.
Tags do not describe accurately all resources, however, so you need a dynamic taxonomy that you can introduce, like hashtags in Twitter. On the Library, these are called ‘keywords’.
To know more about the difference between tags and keywords, read the following question.

13. What is the difference between tags and keywords?

Keywords and tags are similar in some ways, yet being aware of its nuanced difference will inform your research process. Keywords are used to find knowledge via the Library’s search engine, whereas tags are categories to find general topics and organise the Library’s knowledge.
Further, keywords have a dynamic taxonomy and tags have a fixed taxonomy. Thus, keywords can stand for any word or part of a word that can help users filter their search results in a more personal fashion. For their part, tags are made by a set of words that the Library has identified to be the most commonly used by international humanitarian organisations. Our tag system encompasses names of countries, types of resources, names of humanitarian organisations which can be tagged as authors or publishers, themes and sectors, among others.

Uploading knowledge

14. How do I share knowledge?

Any registered user can add resources to the Humanitarian Library.  Registration is free and takes a matter of minutes, and is open to anyone who considers themselves a part of the global humanitarian community.
 

Menu

 
  • The upper bar of the Humanitarian Library web presents a typology of actions that registered users can do: a) Add channel; b) Add collection; and c) Add resource.
  • Channels are the highest level of knowledge within the Library. They can contain several Collections, which is useful to organise areas clearly into topics. Using Channels, organisations, initiatives and individuals can create a space they can manage, developing its own identity and linking back to their own libraries.
  • Collections are the second highest level for organising resources and knowledge within the Library. Collections, however, do not need to be included under the umbrella of a Channel. Only when the topic is broad enough and there is sufficient resources available should users create a Channel.
  • Resources are single items of knowledge, such as documents and presentations. Registered users can easily upload free-access resources to the Library, by following several easy steps. Once a Resource has been uploaded, it can be added to one or several Collections and Channels.
  • Click on the option that applies to want you wish to create or add (Channel, Collection or Resource). We recommend users to start by uploading resources. As their uploads or resources on a specific topic grow in number, they can start organising these into collection and channels.
  • Read Questions 16, 17, and 18 to find out specific guidelines on how to create channels and collection, and on how to add resources to the Library.

15. How much time does it take to share knowledge?

The Humanitarian Library team has calculated that the average time to create collections and channels is 10 minutes. Uploading resources might take longer, up to 15 minutes, given that there are more options to describe your Resource, so it is found easily, and descriptions of resources are usually more extensive than those of channels and collections.

16. How do I create a ‘Channel’?

A Channel is the broadest category of knowledge within the Library. It can contain several collections, which is useful to organize areas clearly into topics.
In order to create a Channel, follow these easy steps:
 
    • Click on the item “Add channel”, located in the upper bar.
 

Add Channel

 
    • Fill in the different categories that appear in the following section.
 

Create Channel page

 
      • a. Title: input the desired title for your channel. It is not permanent; if the needs or purpose of the channel change, users can always edit their channel features.Black tea
 
        • b. Sector: Select from the list one or more of the sectors which best describe your Channel. The list corresponds to IASC clusters and areas of responsibility. The list is the following:
i. Camp Coordination/ Management xii. Logistics
ii. Education xiii. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
iii. Early Recovery xiv. Nutrition
iv. Accountability to affected people xv. Other
v. Age xvi. Protection
vi. Emergency Telecommunications xvi.1. Child protection
vii. Environment xvi.2. Gender-based violence
viii. Food security xvi.3. Housing, Land and Poverty
ix. Gender xvi.4. Mine Action
x. Health xvii. Shelter and Settlementxi. HIV/AIDS
xi. HIV/AIDS xviii. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
 
        • c. Theme: Select one or more cross-cutting themes which best describe your Channel.
i. None xxviii. Humanitarian Financing
ii. Accountability to Affected Populations xxix. Infant and Young Child Feeding
iii. Age xxx. Information Management
iv. Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programmes xxxi. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
v. Cash Transfer Programming xxxii. Inter-Cluster Coordination
vi. Civil-Military Coordination xxxiii. Internally Displaced People (IDP)
vii. Climate xxxiv. Livelihood
viii. Communicating with Communities xxxv. Market Assessment
ix. Communicating with Affected Populations xxxvi. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
x. Community Management of Acute Malnutrition xxxvii. Micronutrient Programmes
xi. Conflict xxxviii. Mine Action
xii. Contingency Planning xxxix. Monitoring and Evaluation
xiii. Disarmament and Mobilization xl. Natural Disasters
xiv. Disaster Management xli. Needs Assessment
xv. Disaster Risk Reduction xlii. Other
xvi. Early Recovery xliii. Peace Building
xvii. Early Warning xliv. Preparedness
xviii. Environment xlv. Public Information and Advocacy
xix. Field Coordination xlvi. Refugees and returnees
xx. GenCap xlvii. Regional Coordination
xxi. Gender xlviii. Resilience
xxii. Gender Marker xlix. Safety and Security
xxiii. Governance l. Severe Acute Malnutrition Management
xxiv. HIV/AIDS li. Sexual and Gender based Violence
xxv. Human Rights and HL lii. Sphere
xxvi. Humanitarian Access liii. Technical Supplementary Feeding Programmes
xxvii. Humanitarian Assistance liv. Technical Cooperation with other countries
 
      • d. Channel Type: Select the activity that best describes the purpose of your channel. You can choose from the following:
        • Handover
        • Operation
        • Organisation
        • References
        • Thematic
        • Training
        • Training Session
 
      • e. Image: Upload an image to illustrate your channel’s content will make it more attractive to users. Files must be less than 300 MB. The allowed file types are png., gif., jpg., jpeg. First select the file from your computer, and once it has been loaded, click “upload” to make the changes permanent. Be certain that you hold the intellectual property rights to any images, or that they are included in the IP of the Resource that you enter later, to point back to the publishing organisation.
 
      • f. Location: Select one or more countries your channel’s content and topic relates to.
 
      • g. Keywords: Tag your channel with several keywords to make its search by other users easier and faster. Type words and select the options from the directory that will show up. Words that are not registered in the directory could not be inputed. Here is an example:
        • Users can add the keyword ‘armed conflict’ because it exists in the directory.
           

          Keywords Exemple 1

           
        • However, users cannot add the keyword ‘amphibian’, because it does not exist in the directory as it is not related to the Library’s scope.
           

          Keywords Exemple 2

           
      • h. Language: Select the one or more languages used in your Channel.
 
      • i. Privacy: Select whether you want your channel to be private or public. Public Channels can be seen by all users. All content uploaded to the Library is visible to all users, however private Channels can be seen only by users who have been sent the exact address or URL of the content, for example ….
 
      • j. Description of the Channel: Input here a description of your channel. Questions you might want to answer in your description.
        • What is the purpose of your channel?
        • To whom is it addressed?
        • What kind of contents can be found in it?
        • Which is the structure? (This might help other users navigate through it)
        • Remember to include any useful link or resource for easier reference.
 
      • k. Search the Library for Channels to link to this Channel: If you wish, select other Channels on the Library that you would like your Channel to refer to. For example if they contain related resources, you can ‘link’ them to your Channel here. The Channels you ‘link’ to may or may not be created by you.
        If the channel you wish to add to your Channel is not currently in the Library, first upload it to the Library using the Create Channel function.
        When you link a Channel, make sure that you select an existing Channel from the directory. If the website does not recognize the Channel, the action will not be saved. You can know that the website has recognized the Channel when, after selecting its title from the Directory, numbers in parentheses appear at the end of the title.
 
      • First, type the title of the Channel you wish to link to your Channel, and then select its name from the directory.
         

        Search for Channels

         
      • Once you have selected the Channel that you wish to link to your Channel, you will see that some numbers in parenthesis have been added at the end of the title. This means that the website has recognised the Channel and properly linked it to your Channel.
         

        Select linked channel

         
      • If you wish to link an additional Channel, click on “Add another Channel”.
         

        Click on Add another Channel

         
    • l. Search the Library for Collections to add to this Channel: If you wish, select the Collections on the Library which you would like your Channel to refer to. For example if they contain related resources, you can ‘link’ them to your Channel here. The Collections you ‘link’ to may or may not be created by you.
      If the collection you wish to add to your Channel is not currently in the Library, first upload it to the Library using the Create Collection function.
      When you add a Collection, make sure that you select an existing Collection from the directory. If the website does not recognize the Collection, the action will not be saved. You can know that the website has recognized the Collection when, after selecting its title from the Directory, numbers in parentheses appear at the end of the title.
      • First, type the title of the Collection you wish to add to your Channel, and then select its name from the directory.
         

        Collections to add

         
      • Once you have selected it, you will see that some numbers in parenthesis have been added at the end of the title. This means that the website has recognised the Collection and properly added it to your Channel.
         

        Select the collection

         
      • If you wish to add an additional Collection, click on “Add another Collection”.
         

        Add another Collection

         
    • m. Search the Library for Resources to add to this Channel: If you wish, select the Resources on the Library which you would like your Channel to refer to. For example if they contain related resources, you can ‘link’ them to your Channel here. The Resources you ‘link’ to may or may not be created by you.
      If the Resource you wish to add to your Channel is not currently in the Library, first upload it to the Library using the Create Resource function.
      When you add a Resource, make sure that you select an existing Resource from the directory. If the website does not recognize the Resource, the action will not be saved. You can know that the website has recognized the Resource when, after selecting its title from the Directory, numbers in parentheses appear at the end of the title.
      • First, type the title of the Resource you wish to add to your Channel, and then select its name from the directory.
         

        Add Resource to channel

         
      • Once you have selected it, you will see that some numbers in parenthesis have been added at the end of the title. This means that the website has recognized the Resource and properly added it to your Channel.
         

        Select Resource

         
      • If you wish to add an additional Resource, click on “Add another Resource”.
         

        Add another Resource

         
  • Once you have completed all the necessary sections (those market with an *), you can publish your Channel. Publication for private and public Channels does not differ. If you wish to preview your Channel before publishing, click on “PREVIEW”. When you are ready to publish it, click on “PUBLISH”.
     

    Preview and Publish

     
  • If you wish to delete a Channel, be it one that has not been published or an existing one you have created, click on “Cancel”. By this action, your Channel will be permanently deleted from the Library. Deleting a Channel will not delete its content from the Library, but from the Channel only.
     

    Cancel button

     

17. How do I create a ‘Collection’?

    • Click on the item “Add collection”, located in the upper bar.
 

Add Collection

 
    • Fill in the different categories that appear in the following section.
 

Create Collection page

 
      • a. Title: input the desired title for your collection. It is not permanent; if the needs or purpose of the collection change, users can always edit their collection features.
 
        • b. Sector: Select from the list one or more of the sectors which best describe your Collecton. The list corresponds to IASC clusters and areas of responsibility. The list is the following:
i. Camp Coordination/ Management xii. Logistics
ii. Education xiii. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
iii. Early Recovery xiv. Nutrition
iv. Accountability to affected people xv. Other
v. Age xvi. Protection
vi. Emergency Telecommunications xvi.1. Child protection
vii. Environment xvi.2. Gender-based violence
viii. Food security xvi.3. Housing, Land and Poverty
ix. Gender xvi.4. Mine Action
x. Health xvii. Shelter and Settlementxi. HIV/AIDS
xi. HIV/AIDS xviii. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
 
        • c. Theme: Select one or more cross-cutting themes which best describe your Collection.
i. None xxviii. Humanitarian Financing
ii. Accountability to Affected Populations xxix. Infant and Young Child Feeding
iii. Age xxx. Information Management
iv. Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programmes xxxi. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
v. Cash Transfer Programming xxxii. Inter-Cluster Coordination
vi. Civil-Military Coordination xxxiii. Internally Displaced People (IDP)
vii. Climate xxxiv. Livelihood
viii. Communicating with Communities xxxv. Market Assessment
ix. Communicating with Affected Populations xxxvi. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
x. Community Management of Acute Malnutrition xxxvii. Micronutrient Programmes
xi. Conflict xxxviii. Mine Action
xii. Contingency Planning xxxix. Monitoring and Evaluation
xiii. Disarmament and Mobilization xl. Natural Disasters
xiv. Disaster Management xli. Needs Assessment
xv. Disaster Risk Reduction xlii. Other
xvi. Early Recovery xliii. Peace Building
xvii. Early Warning xliv. Preparedness
xviii. Environment xlv. Public Information and Advocacy
xix. Field Coordination xlvi. Refugees and returnees
xx. GenCap xlvii. Regional Coordination
xxi. Gender xlviii. Resilience
xxii. Gender Marker xlix. Safety and Security
xxiii. Governance l. Severe Acute Malnutrition Management
xxiv. HIV/AIDS li. Sexual and Gender based Violence
xxv. Human Rights and HL lii. Sphere
xxvi. Humanitarian Access liii. Technical Supplementary Feeding Programmes
xxvii. Humanitarian Assistance liv. Technical Cooperation with other countries
 
      • d. Collection Type: Select the activity that best describes the purpose of your collection. You can choose from the following:
        • Handover
        • Operation
        • Organisation
        • References
        • Thematic
        • Training
        • Training Session
 
      • e. Image: Upload an image to illustrate your collection’s content will make it more attractive to users. Files must be less than 300 MB. The allowed file types are png., gif., jpg., jpeg. First select the file from your computer, and once it has been loaded, click “upload” to make the changes permanent. Be certain that you hold the intellectual property rights to any images, or that they are included in the IP of the Resource that you enter later, to point back to the publishing organisation.
 
      • f. Location: Select one or more countries your Collection’s content and topic relates to.
 
      • g. Keywords: Tag your collection with several keywords to make its search by other users easier and faster. Type words and select the options from the directory that will show up. Words that are not registered in the directory could not be inputed. Here is an example:
        • Users can add the keyword ‘refugee’ and other ones related, because it exists in the directory.
           

          Keywords Exemple 3

           
        • However, users cannot add the keyword ‘amphibian’, because it does not exist in the directory as it is not related to the Library’s scope.
           

          Keywords Exemple 4

           
      • h. Language: Select the one or more languages used in your Collection.
 
      • i. Privacy: Select whether you want your Collection to be private or public. Public Collections can be seen by all users. All content uploaded to the Library is visible to all users, however private Collections can be seen only by users who have been sent the exact address or URL of the content, for example ….
 
      • j. Description of the Collection: Input here a description of your collection. Questions you might want to answer in your description.
        • What is the purpose of your collection?
        • To whom is it addressed?
        • What kind of contents can be found in it?
        • Which is the structure? (This might help other users navigate through it)
        • Remember to include any useful link or resource for easier reference.
 
      • k. Search the Library for Collections to link to this Collection: If you wish, select other Collections on the Library that you would like your Collection to refer to. For example if they contain related resources, you can ‘link’ them to your Collection here. The Collections you ‘link’ to may or may not be created by you.
        When you add a Collection, make sure that you select an existing Collection from the directory. If the website does not recognize the Collection, the action will not be saved. You can know that the website has recognized the Collection when, after selecting its title from the Directory, numbers in parentheses appear at the end of the title.
 
      • First, type the title of the Collection you wish to add to your Collection, and then select its name from the directory.
         

        Link Collections to collections

         
      • Once you have selected the Channel that you wish to link to your Channel, you will see that some numbers in parenthesis have been added at the end of the title. This means that the website has recognised the Collection and properly linked it to your Collection.
         

        Select Collection 2

         
      • If you wish to add an additional Collection, click on “Add another Collection”.
         

        Add another Collection 2

         
    • l. Search the Library for Resources to add to this Collection: If you wish, select the Resources on the Library which you would like your Collection to refer to. For example if they contain related resources, you can ‘link’ them to your Collection here. The Resources you ‘link’ to may or may not be created by you.
      If the Resource you wish to add to your Collection is not currently in the Library, first upload it to the Library using the Create Resource function.
      When you add a Resource, make sure that you select an existing Resource from the directory. If the website does not recognize the Resource, the action will not be saved. You can know that the website has recognized the Resource when, after selecting its title from the Directory, numbers in parentheses appear at the end of the title.
      • First, type the title of the Resource you wish to add to your Collection, and then select its name from the directory.
         

        Search resources

         
      • Once you have selected it, you will see that some numbers in parenthesis have been added at the end of the title. This means that the website has recognized the Resource and properly added it to your Channel.
         

        Select Resource

         
      • If you wish to add an additional Resource, click on “Add another Resource”.
         

        Search another resource

         
  • Once you have completed all the necessary sections (those market with an *), you can publish your Collection. Publication for private and public Collection does not differ. If you wish to preview your Channel before publishing, click on “PREVIEW”. When you are ready to publish it, click on “PUBLISH”.
     

    Preview and Publish

     
  • If you wish to delete a Collection, be it one that has not been published or an existing one you have created, click on “Cancel”. By this action, your Collection will be permanently deleted from the Library. Deleting a Collection will not delete its content from the Library, but from the Collection only.
     

    Cancel button

18. How do I create a ‘Resource’?

    • Click on the item “Add resource”, located in the upper bar.
 

Add resource 2

 
    • Fill in the different categories that appear in the following section.
 

Create Resource page

 
      • a. Title: input the OFFICIAL title of the Resource, that is, its title of publication.
 
      • b. Description of the Resource: Input here a description of the resource. Try to be clear, concise and informative. Aim to write the description of the resource in the language in which the resource was written. Some guidelines you might want to follow are: .
        • Start by repeating the title of the resource, the year of publication and the authorship.
        • Continue by summarizing the purpose of the resource.
        • Summarize the key findings.
        • If you can, cite any other (tightly) related documents that are included in the Library and that you are aware of. For example, if there is a series of documents, as Baseline and Endline Assessments Reports are related to one another.
        • Add a final line where you provide a link to the original publication source, for the easier reference of readers.
 
        • c. Sector: Select from the list one or more of the sectors and areas of responsibility which best describe the Resource you are uploading. The list corresponds to IASC clusters and areas of responsibility. The list includes all the following:
i. Camp Coordination/ Management xii. Logistics
ii. Education xiii. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
iii. Early Recovery xiv. Nutrition
iv. Accountability to affected people xv. Other
v. Age xvi. Protection
vi. Emergency Telecommunications xvi.1. Child protection
vii. Environment xvi.2. Gender-based violence
viii. Food security xvi.3. Housing, Land and Poverty
ix. Gender xvi.4. Mine Action
x. Health xvii. Shelter and Settlementxi. HIV/AIDS
xi. HIV/AIDS xviii. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
 
        • d. Theme: Select one or more cross-cutting themes which best describe the Resource you are uploading.
i. None xxviii. Humanitarian Financing
ii. Accountability to Affected Populations xxix. Infant and Young Child Feeding
iii. Age xxx. Information Management
iv. Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programmes xxxi. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
v. Cash Transfer Programming xxxii. Inter-Cluster Coordination
vi. Civil-Military Coordination xxxiii. Internally Displaced People (IDP)
vii. Climate xxxiv. Livelihood
viii. Communicating with Communities xxxv. Market Assessment
ix. Communicating with Affected Populations xxxvi. Mental Health/ Psychosocial Support
x. Community Management of Acute Malnutrition xxxvii. Micronutrient Programmes
xi. Conflict xxxviii. Mine Action
xii. Contingency Planning xxxix. Monitoring and Evaluation
xiii. Disarmament and Mobilization xl. Natural Disasters
xiv. Disaster Management xli. Needs Assessment
xv. Disaster Risk Reduction xlii. Other
xvi. Early Recovery xliii. Peace Building
xvii. Early Warning xliv. Preparedness
xviii. Environment xlv. Public Information and Advocacy
xix. Field Coordination xlvi. Refugees and returnees
xx. GenCap xlvii. Regional Coordination
xxi. Gender xlviii. Resilience
xxii. Gender Marker xlix. Safety and Security
xxiii. Governance l. Severe Acute Malnutrition Management
xxiv. HIV/AIDS li. Sexual and Gender based Violence
xxv. Human Rights and HL lii. Sphere
xxvi. Humanitarian Access liii. Technical Supplementary Feeding Programmes
xxvii. Humanitarian Assistance liv. Technical Cooperation with other countries
 
        • e. Resource Type: Select the activity that best describes the purpose of your collection. You can choose from the following:
i. Communication materials
  • Infographic
  • Leaflet / flyer
  • Multiple media
  • Newsletter
  • Poster
  • Press release
  • Video message
  • Website
v. Reports
  • Analysis report
  • Annual report
  • Assessment report
  • Fact sheet
  • Humanitarian bulletin
  • Monitoring / evaluation report
  • Progress report
  • Security report
  • Situation report
  • Surveillance report
  • Workshop report
ii. Other
  • 3W
  • Agreement (MOU)
  • Calendar / events
  • Contact List
  • Data / Statistics
  • Letter
  • Maps
  • Note
  • Presentation
  • Press release
  • Terms of reference (TORs)
vi. Research
  • Academic research
  • Private sector research
iii. Planning
  • Appeal
  • Humanitarian action plan
  • Security plan
  • Strategy
  • Strategic operating framework (SOF)
  • Work plan
vii. Training and resource materials
  • Analytical document
  • Case study
  • FAQs
  • Handbook or manual
  • Technical document
  • Template
  • Tip sheet
  • Tool
  • Toolbox & toolkit
iv. Policy and Guidance
  • Evaluation
  • Good practice
  • Guidelines
  • Policy
  • Response guidance
  • Standard operating procedures (SOP)
 
 
      • f. Publication Date:Select the date on which the Resource was published.
 
      • g. Image: Upload an image to illustrate the Resource you are uploading. The custom of the Humanitarian Library is to screenshoot the cover of the resource and upload it as the representative image. so that users can recognise publications from their front covers.
        Files must be less than 300 MB. The allowed file types are png., gif., jpg., jpeg. First select the file from your computer, and once it has been loaded, click “upload” to make the changes permanent.
 
      • h. Location: Select one or more countries the Resource’s content and topic relates to.
 
      • i. Keywords: Tag the Resource with several keywords to make its search by other users easier and faster. Type words and select the options from the directory that will show up. Words that are not registered in the directory could not be inputed. Here is an example:
        • Users can add the keyword ‘camp’ and other ones related, because this word is recorded in the directory.
           

          Keywords Exemple 5

           
        • However, users cannot add the keyword ‘reptile’, because it does not exist in the directory as it is not related to the Library’s scope.
           

          Keywords Exemple 6

           
      • j. Language: Select one or more languages in which the Resource is written.
 
      • k. Disaster Type: Select keywords to describe the disaster category that the Resource relates to. As it is the case with the section ‘Keywords’, only Disaster keywords that are recorded in the Library’s directory can be selected.
 
      • l. Publisher: Identify the Publisher of the Resource. As this section also acts like a keyword search, try to add the publisher both in its full name and its abbreviation. In this case, names that are not listed in the directory can be added, which will be later recorder by the Library.
        Try to be as comprehensive in your selection to thus increase the visibility of the resource in future searches. See the following:
 

Publisher 1

 

Publisher 2

 

Publisher 3

 
      • m. Author: Identify the author or authors of the Resource. This might be one or more physical people, or an organisation. Either case is valid. In the event that the author is an organisation, try to imitate the tagging you used for the section ‘Publisher’ ––be comprehensive––, as this section will also inform future keyword searches.
 
      • n. Pages:Introduce the number of pages of the Resource.
      • o. ISBN:When possible, identify the International Standard Book Number of the Resource.
 
      • p. Rights:Identify the owners of the Resource and, if possible, confirm who owns the copyright to it. This will usually be the owner of the official publication site. Please include a shortened webpage link, that is, one ending with the domain (.org, .uk, .com).
 
  • Select the type of resource:
     
        • You can upload or link to any of the following resource types:

    Select type of file

     
      • Click on the one you wish to upload and follow each step (see below). Remember that, once submitted, this resource is permanently committed to the Humanitarian Library. You can make changes later by going to the resource page and clicking the 'Edit' tab. It may take up to 15 minutes for your resource to show up in the library. Please note, only one resource can be uploaded.
     
      • If your resource is a FILE:
        If your resource is a file, click on the function ‘Select file’. Once the file has been loaded onto the website, click on ‘Upload’. Files must be less than 300 MB. Allowed file types are: txt., pdf., xls., csv., doc., docx., xlsx., ppt., pptx. You can only upload one file per Resource uploaded.
         

        File

         
      • If your resource is a WEBSITE: Copy the URL ––that is, the link–– of the website you would like to upload to the Library, and paste it under ‘URL’. For the ‘Title’ section, please type the official name of the website. Note that you can add more than one website to a Resource upload.
         

        Source

         
      • If your resource is a VIDEO: Copy the URL ––that is, the link–– of the video you would like to upload to the Library, and paste it under ‘URL’. YouTube videos are easier to link, so try to find a youtube link of the video you wish to upload. For the ‘Title’ section, please type the official name given to the video. Be aware that YouTube is not available in some countries, whereas Vimeo is often available more broadly.
        Only direct links to videos are supported (no playlists), for web pages that link to videos, please use the 'Website' tab. The link title is limited to 128 characters maximum. Note that you can add more than one video to a Resource upload.
         

        Video Source

         
    • Legacy nid:The legacy nid or node is used by the Humanitarian Library programmers in the process of a content migration from one version to another. This is not a feature to be filled in by registered users.
    • Once you have completed all the necessary sections (those market with an *), you can publish your Resource. If you wish to preview your Channel before publishing, click on “PREVIEW”. When you are ready to publish it, click on “PUBLISH”.
       

      Preview and Publish

       
    • If you wish to delete a Resource, be it one that has not been published or an existing one you have created, click on “Cancel”. By this action, your Resource will be permanently deleted from the Library..
       

      Cancel button

19. Could you give me any ideas to describe my resource / collection / channel? When uploading, what sort of text should I add to present the topic of my upload?

Channels, collections and resources including a description have many more chances to be consulted and therefore helpful to other users. Try to always include a description to the knowledge you share on the Humanitarian Library: it will ease searches and increase the number of users who view your content!
 

Example 1

 
    • When you add knowledge, a description box will be displayed. Try to be clear, concise and informative. Aim to write the description of the resource in the language in which the resource was written.
 
    • Here are some guidelines you might find useful:
 
    • Start by repeating the title of the resource, the year of publication and the authorship.
    • Continue by summarizing the purpose of the resource.
    • Summarize the key findings.
    • If you can, cite any other (tightly) related documents that are included in the Library and that you are aware of. For example, if there is a series of documents, as Baseline and Endline Assessments Reports are related to one another.
    • Add a final line where you provide a link to the original publication source, for the easier reference of readers.

20. How should I enter the intellectual property of the Resource?

When uploading a Resource, it is essential to enter the owner of the Intellectual Property rights for that Resource. This is in the ‘Rights’ field below.
This field also enables uploaders to promote the publishing organisation and its website, helping users find more and leading them to other libraries: helping users finding the right knowledge is the main purpose of the Humanitarian Library, regardless of whether the knowledge is on it or another library.
When uploading, all you have to do is copy paste a shortened webpage link, that is, one ending with the domain (.org, .uk, .com) in the specific section for it of the edition page:
 

Intellectual Property

21. Why should I always add an image to the knowledge I share?

Here is an example of a resource without an image:
 

Exemple 2

 

Conversely, here is an example of a resource with an image:

 

Exemple 3

 

Adding an image to channels, collections and resources is very useful to make them more recognisable, as well as to give them more visibility, increasing the number of potential readers. Many readers may also recognise the image, such as a front cover, or the brand of the publisher.

22. Why should I add keywords to and tag all the knowledge I upload?

Adding keywords to all the uploaded knowledge (channels, collections and resources) is essential to increase its visibility and enhance the number of potential readers.
The more relevant keywords are added to the Library’s knowledge, the more it will appear on users’ search results, and the more chances there will be that they read and obtain knowledge from those sources.
In addition, adding keywords also speeds the time spent by users when selecting the knowledge to dive in. Keywords make possible to categorise, at first sight, which type of resource we in front of us, and make a faster decision as to whether it is relevant to our search purposes.

23. What do I do if I want to edit the resources I uploaded?

*Be reminded that, as a registered user, you will only be able to edit those resources, collections and channels that you have added or created.
Should you wish to edit a resource, collection or channel, follow these steps:
  • Click on the resource, collection or channel you wish to edit.
  • Once you have its description page displayed, click on the “Edit” functionality.
     

    Edit button

     
  • You will be directed to the same categories you had to fill in when creating or adding the resource, collection or channel. Look for the part you want to edit and modify in whichever way you find appropriate.
  • Once you have made all the necessary modification, you can publish your Resource. If you wish to preview your Channel before publishing, click on “PREVIEW”. When you are ready to publish it, click on “PUBLISH”.
     

    Preview and Publish

     

Further information

24. What do I do if my question is does not appear in the list above?

We do our best to keep the Humanitarian Library’s Help Center up to date so you can find answers, tips, and all the information you need to use and make the most of the library.
However, If you can’t find what you need, let us know! We’re here to help, and someone from our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Please allow for up to 5 working days to get an answer.
Should you have any questions, please contact support@humanitarianlibrary.org.