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November 2002 Centre celebrates information age
By Suzanne O’Callaghan The Access Information Centre At The Alfred—the Statewide resource centre on HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections for the community–celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. The Centre provides information on herpes and the latest treatments for hepatitis B or C or HIV—delivered in a way that respects privacy. Since 1997, people in the community have obtained information from the Centre in different ways, according to their needs: • 7,303 people visited the Centre for information; • 4,672 telephoned, faxed or emailed and had information posted, faxed or emailed to them; • 1,955 gained information through outreach programs; • 104,446 people used the Centre’s web site. ‘In this era of the information explosion, the Centre is very conscious of guiding its clients to appropriate sources of information at all levels, from plain language to the very technical,’ said Centre Coordinator Suzanne O’Callaghan. ‘People may be searching for information when they are coming to terms with their diagnosis with HIV or hepatitis B or C or when they are trying to find out about new treatments. ‘Sometimes, the searchers may be friends or carers or community workers looking for technical reports or articles. ‘The ongoing challenge of the Centre is to make sure the information clients want is available to them, whatever it may be. ‘We work very closely with the community to make sure our information is relevant and accessible. ‘The community reference group even decided the name—Access Information Centre—because, for them, that is the most important role of the Centre—to provide access to information in an area that can be quite sensitive.’ The Centre takes an integrated approach to providing information. ‘We have a website with an online catalogue and we also post out information but our drop-in Centre is very important to our clients,’ said Centre Librarian Jane Watson-Brown. ‘We have put a lot of work into creating an environment that is relaxed and inviting so that our clients feel comfortable about asking for what they need.’ The drop-in Centre includes brochures, books, videos, magazines, computers with internet access and a health educator to talk through issues with clients. • The Access Information Centre At The Alfred is in Fairfield House, Moubray Street, Melbourne. For more information contact 9276 6993, fax 9533 6324, email access@alfred.org.au or visit http://www.accessinfo.org.au. |
