CED maintains two reference and information centres. Virtually of course we are present at www.doccentre.net.
The centre in Mumbai, which is also the registered office, houses a good collection of clippings - post 80s for most topics, and three decade old on critical issues. The archives of the clippings are house in a three storied stacker at Bangalore.
Physical Documentation
For the last two years CED has engaged itself in by just focusing on a few areas, with some avenues open for emergent issues. Currently - Climate Change, the issue of Knowledge of Change, Civil Society, Development Alternatives, New Economics and Urbanisation. CED has been trying to articulate a theory of development which is equitable, sustainable and democratic through a certain process by which it is generated since each of these require a generation of information and knowledge.
CED's two Centres in Mumbai and Bangalore have a good collection of books, films, reports, Journals, Magazines and Newsletters. Particularly attractive are the archives of clippings, and reports which are unique to CED and hold a complete history of contemporary issues. K.P.Soma, a Gender and Development Consultant, recently termed the archive on Gender as one of the best in the country. CED now processes very selectively 11 newspapers, 14 magazines, 39 Journals and 21 newsletters.
Besides functioning as a library, documentation is seen to be interactive with other actors as well as the activities of civil society by being proactive in these issues. This is has helped us in bringing outputs like publications, films, education material, facilitating workshops and sharing sessions.
CED is collecting and maintaining of a stock of NGO literature – mostly on Development and Social Change to facilitate the availability of 'grey literature'.
Electronic Database
CED’s documentation is also available in Electronic form. To provide easy accessibility, we have build up the following databases, which are used to search the databases and retrieve the full documents both online and offline, in physical and in electronic form:
a) Electronic Documentation System (ELDOC). This is a database of electronic documents selectively sourced from different developmental sites. And this database also has documents from our more than 30 year old archives. This database has over 1,36,253 records and can be accessed through our website .
b) Master Catalogue System (MCS): It is the database containing index of all the books, reports, journal articles, films, etc. available at CED. This has over 44,000 records. This database is on line and the visitors to our website – www.doccentre.net can access these. The users can do field based search and make bibliographies, as well as ask for the books, AV materials and articles.
c) Under DOCSWEB, we have organised a set of interconnected hyper linked documents on different themes. This also generates input to the various websites that CED manages and generates content for. The websites are: www.doccentre.net, www.kicsforum.net,
www.inecc.net, www.citizensforpeace.in, www.setdev.kicsforum.net
CED Classification System
CED has developed its own Alpha-Numeric classification system, such that issues concerning development and social justice are given prominence and definite place.
List of Classification
(These covers all archival topics. Currently there is a focus on certain areas, for which a parallel notation is used to specialised purpose- )
A00
GENDER AND SOCIETY (GENERAL)
A01
SEXUALITY, DEBATES, SEX EDUCATION, HOMOSEXUALITY
Transvestites, Gay and Lesbian Rights
CED Library
CED's centres in Mumbai and Bangalore host a large collection of books, non-book materials, videos, CD, electronic files. Particularly attractive are the old archives of clippings, and reports which are unique to CED and hold a complete history of contemporary issues.
Though we now rely on internet and email technology, CED still processes very selectively 7 newspapers 5 magazines, 24 Journals and 17 newsletters.
CED’s documentation is also available in Electronic form. To provide easy accessibility, we have build up the following databases, which are used to search the databases and retrieve the full documents both online and offline, in physical and in electronic form:
30 Years of Documentation
CED has developed expertise in documentation and has been a pioneer in developing documentation and networking solutions, which we share with other documentation centres and NGOs. We go through a process of sourcing and searching of information and systematically organise these info into a well defined categories of issues, which enables its uses an easy retrieval of information.
CED has developed a classification system in order to store/organise a wide rangeof social/pilitical issues. And these information are selectively sourced from varousnewspapers, magazies, reports, NGO materials, reviews, books, audio recordings,films, pamphlets, dossiers, developmental websites and other electronic sources.
Information Packages
CED has been re-packaging documentation, information for use by its members in different forms.
Earlier, we had DOCPOST, where we send on a monthly basis user specified copies of clippings and documentation. We then had CED curated compilations on specific emerging topics for activist, and information deployers: called Critical Concerns.
We also had packages ranging from compilations on documents, to information guides, to what we called DOCSWEB: a interlinked set of webpages, which provided basic background and analysis on critical topics as they emerged from time to time. S
- Notes on the outcomes
- interviews & Events
- Notes during COP17
- Watch footage at http://www.justin.tv/oneclimate2
Urban Communities and Climate Change Pilot Study
CED has taken up this short-term study that focuses on the vulnerability of urban marginalised communities to Climate Change.
Resources for NGOs
