About us

The WHO Library is the world’s leading library on public health. It provides access to knowledge from WHO as well as to other sources of scientific literature produced around the world. WHO Library resources and expertise also provide scientific evidence and knowledge to low- and middle- income countries through a set of low-cost/high-use initiatives.

Networks and partnerships are an essential component in ensuring that our global initiatives reach a world-wide audience. Using a suite of collaborative tools, librarians and information specialists have a close understanding of country realities and needs. This helps keep focus on adequate and cost-effective information and knowledge sharing solutions.

The Institutional Repository for Information Sharing (IRIS) is the digital library of WHO’s published material and technical information in full text produced since 1948. Its content is freely accessible and searchable in the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian & Spanish).

• Access to IRIS

• Access to the express guides in the six official languages

The Global Index Medicus (GIM) provides worldwide access to biomedical and public health literature produced by and within low- and middle- income countries. The main objective is to increase the visibility and usability of this important set of resources.

The material is collated and aggregated by WHO Regional Office Libraries on a central search platform allowing retrieval of bibliographical and full text information.

• Access to GIM

HINARI is the world’s largest collection of online biomedical and health literature.

This public-private partnership provides free access to more than 25,000 online information resources to health institutions in low- and middle- income countries.

Since 2002, HINARI has benefited many thousands of health workers, researchers, educators and policy makers contributing to improved world health.

• Access to HINARI