Uma proposta de reuso da informação técnico-científica em saúde em repositórios institucionais: a experiência do Icict/Fiocruz

Institutional repositories are an important service that is facilitated by electronic networks and are intended to house, preserve and disseminate, in an open access format, the scientific information produced by teaching and research institutions in science and technology (S&T). This study highlights the issues surrounding the gray literature contained in these repositories and the preservation of the institutional memory they represent. To discuss the concept, purpose and significance of reusing information, the repository of the Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health (Instituto de Comunicacao e Informacao Cientifica e Tecnologica em Saude – Icict/Fiocruz) is used to illustrate information reuse. Although not well known in academia, the reuse theme is contemplated in the literature discussing the characteristics of information available on open access. Teaching and research activities can especially benefit from information reuse because of the opportunities offered for such by the institutional repository. It is noted that although this is a new procedure in information services in S&T, it is widely supported by authors in the academic and research environments, especially because it offers increased visibility for the authors’ work and for their respective institutions.