Rising to the information challenge.

Since 1990, the lack of information at the community level had already become clear to the Center for Social Development (CDS) in Quito. It is a country where not even politicians have enough access to good information on a lot of topics, whether it is Public Health or Shining Path. Rising to this information challenge, CDS established a network of community bookstores located within organizations committed to nonformal education. Supported by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), the network, known as ¿Jatarishun¿, became a major distributor of publications throughout Ecuador. The publications cover topics related to health, economic and political issues, agricultural and community development. Another project supported by IDRC focused on using information technology to facilitate information management and computer-based communication within the network and with partners in the region. Meanwhile, the National Federation of Peasant and Indigenous Organizations, a second participant in the pilot project, recognizes the crucial importance of recording and systematizing information now stored in the heads of the people and in documents, particularly on agrarian reform issues. On the other end, is the third network member, the Telmo Hidalgo Cultural Institute for popular Education (ICEP). Library is the main function of ICEP, which also offers audiovisual resources, organizes cultural events, gives courses, prints educational materials, and sells books. Once these 3 organizations have developed their own pilot databases, the goal is to connect them via electronic mail.