Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social BINASSS

History and Founding

The Biblioteca Nacional de Salud y Seguridad Social (BINASSS) was established on August 25, 1983, by the Junta Directiva of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), with its formal opening on October 25 of the same year. It serves as the nucleus of the Sistema de Servicios Bibliotecarios, Documentación e Información (Library Documentation and Information Services System) of the CCSS, coordinating a network of hospital and health institution libraries across Costa Rica.

Collections and Holdings

BINASSS holds a comprehensive collection of scientific and technical literature in the health sciences, including journals, monographs, reports, and grey literature. The library maintains national bibliographic databases using the LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) methodology developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO. Its online catalog provides access to references for articles published in national health journals, books, and theses. BINASSS also participates in SciELO Costa Rica, making full-text national health journals available online.

Virtual Health Library

In 1998, BINASSS led the creation of the Biblioteca Virtual en Salud de Costa Rica (BVS-CR), one of the earliest virtual health libraries in Latin America. The initiative was launched following the Regional Congress on Health Sciences Information (CRICS) held in San José that year, where the Declaration of San José on the Virtual Health Library was approved. The BVS-CR aggregates national and international health information resources accessible to users throughout and beyond Costa Rica.

Access and Usage

BINASSS is located adjacent to the Hospital San Juan de Dios in San José. It serves health professionals, researchers, medical students, and CCSS employees. Remote document delivery and online literature searches are available via email request. The library operates multiple satellite branches within major CCSS hospitals around the country.