This is a specialized information service in Medellín that collects, organizes and promotes the existing services for the community, aimed to the citizen's participation, organized in INSTITUTIONS, PERSONALITIES, EVENTS, OFFICIAL PAPERWORK PROCEDURES and CULTURAL INCENTIVES, and in areas such as: Documentary Works of Reference, Law and Jurisprudence, Communications, Dissemination and Public Relations, Public Administration, Treasury, Plannig, Publics Works, Town Planning and Housing, Public Services, Economy and Industry, Transport, Traffic and Road System, Turism, Social Development, Coexistence and Citizen Security, Health, Prevention and Social Security, Education and Culture, Sports and Recreation, Environment and Natural Resources Management.

Historical Review:
The Local Information Service was initiated in 1991, as on of the reference services of the COMFENALCO Library "Héctor González Mejía" of the Familiar Compensation Bureau - COMFENALCO Antioquia. It is based on the UNESCO guidelines and was the first local information service created in the country.

In November 1994, the Information Kiosk was opened to the public, it is located in one of the city's central streets, the Avenue La Playa, between the Streets Junin and Sucre. It is aimed to serve as one information alternative for the passing-by citizen.

Since the year 1997, with a work group of eight (8) people and top technology, it was initiated the widespread process towards different points of the city. This process is been developed in some steeps which include the design of services, one specialized software for this kind of services, the dissemination of information through an Internet database and the development of some service points in the city or in the whole country.

Nowadays the Medellín Local Information Service of COMFENALCO Antioquia is still the only one in the country and is to be a model for SouthAmerica, competing with the world best services in quality and technology. During its evolution, it have been creating different programs and services, according to the information necessities of the local communities.

Person to person and via telephone:

• COMFENALCO Library "Héctor González Mejía"
  Address: Street 51 # 45 - 37 4th floor.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 511-1309.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 20:00,
  Saturdays, from 9:00 to 18:00,
  Sundays and holidays, from 10:00 to 18:00.

• Information Kiosk
  Address: La Playa Ave. between Junín and Sucre St.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 512-3508.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:30
  Saturdays, from 10:00 to 17:30.

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "Centro Occidental"
  Address: Street 39D # 112 - 101.  Barrio El Salado.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 492-8888.
  Service hours: Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 18:00

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "Colombia"
  Addrees: Street 50 # 54 - 32.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 251-0452.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 21:00
  Saturday, from 8:00 to 18:00
  Sunday, from 9:00 to 15:00.

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "Guayabal"
  Addrees: Street 25 # 52 - 52.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 265-5050 ext. 128.
  Service hours: Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 18:00.

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "La Aldea"
  Addrees: Street 57A # 63 - 71.  Itagui County.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 281-8100.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 18:00
  Saturday, from 9:00 to 17:00.

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "Castilla"
  Addrees: Street 65 # 95 - 57.  Barrio Castilla, Comuna 5.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 267-6061.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 18:00
  Saturday, from 9:00 to 17:00.

• COMFENALCO Branch Library "Villa del Sol"
  Addrees: Street 72A # 63A - 50.  Bello County.
  Telephone: +57 (4) 452-6788.
  Service hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 18:00
  Saturday, from 9:00 to 17:00.

Via FAX:

For information via fax, please submit a written request to telefax +57 (4) 512-3949.

On the WEB:

Since the beginning October 1998, the Local Information Service offers the users who have access to Internet, an On-Line database with information about Medellín.

Visit It At...
www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil

• Institutions:
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/instituciones.asp
  Basic information about programs and services offered by the institutions to the citizens of Medellín and its nearby boroughs as well as their history, organizational structures, service centers and also their publications and auditoriums.

• Personalities:
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/personajes.asp
  Public profiles of individuals whose involvement to the development of areas like education, culture, and politics have made of themselves representatives of the city of Medellín throughout the last 30 years.

• Events:
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/eventos.asp
  This is a cultural agenda with adequate information to enjoy the educational, recreational, scientific and cultural activities in Medellín.

• Official Paperwork Procedure:
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/tramites.asp
  This is a basic information about the necessary requirements and procedures related to the management of the public services, it is aimed to the participation and the life in society.

• Cultural Incentives:
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/estimulos.asp
  Information about awards, contests and distinctions offered in the city to encourage cultural and artistic creativeness.

• COMFENALCO Library Catalogue:
  biblioteca.comfenalcoantioquia.com/cgi-bin/w207.sh
  This is a link to the On-Line Public Access Catalogue - OPAC - of the libraries of the Departamento de Cultura y Bibliotecas, from COMFENALCO.

• Specialized Reference about Medellín:
  This is a personalized service of reference about Institutions their programs and services, personalities, culture, official paperwork procedures, incentives, city projects and citizens participation.
   
• Training about Design and Implementation of Local Information Services:
  It is a program dealing with design, implementation and starting up of local information services in libraries, institutions, organizations, business and community groups. Its aim is to promote cultural memory preservation among the organized communities through an optimal use of the information for them generated for the development of projects of common interest and citizens participation. The program is addressed to culture houses, public libraries, education and culture appointed personnel.
   
• Borrowing Service of Specialized Information about Medellín:
  This service is offered from any of the libraries of COMFENALCO. It includes information in books, audiocassettes and videos. The references can be accessed at the web address already shown clicking on the icon: "Catálogo de Bibliotecas (Library Catalogue) ".
   
• Cultural Pigeon-hole:
  This service is provided by the COMFENALCO Central Library "Héctor González Mejía" and the COMFENALCO Branch Library "Centro Occidental". This service integrates and disseminates information regarding the city's cultural activities performed by groups and institutions, and distributed in form of leaflets, brochures and posters among other means of printed information. The users are social organizations, community groups and institutions affiliated and or not to COMFENALCO.

The Medellín Local Information Service periodically publishes guides regarding some topics of constant consultation. These may be acquired at the service offices or consulted on the Internet database.
 

• Guide of Official Paperwork Procedures "For Living in Society":
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/tramites.asp
  It compiles the legal and official procedures that a person needs in his/her lifecycle such as birth certificate, citizenship identification, and military identity card among others. Requirements, procedures, costs, issuing place and office hours are included.

• Guide "Where to Denounce in Medellín":
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/tramites.asp
  This is a guide that compiles information about all requirements and procedures which are necessary for claims and petitions from the community, concerning deficiencies in the public services and human rights violations. The concerning issue, name of the institution that files the claim and its phone number are included.

• Guide of Auditoriums and Meeting Places in Medellín:
  It compiles information about the available meeting places for the performance of educational and cultural activities. Auditorium's name and its owner, address, phone number, contact person, auditorium capacity, available equipment and procedures to request the service are also provided.

• Let´s Talk About Medellín:
  This is a monthly event created in 1994 and directed to the whole community. It is focused on creating a space for meeting, debating and discussing out topics and projects of common interest concerning the dynamic of the city. It is held on the last Thursday of every month at the auditorium of The COMFENALCO Club on La Playa Ave.

• Video Display About Medellín "To See You Better":
  www.comfenalcoantioquia.com/sil/estimulo.asp
  This is a biannual event that bids video makers to submit works having Medellín as their main topic. It focuses on motivating the community in the collection, organization and dissemination of their everyday activities through visual information.