Bibliosalut, la Biblioteca Virtual de Ciencias de la Salud de las Islas Baleares: 3 lustros en constante evolución

At the beginning of 2003, Bibliosalut was inaugurated in the Balearic Islands, becoming one of the first autonomous virtual libraries in the field of health sciences created in Spain during the first decade of the 21st century. After more than fifteen years, the evolution of the autonomous model of library management configured in that region has been analysed. It has developed from the coordination of 9 libraries, mostly hospitals, to the management of a virtual and unique scientific library for all the professionals of the public health system of the Balearic Islands. An extraordinary change for these health professionals, and even more so in an archipelago, which has meant the democratization of access to relevant scientific information. The virtual library is today an essential tool for health care, education and research. A potential panorama for the “twenties” is also envisioned, as being full of opportunities, mainly revolving around the open science and information and communications technology, where the need for us to reinvent ourselves as professionals of information and documentation, and thus create new resources and services to meet the new needs of the health professionals, will be critical. Finally, the importance of continuing to invest in interlibrary cooperation, and especially with other regional virtual libraries, needs to be firmly emphasized.