The WIDSAA information resource centre is a regional library and documentation centre which provides computerised databases for contacts in the SADC region, and publications from national, regional and international sources.

WIDSAA collects information through publications produced by networking partners, through exchanges, donations and purchases.

The collection comprises books, periodicals, newspaper clippings, conference papers, reports and primary documents.

From these acquisitions, the resource centre produces bibliographies and acquisitions lists as a current awareness service. Current acquisitions appear in WIDSAA's publications and in the SARDC Current Acquisitions List, published quarterly.

The WIDSAA information resource centre is part of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC), a regional resource centre covering the SADC region. Its objective is to improve the base of knowledge about regional economic, political, cultural and social developments, and their implications, by making information available to policy makers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, development agencies and the media in the region and internationally.

SARDC’s main programmes are on environment and disaster management, gender, democracy and governance, and regional economic development information. SARDC has offices in Harare, Maputo and Dar es Salaam. Patron is Julius Nyerere.