Libraries Designed for Users : A 21st Century Guide

From The Critics

Reviewer: Jenny Pierce, MS (Philadelphia FIGHT)
Description: This is a handbook for public librarians on providing consumer health reference services for the public. It includes an overview of resources available in print and online and has a section on how to create consumer health resources in a library both through a website and physical collection.
Purpose: The intention of the book is to give librarians the resources they need to feel comfortable in providing effective health references. The authors cite studies that indicate most consumers of health information look to their local library for assistance.
Audience: This book is for librarians to help them provide effective health references. This book also targets social workers, clinicians, and health department staff. The authors are both affiliated the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library.
Features: The book has three parts covering consumer health essentials for librarians, consumer health resources for librarians, and consumer health services for librarians. Part 1 gives good resources for further study along with concise description of medical providers and covers 16 heath topics that studies show are of the most concern to the public. Part 2, which will be the highlight of the book for most readers, includes an annotated list of 83 websites. Part 3 is an overview of the need for libraries to provide health references, how to do it and:always important:how to market the service. The section on creating print resources will be useful. A unique feature of this book is the inclusion of a CD-ROM that reproduces the recommended websites section making it easy to cut and paste. There is also a mock-up website that provides templates for would-be web developers.
Assessment: This is an excellent guide and useful handbook for any organization that has decided to provide health reference or health resource materials for their clientele. The presentation of the three parts, the depth of the recommended websites, the resources for evaluation, the CD-ROM, and the authority of the authors make this an essential purchase.

Library Journal

With these two new books and the current edition of Alan Rees's Consumer Health Information Source Book (Greenwood, 2000. 6th ed.), librarians will be well prepared to meet the health information needs of the general public both titles do an excellent job of illustrating the need for quality consumer health information services. The flavor differs, with the first work more grounded in public library experience and the latter based on academic library consumer health outreach programs. While public librarians are the primary audience for Baker and Manbeck's guide, all professionals providing consumer health information services will also benefit from studying their work. Baker is an experienced nurse with an MLS and a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science who has worked as a health science reference librarian; she now teaches health science librarianship at Wayne State University, Detroit. Manbeck has an MBA and MLS and works as project consultant to the New York Public Library's consumer health information program. Drawing on the library and nursing literature, their book focuses on meeting the health information needs of consumers in conjunction with a wide range of community partners. Beginning with the vital aspect of community analysis, the authors examine both consumers and the healthcare environment. Well-referenced chapters that address a historical perspective, collection development issues, Internet resources, promotion, outreach, staff development, and evaluation follow this needs assessment. Almost all the advice is sound, based on professional standards and knowledge. Only the weeding advice seems unrealistic two years is too short for works that are updated on a three- to five-year cycle. This work includes a limited number of recommended resources, including web sites. The Medical Library Association's (MLA) handbook has a broader purpose: to guide librarians providing health and medical reference service to the general public in any setting. The authors are librarians at the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library, where Halsted has managed several consumer health information projects. Barclay has worked in various academic libraries and published other books and articles on library topics (Managing Public Access Computers, Professional Media, LJ 6/15/00). In contrast to the Scarecrow title, the MLA book covers three distinct topics: consumer health essentials, consumer health resources, and consumer health services. The first part briefly reviews medical terminology, common health concerns, and complementary/alternative medicine. Given the brevity of this section, it was not surprising to find some minor errors, such as uneven coverage of the health professions and common medical conditions. For example, not all nurses have a four-year degree, and many allied health professions are not described, while osteopathic physicians are described in two separate chapters, one on alternative therapies. The second part goes beyond the scope of Baker and Manbeck's book by including annotated lists of both web and print resources, along with a section of information for and about children. Without shortchanging print resources, this book serves as an excellent introduction to consumer health on the web. Selections are limited to English language, with the exception of the NOAH web site, which offers health information in English and Spanish. This book is definitely a better value than Healthcare Online for Dummies (LJ 3/1/02) and other popular titles on this topic. The CD-ROM includes links to the fewer than 100 selected web sites (of 400 reviewed), along with a sample brochure and a prototype web site. The site descriptions include title, URL, and a chart indicating type of site (commercial, nonprofit, government), privacy policy, advertisements, and sales. Each description includes authority, content, and special features. However, for quick reference on specific topics, one would do better to search MEDLINEplus at medlineplus. gov or one of the other general sites recommended in this book. The book's final and most valuable section provides a practical approach to four key areas: creating consumer healthcare services, evaluating consumer health resources, creating effective print consumer health publications, and building successful consumer health web sites for your users. Ethical concerns are addressed along with the practical aspects, as well as collaboration between medical and public libraries. These chapters, read in conjunction with Baker and Manbeck's guide, go a long ways to supporting effective consumer health information programs. In conclusion, both titles are recommended for their unique strengths. If your library can afford just one, purchase Baker and Manbeck's book, which will have enduring value. Margaret Allen, Library Consultant, Stratford, WI Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Library facilities can be planned, designed, and remodeled with this handbook examining actual plans, sketches, budgets, proposals, forms, and blueprints for renovations and new facilities such as multi- lingual services, coffee house areas, late night services, art galleries, outdoor facilities, electronic classrooms, and day care and teen programs. The handbook offers detailed recommendations for floor layout, furnishings, equipment, parking lots, and lighting, and gives advice on working with architectural teams and evaluating the library's post-occupancy success. The author is a library consultant. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

5 Stars! from Doody