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United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
GOAL 2 - PROMOTE USE OF HEALTH INFORMATION BY  
 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND THE PUBLIC

To aid the dissemination of research results that can advance medical science and improve the public health, NLM not only collects and organizes the literature of the health sciences and provides information services, but also publicizes and works to make these services readily available to those involved in preventing and treating disease. For most of its history, the Library has benefited the public indirectly by making current authoritative information available to health professionals and the librarians and informationPhoto of patient specialists who serve them. Recently, widespread access to computers and the Internet has led to direct use of NLM’s services by the public. To serve both health professionals and the public effectively, the Library must increase its understanding of their health information needs, use this understanding to improve NLM products and services, publicize the Library’s products and services more broadly, and strengthen the ability of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to serve the full array of health professionals and to assist in providing authoritative health information to patients, their families, and the public.

OBJECTIVE 2.1 -
INCREASE AWARENESS AND USE OF NLM SERVICES AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

FINDINGS

NLM carries out a diverse set of activities directed at building awareness and use of its products and services by health professionals in general and by particular communities of interest. Considerable emphasis has been placed on reducing health disparities by targeting health professionals who serve rural and inner city areas. An extensive training program has been developed to train medical and other health professionals in Historically Black Colleges and Universities ( HBCUs ) to use toxicology, environmental, occupational health, and hazardous waste information resources developed at NLM. Other efforts have addressed the needs of health professionals in particular subject areas, such as AIDS, health services research, and, through the “Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals” initiative, the heterogeneous and multidisciplinary public health workforce. NLM has also recently focused on improving Internet connectivity and access to health information services in American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. 

A five year review of NLM’s outreach activities conducted in 1994 documented the specific accomplishments of nearly 300 outreach projects carried out at more than 500 institutions. Among the findings was the need for NLM and the Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs) to work together to develop further expertise in evaluation methodology and to incorporate an evaluation component in all NLM-sponsored outreach. The Library sponsored the development of an evaluation guidebook by the Pacific Northwest Regional Medical Library which is now ready for testing. The Library emphasizes training health professionals in accessing electronic information through workshops conducted by the NN/LM and through collaborations with hospital libraries, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, community-based organizations, professional associations, and public health departments.

PROGRAM PLANS

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Last updated: 18 March 2001
First published: 18 March 2001
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanent: Stable Content