Evidence Summary
Lack of
Training and a Self-Service Environment Leaves Staff and Users Uncertain About
Health Information in a Public Library Setting
A Review of:
Harris,
R., Henwood, F., Marshall, A., & Burdett, S. (2010). “I'm not sure if
that's what their job is." Consumer health information and emerging
"healthwork" roles in the public library. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 49(3), 239-252.
Reviewed by:
Kate
Kelly
Librarian
Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland
Dublin
2, Ireland
Email:
katekelly@rcsi.ie
Received: 1
June 2011 Accepted:
5 Oct. 2011
2012 Kelly. This is an Open Access
article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons‐Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike License 2.5 Canada (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by‐nc‐sa/2.5/ca/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial
purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the
same or similar license to this one.
Abstract
Objective – To explore
the role and expectations of patrons and staff about the role of a public
library in enabling citizens’ “health information work.” This involves helping
citizens take responsibility for their own health care by finding and using
health information.
Design –
Case study.
Setting –
A single, UK public library with a self-service delivery model based in a city
centre in the spring of 2006. Self-service also applies to reference services
and is designed to “empower users to locate and use information on their own.”
Subjects –
202 library visitors who came to the library specifically to find health
information completed a questionnaire, 15 of these visitors were later
interviewed; 19 library staff (10 librarians, 6 library officers and 3 senior
managers).
Methods –
Mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. A print questionnaire was
administered to adult library users (age 18 and over). Semi-structured
interviews were conducted with fifteen randomly selected library users who
completed the questionnaire, sixteen library staff who worked directly with
library users, and with three librarians in senior management positions in the
library. Descriptive statistics were calculated from the questionnaire,
recorded interviews were transcribed, and the text analyzed to identify recurring
themes.
Main Results –
While all respondents came to the library to seek health information results
from the questionnaire found that half (50%) of respondents came to the library
to look for information on a specific health problem; 37% of respondents had
tried finding information elsewhere before coming to the library; 40% usually
searched the Internet when they needed health information or advice although
only 32% reported trusting the Internet somewhat or completely; 67% intended to
borrow books; only 4% indicated that they had planned to ask library staff for
help; and 59% reported finding what they were looking for by themselves.
Results
from the interviews found users, front line staff, and managers in general
agreement about the role of the library as a starting point for health
information, and that the library was a neutral and non-threatening
environment. There was also agreement
among the three groups interviewed that the public library fills a gap when
health care providers, particularly doctors, are unable to meet the information
needs of some of their patients. Library staff were concerned about
interpreting information as well as the impact of a self-service philosophy on
the quality and length of interactions with users, and seemed unclear about
their role in relation to health information provision. Library staff had no training in supporting
health information and limited or no knowledge of authoritative online health
resources and how to use them, and their approach to Internet searching was
similar to users. This lack of training and expertise appeared obvious to
library users. Users did not identify interpretation of information by
librarians as an issue but did reference the impact of self-service and the
Internet on the role and morale of the library staff. Neither library users nor
library staff identified librarians as a resource to be used when seeking
health information. The value of the library for users was the book collection
and they saw the library as second only to physicians as a source of
trustworthy information.
Conclusion –
Uncertainty about the role of librarians in health information provision was
evinced by both librarians and library users. Both groups were also uncertain
about the relationship between self-service and technology, and the way in
which librarians and their work are almost invisible. Health policies emphasize
personal responsibility for health yet individuals are not enabled to find
answers to their questions. The absence of health knowledgeable front line
staff in public libraries is “worrisome.” The obvious trust users have in the
library suggests that efforts to develop consumer health information in these
settings continue to be a worthwhile response to the “pressures on citizens to
take responsibility for their health”.
Commentary
As
this is an exploratory case study the findings cannot be generalized to all
public libraries. The policy context of increasing personal responsibility for
health care is well made as is the difficulty lay searchers experience using
the Internet to find health information.
The
interim between when the research was conducted and its publication has seen
pertinent publications on the topic of consumer health and public libraries
published both in the U.S. and the U.K.
It was surprising, though, not to see reference in the discussion or
literature review to older studies and guidelines such as the Health Link
feasibility study (2005)
which specifically references the potential of UK public libraries in health
information provision or the 2001 ALA reference service guidelines for handling
medical queries.
The
lack of knowledge of staff and management in the library under study about
issues surrounding the provision of healthcare information in public libraries
is indeed “worrisome.” Consumer health information delivered via public
libraries or in partnership with health sciences libraries is not a new idea
and there are resources targeted at librarians available through professional
associations and publications (see reference list.) In highlighting the
uncertainty of staff and their concerns around interpreting health information,
the article mostly reinforces what is already known about health information
delivery in a public library setting. The most striking theme in this article
is the invisibility of librarians in the library studied and the effect of
pursuing a self-service delivery model. In this reviewer’s opinion it is the
uncovering of the impact of the self-service model on the quality of
interactions which gives value to this article and which may give pause for
thought if the public library is to play a role in enabling citizens to take
responsibility for their own health care.
References
American
Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS. (2010). The challenge of providing consumer health information services in
public libraries. Retrieved 13 Feb. 2012 from
http://www.healthlit.org/pdfs/AAASFINAL.pdf
Baker, L. M., & Manbeck, V. (2002). Consumer health information for public librarians. Lanham, MD:
Scarecrow Press.
Business Reference and Services Section, Reference and User Services
Association. (2001). Guidelines for
medical, legal, and business responses. Retrieved 13 Feb. 2012 from http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesmedical
Casini, B., & Kenyon, A. (2002). The public librarian's guide to providing consumer health
information. Chicago: Public Library Association.
Consumer
and Patient Health Information Section (CAPHIS) of the Medical Library
Association. Consumer health information:
A selected bibliography. Retrieved 15 Feb. 2012 from
http://caphis.mlanet.org/chis/bibliography.html
Health
Link. (2005). Feasibility
study information and support for patient choice and
the public library service. Retrieved 13 Feb. 2012 from http://www.healthlinklibraries.co.uk/resources_references.asp
Smith, S., & Duman, M. (2009). The state of consumer health information: An overview. Health
Information & Libraries Journal, 26(4), 260–278.