Knowing How to Help: Providing Health Information in Public Libraries.

Public libraries offer multiple resources and programs to community members at all socio-economic levels. One area that public libraries struggle with is the provision of consumer health information. This article reports on a qualitative study examining the practices of 38 public library staff in 18 libraries in Oklahoma, highlighting their experiences and perceptions about providing health information. The results indicate that many staff were unsure of the overall health needs of their communities. Many staff found fielding health information questions to be challenging, including issues related to understanding questions, providing online resources, and the need for more training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]