Recorded presentation

Barbara L Folb, MLS, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Thomas Detre Hall, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-246-5501, folb@pitt.edu and Barbara A. Epstein, MSLS, Falk Library of the Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Scaife Hall, DeSoto & Terrace Streets, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.

Meeting the information needs of public health practitioners requires access to materials in a broad range of disciplines and expert information retrieval advice and training. Providing an information rich environment in a cost effective and timely manner is challenging for most health departments. One solution is building partnerships between public health agencies and academic health sciences libraries.

The Public Health Information Alliance (PHIA), a partnership between the Health Sciences Library System (HSLS), University of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) was created for the purpose of providing access to library services and information resources to ACHD. The project was funded as a demonstration project for eighteen months with a grant from the National Library of Medicine beginning in March 2003. Initial tasks included the collection of data on current information needs and information seeking practices of ACHD employees. An Internet-based survey was created for this purpose.

Survey response was good, with 141 surveys completed from a department of approximately 350 employees. It measured Internet use for work, confidence in using the Internet, use of specific websites with public health content, and use of search engines, databases, and non-Internet sources for content location. Specific barriers to accessing information were identified.

Based on the survey results, PHIA developed a program including a website, onsite training, access to print and audiovisual materials, and library reference services. Program usage and quality were evaluated. This program is a cost-effective model of information access that can be adapted to other public health agencies.

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the information needs of a public health workforce.
• List common barriers to information access for public health workers.
• Describe a model utilizing access to existing academic library resources and personnel to address information needs of public health practitioners.

Keywords: Survey, Workforce

Related Web page: www.hsls.pitt.edu/phia

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Library access and services provided under a grant from the National Library of Medicine are described.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am an employee of the Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh. All services of the project described and a portion of my salary are funded by a grant from the National Library of Medicine.

Recorded presentation