Impact of a consumer health information specialization (CHIS) sponsorship program on the ability of public library staff to provide consumer health information.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

In 2018, the Network of the National Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) launched a sponsorship program to support public library staff in completing the Medical Library Association's Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS). The objectives of our study were to: (1) determine whether completion of the sponsored specialization improved ability to provide consumer health information; (2) identify new health information services, programming, and outreach activities at public libraries; (3) investigate benefits of the specialization; and (4) determine the impact of sponsorship on obtaining and continuing the specialization.

Methods

We used REDCap to administer a 16-question survey in August 2019 to 224 public library staff who were sponsored during the first year of

SUBMITTER: Kiscaden E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8270365 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature