Consumer health information: libraries as partners

The need for consumer health information delivery is becoming more evident to librarians. The results of a user survey at a large medical center library and a metropolitan public library confirm that the general public is making demands for health information at both types of libraries. Issues facing librarians are discussed; roles are suggested for public libraries, for academic health sciences libraries, and for hospital libraries. The importance of library involvement in the delivery of consumer health information is emphasized. Librarians are urged to define a role for themselves and to work hard at identifying the library profession to all others involved in the delivery of consumer health information.