| Finding medical information about all the health | | | | or take notes or do both. |
| problems and concerns you collect as you get older is | | | | Most libraries also have internet access and a data |
| no easy task. Have you ever read the printed | | | | base that includes medical information. They usually |
| information that comes with a prescription? Is that | | | | have a collection of basic medical references which |
| sheet of paper a reminder that you need to expand | | | | may include medical dictionaries or encyclopedias, drug |
| your vocabulary because you are not familiar with the | | | | information handbooks, basic medical and nursing |
| medical terms? When you read the list of your medical | | | | textbooks, and directories of physicians and medical |
| risks taking this medication do you ask yourself why | | | | specialists. You may also want to find magazine |
| anyone would take it in the first place? | | | | articles on a certain topic. Look in the Readers Guide |
| Now you are in a quandary because your doctor | | | | to Periodical Literature for articles on health and |
| gave you this prescription and wants you to take the | | | | medicine that were published in consumer magazines. |
| medication. You want to find out if the risk of taking it | | | | Be sure to ask the librarian which of these resources |
| is worse than the condition you have that your doctor | | | | is available on line and open to the public because life |
| is treating. You can call the office and ask the doctor | | | | on the internet changes quickly. |
| or his assistant but you want more information about | | | | Libraries also have computer databases indexing |
| your condition before you even do that. So where do | | | | hundreds of popular magazines and newspapers as |
| you go to find medical information that is reliable? | | | | well as some medical journals. In these journals you |
| You could watch all the news broadcasts of all the | | | | have free access to some of the articles but not to |
| TV stations because just about everyone has a health | | | | everything without a paid subscription. However, many |
| segment of some kind. You could wait for the Oprah | | | | of the databases or indexes have abstracts that |
| program to see who she promotes as a medical | | | | provide a summary of each journal article. Although |
| specialist. Or you could devise a plan and find out as | | | | most community libraries do not have a large collection |
| much information as you can and at your own pace. I | | | | of medical and nursing journals, your librarian may be |
| recommend using the library in your community. | | | | able to get copies of the articles you want through |
| One of the best reasons for using your local library to | | | | Interlibrary loans. You may have to pay for this service. |
| find medical information is that the reference librarians | | | | Again, the reference librarian will be able to walk you |
| can help you. Most libraries have medical reference | | | | through all this and help you organize that information. |
| books that you can only read in the library. Often times | | | | Again, some of that information may not be available |
| the books are located close to the reference desk | | | | to you at home because you need to be a member |
| because the librarians keep track of them. The librarian | | | | of this or that organization. Copy the url addresses that |
| knows which books can help you find your information. | | | | are open to the public so you can look at those sites |
| Take them to a table and either photo copy the pages | | | | at home and on your own time. |