A Survey on Health Information Services for People with Disabilities in Public Libraries and Librarians’ Competency Needs

Abstract

To understand the development of health information services for people with disabilities in public libraries in Taiwan, this study utilized a questionnaire survey to gather information on the current status of health information services provided by public libraries at the county and city levels and above. Subsequently, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the professional knowledge and continuing education needs of public librarians in providing health information services. The study’s results indicate that public libraries in Taiwan primarily promote health information through activities such as film screenings and workshops. The content of these activities typically focuses on topics like daily health care, disease prevention and management, medication information, and health care resources. Librarians face challenges in delivering health information services due to a lack of relevant knowledge, insufficient library resources, concerns over legal and privacy issues, and uncertainty about reference resources. Nonetheless, librarians express a strong willingness to pursue continuing education in health information services, to enhance their professional knowledge and skills in this area. In conclusion, based on the comprehensive survey results, the study proposes recommendations for public libraries in Taiwan to promote health information services for people with disabilities.

Keywords

• public libraries
• health information services
• people with disabilities
• health literacy
• professional competency needs