Consumer Health Information Source Book: Seventh Edition (Paperback)

by Alan M. Rees (Editor)
Key Phrases: community health library, community health information center, consumer health librarian, New York, Mayo Clinic, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Ever since the first edition of the Consumer Health Information Source Book appeared in 1981, librarians have relied on it for collection development and referral information. In its seventh edition, this classic source has kept pace with changes in both the health-care and the information-delivery systems.

Although the format has not changed, the focus is narrower and more selective. This smaller volume is still a guide to the "myriad of popular American health information resources, both print and electronic, available to the general public." But for this edition, editor Rees has selected rather than compiled, including only sources with positive value. The book contains more than 2,000 descriptive evaluations of 385 books, 165 popular health magazines and newsletters, 1,500 English-language pamphlets, 850 Spanish-language pamphlets, 215 toll-free information hotlines, 325 health resource and referral organizations, 31 online and fax-based information services and CD-ROMs, and 40 medical textbooks, monographs, and journals.

An introductory chapter examines recent trends in medical consumerism and the resulting need for accurate information that lay readers can understand. Chapter 2 lists 151 outstanding sources, giving them from one to three stars. These sources are discussed in subsequent chapters. The amount of information provided in these chapters varies. For example, entries for clearinghouses and information centers include the name, address, telephone number, and URL if available as well as a brief annotation about the services and publications that they offer; associations have only a name and address. The best magazines and newsletters, Web sites, and books are indicated by asterisks. The chapter on professional literature is especially useful for collection development because it offers a core list of basic sources and recommended texts and journals in the medical specialties.

A chapter on the library's role as a provider of consumer health information is a new feature in this edition. It includes profiles of 12 outstanding consumer health libraries associated with hospitals, health-care agencies, or public libraries. The Consumer Health Information Source Book remains a key resource for all libraries that provide health information to the general public. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"A notable and useful reference and collection development source, highly recommended for all libraries." -- CHOICE

"This would be useful as a resource for librarians as well as for library patrons." -- E-Streams, Sept. 2000 --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; 7 edition (June 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573565091
• ISBN-13: 978-1573565097
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #936,562 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The bible of consumer health information, July 24, 2000

By	J. Friedman (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Consumer Health Information Source Book: Sixth Edition (Consumer Health Information Source Book) (Paperback)

As a consumer health librarian I can say that this is the absolute bible when it comes to selecting health-related materials. Not just a list of books, this is a wide-ranging source of well-written, well-considered reviews of almost all types of materials (books, CD-ROMs, databases, pamphlets, magazines/newsletters, Spanish-language materials, and more) for the layperson, plus selected sources written for the health professional that would be helpful in the well-stocked consumer health library. There is an extensive section of reviews of complementary/alternative therapy materials, something the faint-of-heart might not have wanted to tackle, but Rees accomplishes it with aplomb. Conspicuous by its absence is a list of consumer health videos, but this would be a huge task in and of itself!

Rees knows his stuff (more importantly, he has known his stuff over time--this is the 6th edition of this book [2000]) and he doesn't play it safe: many of the books he reviews are concerned with controversial theories or therapies, but he reviews them impartially. Most public libraries, all medical/hospital libraries, and many academic libraries can benefit from owning a copy of this book, for collection development purposes and also for patrons to browse. The interested layperson, either a patient or family member, would do well to consult this book when looking for the best books/other materials on your particular topic.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most comprehensive, current consumer health guide, June 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Consumer Health Information Source Book (Paperback)

This is the source that medical librarians turn to when developing consumer health collections. The absolute best starting place for selecting consumer health titles!