Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Health Learning Centers
by Christina Stoll, Metropolitan Library System, originally appeared in MLS Ennounce
Northwestern Memorial Hospital supports three Health Learning Centers which are open to the general public Monday through Friday, providing resources for patients, their families, and hospital staff.
The three libraries include the main library at the Galter Pavilion; the Alberto Culver Women’s Health Learning Center at the Prentice Women’s Hospital; and the Health Learning Center Satellite campus located at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. The Cancer Center is currently not open to the public.
The libraries are run by five degreed medical library professionals, three health educators, and many volunteers. The main purpose of the centers is to serve as a consumer health library to the general public, hospital patients, and staff. Anyone can call, email, or visit on-sight for a consultation with one of the library staff and they will assist you in locating the resources and information you seek on a particular health related topic.
The libraries support a wide variety of online resources linked off their web site services including a Health Encyclopedia, Drug Information, and Health References.
The libraries' holdings can be searched. The collection at the Galter Pavilion Health Learning Center consists of non-circulating books and medical journals, DVD’s, computer programs, and a specialized collection on nursing materials for the hospital’s nursing program, and medical models.
The library staff provides programming with topics including Aging Well, Heart Symposium, Mini-Med School, Women’s Wellness, and many others.
While the library health centers are fairly new, the main library opening its doors in 1999, the Cancer Center in 2006, and the Women’s Center reopening in 2007, the libraries draw high traffic. Last month alone they saw 7,000 patrons walked into Galter Pavilion Health Learning Center.
Reference librarian Scott Thomson, who also coordinates the library’s volunteer program, shared an example of the impact the Galter Pavilion Health Learning Center has on its patrons. A mother came in looking for resources for her daughter who had recently been through a Psychological Event. He was able to provide her with information on outpatient services. The woman later contacted Scott to tell him not only how helpful was the information he gave her, but how if this library didn’t exist she would have been lost at what do for her daughter.
Questions about Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Health Learning Centers can be emailed to hlc@nmh.org or call (312) 926-5465.
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