SPHEN-O-GRAM 2
A day in the life of a Health Promotion Library
Elspeth Henry
It seems to be that not too many people are familiar with what exactly goes on within the walls of a health promotion library, and it has fallen to me to try to enlighten people. Well, hopefully what goes on here is similar to what goes on elsewhere in the country. I was told last year by a rep that I was “not a normal librarian”, so perhaps I’m not the best person for the job. If not I’m sure you’ll be quick to respond.
The subject of health promotion has been around for some time, with theory often referring back to the World Health Organisation’s Ottawa Charter of 1986 (1) as the start of the subject as it is today. Recent Government White Papers have emphasised a move to improving the public’s health, in part by encouraging people to take more responsibility for their own health (2,3,4). As part of the Directorate of Public Health, our department sees the provision of the library and resource service as contributing to this, sometimes along with hands on training.
The major difference I see between the service here and in other health libraries is our resource lending and leaflet and poster supply services. We provide these materials for any user at all in the region, whether NHS, student or member of the public. The resources might be a visual aid, CD-ROM, materials for a display, a teaching pack, a book or a video. The topic areas covered by resources and leaflets include things such as smoking cessation, healthy eating, men’s health, women’s health, self-examination for cancer prevention and sexual health. I think the current most popular resources are the “Smoker’s tar in a jar” which contains half a litre of brown gunge (the equivalent tar for smoking 20 cigarettes a day over one year) a crushed cigarette packet and some “dog ends”, and the replica food pack and plate floor mat. I’ve never seen such realistic plastic doughnuts and chips. The most popular leaflets include nutrition, smoking cessation, more so recently in supporting the Smoking Policy introduced across NHS Tayside, and mental health.
The library is still of course involved in the usual things, interlibrary loans, managing a journal collection, producing an awareness bulletin and of course the old favourite – stamping books! We are involved in developing the local strategy for NES, and look forward to the raised profile of the service and profession which should come from this.
With the current government emphasis on health improvement I think there is the prospect of a good future for those of us in health promotion libraries.
1. Ottawa Charter. World Health Organisation
Available at http://www.euro.who.int/AboutWHO/Policy/20010827_2
2. Towards a healthier Scotland. Scottish Office.
Available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w7/tahs-00.htm
3. Our national health. A plan for action, a plan for change. Scottish Executive. Available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/onh-00.asp
4. Partnership for care. Scotland’s health white paper.
Available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/pfcs-00.asp
Elspeth Henry
Librarian
Specialist Health Promotion Service
NHS Tayside.
email: elspeth.henry@thb.scot.nhs.uk