The Healthy People 2010 Library Initiative has five primary goals:

1 To increase the quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities for all minority
groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.
2 To better educate minorities about common and often chronic health problems such as diabetes
and high blood pressure that occur at higher percentages in their communities.
3 To educate minorities about the science behind chronic illnesses in plain language information
booklets. The booklets, written and/or reviewed by minority scientists and medical professionals,
will be developed in tandem with writers who can translate technical information into easy-tounderstand
information.
4 To give librarians valuable information
resources and tools that they
can disseminate and use with consumers
who come to the library for
health information.
5 To improve outreach efforts to
minorities through promotional
materials such as posters, countertop
displays and bookmarks that will
inform them about the wealth of
health information and services
libraries can provide.
This booklet was developed as an introduction for librarians to the Healthy People 2010 Library
Initiative and to share with librarians the resources and information gathered during the first phase
of the project. Much of this material comes from a literature review of online and print resources that
examine some of the issues librarians face in delivering health information services. The review
provides seven key findings and reference materials that support and explain them.
This booklet also contains research gathered from a brainstorming session, interviews with public and
consumer health librarians, and focus groups with members of minority groups. It discusses an array
of resources and the ways in which public, hospital and medical libraries work cooperatively to meet
the public’s growing demand for health information.