Research by Subject: Find Reliable Health Information: For Library Workers

For Library Workers

Support and training are available to help library staff and librarians manage health reference questions. The resources include:

For Health Referrals and Support in San Diego County

2-1-1 San Diego	211 San Diego is the region’s trusted source for information and connections to community, health, and disaster resources. Services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and help is available in more than 200 languages. Call 2-1-1 or visit the website.
Mobile Crisis Response Teams	Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT) provide in-person support to anyone, anywhere, experiencing a mental health, drug, or alcohol-related crisis. MCRT dispatches behavioral health experts to emergency calls instead of law enforcement, when appropriate, with teams made up of clinicians, case managers, and peer support specialists. If you need help or know of someone who does, call the County’s Access and Crisis Line: (888) 724-7240.
Up2SD	It’s Up to Us is about helping San Diegans talk openly about mental health, recognize signs of challenges, find local resources, and seek help.
Herrick Community Healthcare Library	A free public library serving East San Diego County that specializes in health-related materials.
He alth Literacy San Diego	A joint effort of Community Health Improvement Partners and San Diego Council on Literacy to improve health communication.
Health & Human Services Agency (San Diego County)	Review demographic data and health statistics to learn about community needs in the region. Participate in health information telebriefings or LiveWell San Diego Regional Community Leadership Team meetings.

Guidelines to assist information services staff in responding to health or medical inquiries developed by the Reference and User Services Association of ALA

Training and Learning Opportunities for Library Workers

Network of the National Library of Medicine	The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) creates and promotes resources that can support network members in improving the health literacy of their communities. NNLM offers training for those who provide health information to the public such as the Health Literacy On Demand class and the Consumer Health Information Specialization training series. Support your learning with guides and resources designed for academic and public libraries.
CALL (California Libraries Learn)	A website and online learning platform curated by the California State Library and the California Library Association. Find tutorials related to building health reference skills in the CALL Academy and use the calendar to learn about relevant events, webinars, and conference opportunities. Subscribe to the newsletter to learn about new training.
American Library Association eLearning	Find online learning opportunities such as Providing Health Reference in the Age of Misinformation.
InfoPeople	Infopeople provides library staff quality continuing education opportunities, including the Mental Health Initiative series of training.
Web Junction	Find library-specific courses and webinar recordings available free to all library workers.

San Diego Circuit libraries hosted this reference training by NNLM Region 5 on April 27, 2022.