In association with Simon Fraser University & Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
Simon Fraser University
Great Northern Way Campus
555 Great Northern Way
Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 1E2
tel: 1.604.268.7306
fax: 1.604.268.7309
email: act4hlth@sfu.ca
website: www.sfu.ca/act4hlth
Vancouver Public Library (VPL) Health Information Consumption (Theme I)
Investigator: Ellen Balka
Research Partner: Vancouver Public Library
Project Description
The VPL research initiative is aimed towards gaining information concerning patrons’ health
information needs and habits. Library staff are particularly interested in knowing how the library
fits into patrons health information seeking trajectories (e.g., whether people go to the library for
help early in their search for health information, after they have used the internet and failed to find
what they want, etc.). Additionally, information is gathered regarding the changing role of
librarians, technology and information intermediaries.
Methods
Surveys were administered at the Science and Technology and Social Sciences librarian desks at
the VPL Central Branch in the fall of 2004. The surveys were composed of closed and openended questions. When librarians received a health question in person or via the phone, they
assisted the patron with their information needs and then upon receiving consent, proceeded to
initiate the survey. In addition, classes offered at the library aimed at teaching internet health
information-seeking behaviours were observed and followed by semi-structured interviews with
attendees 3-6 months after their participation in the classes.
Benefits to Research Partner
The VPL is interested in gaining increased knowledge of patrons’ health information needs and
the role of the library in general and librarians in particular in meeting patrons’ health information
needs in an increasingly technological information seeking environment. The results are therefore
of direct interest.
Background
Funded by the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) is the third largest public
library system in Canada, with over 395,000 cardholders and more than 8 million items borrowed
annually. The library’s origins go back as far as 1869. The VPL system consists of the Central
Library, 20 branches, and collections available in a variety of formats and languages, and
Outreach Services to homebound patrons. VPL places a high value on being accessible to all
citizens of Vancouver. VPL views Internet information resources an extension of the material
collections available to all library users, and has been at the forefront of electronic information
access in Canada for several years.
The introduction of the Internet into the library system has given rise to several challenges. For
example, the presence of Internet terminals has brought new groups of patrons into the library,
and at times has resulted in intense competition for access to Internet terminals. Where in the
past patrons often went to the library early in their information seeking processes (to seek
assistance from librarians), the prevalence of home Internet terminals in many cases takes the
librarian out of the information seeking loop, often with mixed results for the patron. Indeed,
librarians report that patrons often come to the library to seek help, after searches they have
undertaken on their own have proven unsuccessful.