Summary: Amy Six-Means, MLIS, is on the librarian team at Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas. She worked at two other consumer health libraries prior to that. Six-Means started as an elementary school teacher, later going back to school for a degree in library science. Along the way, she discovered the connection between medical librarianship and health literacy and has been a passionate advocate ever since. In this podcast, Amy Six-Means talks with Helen Osborne about: What consumer health librarians do, where they work, and how they help patients, caregivers, and the public better understand about illness, treatment, and health. How consumer health librarians can make a difference whether working in hospitals, communities, or healthcare systems. Collaborating with consumer health librarians for better health literacy. More Ways to Learn: Six-Means A, “Health Literacy’s Influence on Consumer Libraries,” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Volume 36, Issue 1, 2017. Abstract available at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02763869.2017.1259920?journalCode=wmrs20 Medical Library Association, http://www.mlanet.org Consumer Health Information Specialization from the Medical Library Association, http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=329 MedLinePlus, https://medlineplus.gov National Institutes of Health: Centers & Offices, https://www.nih.gov/institutes-nih/list-nih-institutes-centers-offices CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/ HLM, Video Series for Cover Missouri, http://www.healthliteracy.media/health-insurance-literacy-videos/ Examples of collaborative partnerships with medical/consumer health librarians and community members, public health initiatives, or health care organizations to further health literacy and support patients, loved ones, and the community. HeLP MN Seniors. Example of a collaborative program with medical librarians and apublic organization. Developed by the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnershipand the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Libraries. Learn more at http://healthliteracymn.org/resources/help-mn-seniors Michigan Medicine Patient Education Clearinghouse. Developed and maintained by Ruti Volk,S.I., A.H.I.P, UMHS Patient Education Librarian. At http://careguides.med.umich.edu Davis J, “Health Information Ambassador Program for Patient Education: A Best Practice for Bringing the Consumer Health Library to the Patient,” Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet, Volume 17, Issue 1, 2013. Abstract available at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15398285.2013.756344?src=recsys&journalCode=wchi20 Read the transcript of this podcast.
