Document Type : Scoping Review
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Medical Library and Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Ph.D Student of Medical and Information Sciences, Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information science, Islamic Azad University,Hamedan Branch, Hamedan, Iran
4 Professor, Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Nowadays, information technologies have had a great impact on the way public libraries provide services to their users. The aim of the research is to identify the types of public library services and how these services are provided to pregnant women as specific library users.
Methodology: The present study is a scoping review. English and Persian databases were searched to identify relevant studies. All qualitative and quantitative studies that were relevant to the research objectives were reviewed until the end 20 May 2024. After screening and based on the above inclusion and exclusion criteria, the research sample was 14 final articles that entered the analysis stage.
Findings: A review of the sources revealed three main categories for the types of public library services to pregnant women, including information services, health services, and counseling services. Internet services, information, sharing health reference databases, and providing general health journals were among the information services, and health and mental health were among the health services. Also, strategic participation of public libraries in information planning, cultural counseling, and health counseling were among the counseling services of public libraries to pregnant women. These services were provided in two ways: face-to-face, such as reference services, and offline, such as training in health information retrieval skills.
Conclusion: Identifying the services of public libraries and their potential capacities in the field of health can help improve the health and well-being of society, including pregnant women. Achieving this requires greater interaction between health organizations and institutions and public libraries.
Keywords
- Information seeking behavior
- pregnancy
- pregnant women
- health
- information resources
- Public librariesو
- Services
Main Subjects
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