美國公共圖書館面向公眾(消費者)的健康信息服務已有較長的歷史。文章選擇訪問量排名前25的公共圖書館,以有專門的健康信息服務項目且訪問無障礙為抽樣標準,選取當中的七所圖書館以網站調查的方式,從健康信息服務網站所呈現的基本要素、服務內容兩大類別,調查并分析七所公共圖書館健康信息服務基本情況。研究認為,以政府政策為導向、以用戶需求為目標、以合作和共享為基礎、以倫理為準則,共同作用形成目前美國公共圖書館健康信息服務的狀況。

The health information service of public libraries in America has a long history. Seven libraries are selected from the top 25 public libraries based on library visits,which provide consumer health information service programs and can be visited with no barrier. This paper explores the current health information services of the seven libraries in two aspects:the basic elements presented from the health information service websites,and service items. With government policy as direction, user need as goal, cooperation and sharing as basis and ethic as guideline,current health information service of public libraries in America come into being.