Drug Information Resources and Issues for Hospital Librarians

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to offer assistance for medical librarians in small— to medium-sized hospitals toward realistic collection development endeavors regarding drug information (DI) resources. It is not the author's intent in this article to present exhaustive print or electronic resources with respect to the broad subject of drug information, pharmacology and therapeutics, but to present a brief guide to selected resources for hospital librarians; however, there are references made to other extensive lists.

The cost of many print DI books is prohibitive. The mission of the hospital library, reflected in the collection development policy, should direct what resources are essential. Moreover, the librarian should have the professional staff involved in the collection development process of the medical library.

Key Words:

• Hospital library
• hospital librarian
• drug information resources
• collection development
• Internet
• consumer drug information
• drug approvals
• herbals
• foreign drugs
• OTC drugs