Information Literacy, Mental Health, and Lifelong Learning: Librarians and Health Care Professionals in Academic, Clinical, and Hospital Settings

ABSTRACT

Ongoing education in mental health literacy offered by academic, clinical, and hospital librarians paired with health science professionals presents ideal opportunities for continued improvement of practical, lifelong skill sets in research and mental health literacy. This review synthesizes where academic and hospital librarians have been integral in providing information literacy instruction for health science students and medical professionals; information literacy has transformed theoretical research into practical and life-long opportunities for practicing mental health literacy; and medical professionals transfer prior information literacy and evidence-based practice training to mental health literacy as workplace practices in hospital and health care settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Evidence-based practice
• information literacy
• lifelong learning
• mental health

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges the professional and academic support of the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library at Misericordia University, especially the assistance of Jennifer Luksa, Laura Rock, Jennifer Rugletic Washko, and Catherine DePasquale, with an additional appreciation of Dr. Joanna C.M. Cole for inspiring the author to this line of research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.