Characteristics of personal health records: findings of the Medical Library Association/National Library of Medicine Joint Electronic Personal Health Record Task Force.

Objectives: The Medical Library Association (MLA)/National Library of Medicine (NLM) Joint Electronic Personal Health Record Task Force examined the current state of personal health records (PHRs).

Methods: A working definition of PHRs was formulated, and a database was built with fields for specified PHR characteristics. PHRs were identified and listed.

The Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce: a collaboration to improve and protect the public's health, 1995-2006.

Objective: The paper provides a complete accounting of the Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce (Partners) initiative since its inception in 1997, including antecedent activities since 1995.

Methods: A descriptive overview is provided that is based on a review of meeting summaries, published reports, Websites, project reports, databases, usage statistics, and personal experiences from offices in the National Library of Medicine (NLM), six organizations that collaborate formally with NLM on the Partners initiative, and one outside funding partner.

Results: With ten years of experience, the initiative is an effective and unique public-private collaboration that builds on the strengths and needs of the organizations that are involved and the constituencies that they serve.

Complementary competencies: public health and health sciences librarianship.

Objectives: The authors sought to identify opportunities for partnership between the communities of public health workers and health sciences librarians.

Methods: The authors review competencies in public health and health sciences librarianship. They highlight previously identified public health informatics competencies and the Medical Library Association's essential areas of knowledge.