QUESTIONS ABOUT HEALTH, LAW, AND BUSINESSA brief overview by Jeremy Quillin

Seven Characteristics Criticality- finding the right resource Knowledge- knowing basic information Restraint- restraint in legal advice Ethics- highly personal question Volume- specialized libraries Updating- updating inserts and additions Expense- Reference budgets for health,

business, and law

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Medical Dictionaries:Stedman’s Medical Dictionary is used by both

professionals and the public. Synonyms distinguished by blue print. User friendly with visual simplicity, contains 107,000 terms.

Dorland Illustrated Medical Dictionary contains more than 125,000 terms, known for its clean line drawing, photographs, and radiographic images. Medical terms printed in bright red.

Both contain a CD-ROM for more information

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Medical Encyclopedias(General)Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy has been

an aid to physicians since 1899. Common language that gives information on disorders which is supplemented with graphics and a detailed index.

Encyclopedia of Alternative medicine presents forty types of alternative medicine, from ancient Indian ayurveda to the modern Feldenkrais Method of healing.

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Medical Encyclopedias(Specialized)Gale Encyclopedia of Children’s Health is a four

volume compilation of pediatric diseases and disorders for children under four years old. Also includes developmental issues, immunizations, and drugs.

Physicians Desk Reference is used to find drugs by manufacturer, or by product or generic name. Information includes warnings, dosages, overdoses, contraindications, and use-in-pregnancy.

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Medical Directories (locate doctors or hospital)

Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialist can be used to locate a physician by specialy and by geographical area.

Questionable Doctors is a consumer watch publication that lists doctors who were disciplined by state and federal governments. Detailed information about offenses is included.

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Medical Databases and IndexesPubmed is freely accessible and the most

extensive bibliographic database for health issues. Covers information from MEDLINE.

Thomson Gale is a respectable medical database to journals, newspaper articles, and pamphlets.

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Online ResourcesMedlinePlus is The National Library of

Medicine’s consumer health site, which is a strong resource for checking on drugs, clinical trials, hospitals, and physicians. Information is updated daily.

Drugdigest is a valuable site for drug information which provides info on drug interactions and prescriptions.

Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work

Health Statistics The National Center for Health is the

primary source for statistics. Data is collected from birth, death, and medical records. www.cdc.gov/nchs

Major Legal Resources Used in Reference Work

Legal DictionariesBlack’s Law Dictionary, published since

1891, is the most cited law dictionary in the country and covers more than 43,000 definitions.

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law is a free basic law dictionary available on-line.

Major Legal Resources Used in Reference Work

Legal Encyclopedias

West’s Encyclopedia of American Law covers 5,000 legal issues. Terms, cases, statutes, documents, issues, forms, and time lines are presented.

Major Legal Resources Used in Reference Work

Legal Databases and IndexesLexis database is the most authoritative

index of legal and government documents. Case law, codes, legal analysis, public records or property, news transcripts, and regulations are all included.

LAWCHEK was created for the layperson and the reference librarian. Offers fee-based access to legal forms, glossaries, guides, letter templates, and legal directories.

Major Legal Resources Used in Reference Work

Legal Online ResourcesFindlaw.com is a popular free site for legal

professionals and students. Includes legal links. Information. Lawyer directories, forms, and news.

Hieros Gamos is a web site that offers a directory listing of lawyers, law firms, expert witnesses, court reporters, and investigators.

Major Business Resources Used in Reference Work

Business DictionariesA Dictionary of Business has over 6,500

entries. Includes a systematic web of cross-references, illustrations. Synonyms, and abbreviations.

International Dictionary of Finance provides simple definitions on a wide range of business activity. Many terms included are common to countries other than the U.S.

Major Business Resources Used in Reference Work

Directories and HandbooksThomas Register of American Manufactures

is useful for finding information on numbers, addresses, sales offices, and affiliations of over 168,000 American Manufacturers.

Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations offers and directory of 75,000 corporations and executives across the world.

Major Business Resources Used in Reference Work

Investment Guides

Value Line Investment Survey is a weekly investment adivsory. The main portion covers the ratings and reports of 1,700 stocks.

Major Business Resources Used in Reference Work

Business Databases and Indexes

Gales Business and Company Profile covers over 200,000 directory listings, full-text public relations newswires for the latest info, and thousands of entries from business journals, trade periodicals, and management serials from 1980 to the present.