NB 1513
Dec. 6, 2006
FREDERICTON (CNB) - A new health resource has been made available to New Brunswickers through a partnership between the New Brunswick Public Library Service (NBPLS), the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Libraries, and the Regional Health Authority (RHA) libraries. Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty made the announcement today.
The Cochrane Library is an electronic resource containing systematic reviews on the effectiveness of a wide range of health-care treatments. It contains the best research conducted on different health-care interventions.
The reviews are reports of the results of many studies on a particular treatment method. Each review contains a plain-language summary that concludes whether or not a treatment has been shown to be effective.
"As minister responsible for the New Brunswick Public Library Service, I am pleased that we are able to offer New Brunswickers a high-quality service that will help inform them about the effectiveness of current medical treatments," Doherty said.
The partnership between the UNB and RHA libraries is the first multiple-partner provincial library partnership in New Brunswick. Without the participation of the public library system the resource would only be available to hospital and university users. Now, access to the Cochrane Library is available through the electronic resources section of the NBPLS website to all New Brunswickers who have a public library card.
"The negotiations were made possible by the co-operation of the libraries," said John Teskey, director of UNB Libraries. "We were all more than happy to provide this important and valuable resource to the people of New Brunswick."
The resource will be of particular interest to health professionals who do not have access to the service through the RHA libraries or through the university.
"This partnership is a great example of how working together will put New Brunswick on the road to self-sufficiency and ensure that a healthy culture of learning is in place in the province," Doherty said.
In addition to the Cochrane Library, the NBPLS provides access to a provincial collection of more than 1.9 million items, as well as to programs such as story hour and public lectures, and to services such as reference, inter-library loans, Internet access and other online electronic resources.
For more information about the Cochrane Library or to obtain a free public library card, visit one of the province's many public libraries or bookmobiles, or visit the NBPLS website.
06/12/06
MEDIA CONTACTS: Shawn Hearn, director, marketing and public information, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, 506-453-2568; Natalie Montgomery, public relations officer, University of New Brunswick, 506-451-6842.
06/12/06