What is the Oklahoma Health Connection?

The Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library has partnered with vendors and Oklahoma health organizations to provide electronic resources to health care professionals in the state of Oklahoma. Databases that have been licensed by The Oklahoma Health Sciences Library Consortium and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries are being made available. Open-access (free) databases and journals are offered through this interface as well.

In September 2000 the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center were awarded $25,000 to fund a pilot project designed to improve access to consumer health information in Oklahoma. Entitled the Oklahoma Health Connection, this pilot project pairs medical reference librarians at the Bird Library with librarians in a group of designated public libraries throughout the state. The ultimate goal of this project is to make access to reliable health information easier for both public librarians and the patrons they serve. This award was one of three made in 2000 by the office of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Central Region. The funding period continues through July 31, 2001.

The Oklahoma Health Connection does not collect personal information regarding its users. Web site usage logs are used to monitor activity at the site, but no personal data is ever included in reports derived from this data. We use e-mail addresses only to respond to questions submitted by users of the site, and these e-mail addresses are deleted after the question is answered. Copies of questions and answers are compiled, but no personally identifying data is ever included.