Online initiative brings health information into the home

1/12/05
Western Australians with library membership can now access up-to-date information about health and wellness in their own home.
Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale said the 'Health and Wellness Resource Centre' provided information from magazines, pamphlets and medical journals, including the respected Gale Encyclopaedia of Medicine.
"The new online database covers information about health, fitness and nutrition and will act as an important resource for people," Ms McHale said.
"With so much information available via the World Wide Web, it is essential current and reliable information is available from a variety of authoritative medical sources."
The Minister said all public library members could access the database from an Internet-enabled computer, including from home, using their library membership number.
"It will assist individuals who cannot make it to the library and would otherwise miss out on using library resources," she said.
"The database will be particularly useful to people with disabilities, regional and remote residents, and seniors.
"Public libraries are about providing access to information and what better way to do this than via the Internet and directly into the homes of Western Australians.
"The Gallop Government places a very high value on the provision of a free and equitable public library service for all Western Australians."
The Health and Wellness Resource Centre can be viewed online at: http://www.liswa.wa.gov.au/healthwell.html
Minister's Office - 9213 6900