The Health Alert Network Digital Library of Electronic Resources and Services (HANDLERS) project will enhance the existing Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Health Alert Network (HAN) infrastructure by adding to the Training & Resource Center Library resource sharing hub on the agency Intranet more bibliographic databases and full-text electronic library resources. These will be available to over 1,300 IDPH staff at 21 office sites statewide, and to the staff of 94 Illinois Local Health Departments (LHDs), who use the IDPH Intranet via HAN hardware and software and the Internet. IDPH, charged to """"""""promote the health of the people of Illinois through the prevention and control of disease and injury,"""""""" works with and through the LHDs (community-based and serving all but 3 of the state's 102 counties) to accomplish its goals. IDPH and LHD staff use the TRC Library to obtain books, audiovisual materials and professional journal articles """"""""just in time"""""""" in support of their work, especially in responding to outbreaks or other public health-related events. Paper copies can be delivered via mail or fax, but self-service searching from the user's desktop, and immediate electronic delivery of full-text documents, will speed needed research materials to an increasing user base, resulting in better service to more library users. The HANDLERS project will add equipment to scan textual and graphic materials for e-mail or electronic transmission; online databases (in addition to 16 available now via IDPH Intranet, including MEDLINE), some full-text; user workstations for in-library access to databases and other library materials in electronic formats; equipment and support for travel to train staff in the use of HANDLERS resources.
