May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, but whether you have a research interest in Hepatitis or in any infectious disease, the library is the place to go for information.  We all do some of our research on the Internet – even when we know there are better choices.  But with medical topics, that’s a particularly bad idea.  While there are a handful of trustworthy sites on the free web – things like PubMed, the Mayo Clinic, and the Center for Disease Control – there is an inordinate amount of garbage out there.  And when it comes to health, believing it can be dangerous.

Of course, our databases are rich with reliable scholarly articles, and choices like Health Source, MedLine, Biomedical Reference Collection, Health & Medical Complete, and Nursing & Allied Health Source are all great places to look for vetted information.  But there’s more than that – databases like Health Reference Center Academic offers case studies and clinical reports, in addition to articles.  And Health & Wellness Resource Center offers encyclopedic information on disorders and diseases, as well as reliable information on treatment options like alternative and herbal remedies.  Its extensive multimedia section includes videos and pamphlets.  And try Medical Library Association-MedSpeak for an easy guide to unclear words in the technical journals.  All of our medical databases are listed on this LibGuide. 

But we have books, as well.  Titles like Infectious Diseases: A Geographic Guide by Eskild Petersen, Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Guide to Diseases, Causative Agents, and Surveillance by Lisa Beltz, and Infectious Disease Movement in a Borderless World by David Relman are all great general sources, and we have books on specific diseases, as well (such as Viral Hepatitis : A Handbook for Clinicians and Scientists by Tim Harrison, for anyone interested in reading something for Hepatitis Awareness Month).

 Regardless of your topic, if you need help don’t hesitate to email us at iueref@iue.edu!